EAST CARBON, Utah — Two agents with the Utah Department of Corrections' Adult Probation and Parole are being hailed as heroes after they allegedly saved two men and three pets from carbon monoxide poisoning in East Carbon.
Nick Parker and Kelton Larsen are being commended for their quick, decisive actions that saved the two men.
According to the department, Parker and Larsen were conducting routine field work on Tuesday when they heard an emergency call about an unresponsive person in a home. Although the location wasn't part of their route, they stopped to investigate, offer assistance, and were the first to arrive at the scene.
“The caller said that they felt like they were gonna pass out or they were dizzy, and then they lost contact with the caller," Parker said.
Upon arriving at the home, the agents received no response, prompting them to enter the home, where they found the two men, ages 37 and 39, unconscious.
The agents said they initially thought they were responding to a possible overdose, but they quickly learned that such was not the case.
"We both started smelling a heavy chemical smell and realized that this was more than just an overdose, that there was something bigger at play," Larsen said.
One of the men had labored breathing and stopped breathing at one point, leading Parker and Larsen to start CPR. They were then taken to the hospital for treatment.
The two agents said they believe anyone else in their shoes would have done the same thing.
"We were in the right place at the right time," Larsen said. "[There are] limited resources out there in East Carbon, so we're always happy to jump in and help with their calls if we're out there and they have a call come in."
Parker and Larsen said the carbon monoxide may have been caused by the men using a generator inside because the home had no power.
