Police Officers Honored for Saving Man Whose Leg Was Lost After Being 'Sucked Into the Cutting Wheel of a Wood Chipper'

Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey used a tourniquet and bandage to stop the victim's arterial bleeding

<p>Darby Borough Police Department/Facebook</p> Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey

Darby Borough Police Department/Facebook

Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey

Two police officers in Pennsylvania have been recognized for saving a man's life after his leg was severed in a stump grinder accident in June.

Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey responded to the scene of a home renovation accident on June 19, when an unidentified man's right leg was severed after it was "sucked into the cutting wheel of a wood chipper," per a Darby Borough Police Department Facebook post.

On Wednesday, July 17, Darby Borough Mayor Darren Burrell and Council President Lucille Pratt honored each officer with a heroism award.

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Lee told CBS News that the victim was attempting to "clear some debris from the front of the chipper" — also known as a stump grinder, which removes tree stumps and grinds them into mulch chips.

"Unfortunately, it appeared that a piece of his clothing had gotten sucked into the machine," McCaughey added.

<p>Darby Borough Police Department/Facebook</p> Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey

Darby Borough Police Department/Facebook

Officers Terrell Lee and Shain McCaughey

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They acted quickly to keep the victim, whom McCaughey described to the outlet as being "in shock," by applying first aid until paramedics arrived.

"Officer Lee applied his personal tourniquet to the upper thigh area of the male while Office McCaughey applied his personal 'Israeli' bandage to another area of the wound" to prevent more blood loss, which could've potentially resulted in the man's death, according to the description on the heroism award.

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When paramedics arrived, the officers allowed them to take control of the situation, and the victim was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

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The heroism award also noted that doctors at Penn Presbyterian said the officers' "application of the tourniquet" and "quick actions" saved the man's life by stopping "the arterial bleeding."

Lee told CBS News that the heroism award is "a nice gesture" and they "really do appreciate it," but "that's not what we come here for."

"We come here to serve and protect," Lee emphasized.

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Read the original article on People.