MCLB Barstow Employee Saves Child's Life

Photo By Cynthia McIntyre | If Jeff Houlemard had gone to his parents’ house after church as he had planned, a little boy might be dead. Instead, he went to his Hesperia home, and when a neighbor child was being mauled by a dog, Houlemard was there to help. A communications and electronics artisan at Marine Depot Maintenance Command, Production Plant Barstow, Houlemard didn’t stop to think. He just acted. When kicking and jumping on the dog didn’t work, he pried the dog’s jaws from around the boy’s leg. Although the 4-year-old’s leg had to be amputated above the ankle, Houlemard is credited with saving his life. He put himself at risk, but as a father and a human being, it seemed like the most natural thing to do. He said he just thought about his own children and did what needed to be done.  

BARSTOW, CA, UNITED STATES

05.29.2015

Courtesy Story

Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

Story and Photo by: Betty Jackson, Program Analyst, Operations Division, MDMC, PPB

BARSTOW, Calif. - Many of us might wonder how we would react if a stranger was being attacked. Do we intervene? Do we put ourselves in danger if it means saving a life?

Jeff Houlemard, an employee at Marine Depot Maintenance Command, Production Plant Barstow, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., did not stop to consider the answers when confronted with that very situation on Feb. 8, 2015. He just acted.

If he had gone to his parents' house after church as he had planned, a little boy might be dead. Instead, he went to his Hesperia home, and when his son Logan ran into the house yelling "Call 911! Dad come help! Dad please help!" Houlemard ran outside.

A child was screaming, and a neighbor said a dog was attacking a child. Houlemard looked at the 8-foot fence and knew it was too high to jump, so he butted it with his shoulder. The fence went down and so did Jeff; he immediately jumped up and saw the dog with the boy's leg in his mouth. He didn't hesitate. He kicked the dog, then jumped on top of him. Finally he grabbed the dog's jaws and forced it to let go.

Logan and his friend pulled the 4-year-old boy to safety. Houlemard kept the dog in a choke hold until the child's father, a Rialto police K-9 handler, controlled the dog and put him in the kennel. While others attended to the child, Houlemard stabilized the boy's leg until the paramedics arrived. The child is recovering well, but his leg had to be amputated just above the ankle.

The dog, named Jango, had been working with the boy's father for about two years. It is not known why Jango, a Belgian Malinois, attacked. The dog was separated from the family and returned to the police force. Houlemard continues to go to therapy for his injured shoulder. When asked, he says he would do it again.

Houlemard, a communications and electronics artisan at PPB, is so grateful to everyone who tried to make a difference and the quick actions of all involved. He said that he just acted as a father, and added, “Hopefully we all have people around us who will act first and think about the consequences later."

This is not Houlemard's first heroic act. Last summer while on vacation in Big Bear Lake, Calif., he and his family rented a pontoon boat. When a nearby boat suddenly exploded, Houlemard swam to the boat where a woman was still aboard. He calmed her down and convinced her to jump into the water where he swam with her to the dock 50 yards away. Others on shore helped them both out.

Houlemard believes that most people would do the same thing if the circumstances warranted it. He believes helping others in need is a responsibility and a duty. He does not consider himself a hero.

Some might disagree with the "not a hero" part. Although he put himself at risk, as a father and a human being, it seemed like the most natural thing to do. He said he just thought about his own children and did what needed to be done.

A little boy and his family are very glad that he did.

Houlemard was a high school wrestler in Covina, Calif. After he graduated he became an Air Crew Rescue Swimmer for the Navy and was stationed at North Island Air Station, San Diego. Before coming to Barstow, he worked on flight simulators, the H60 Seahawk, and the S3 Viking. He began working at Barstow in 2006 as a contractor, but soon became a DOD employee at Production Plant Barstow.

• Date Taken: 05.29.2015
• Date Posted: 05.29.2015 13:14
• Story ID: 164912
• Location: BARSTOW, CA, US
• Hometown: HESPERIA, CA, US