With 19 years in the fire service, Captain Dustin Chambliss is known for his skill, calm under pressure, and deep commitment to protecting others—qualities that proved lifesaving in the early morning hours of March 20, 2015. While transporting a cardiac patient along rural Lake Mary Road, Chambliss asked his partner, Firefighter Catherine Sobel, to pull over so they could reassess the patient’s condition. Moments later, the unthinkable happened: the parked ambulance began rolling forward with no one in the driver’s seat.

Hearing his partner’s shouts, Chambliss spotted her lying injured on the roadway. In a split-second decision, he exited the patient compartment, leapt into the cab through the passenger door, and brought the ambulance to a stop—just 10 feet from a 30-foot drop. He then ran to assist Firefighter Sobel, single-handedly packaging her for transport while also continuing care for his original cardiac patient. For 20 minutes, until backup arrived, Chambliss managed two critical patients in the dark, remote conditions, ensuring both survived the ordeal.

Chambliss’s actions that night prevented what could have been a tragic triple loss of life. His heroism, quick thinking, and professionalism reflect the highest ideals of the Arizona fire service. In addition to serving as a Captain with Blue Ridge Fire Department, he is the Training Captain for Verde Valley Fire District and an instructor at Yavapai College, mentoring the next generation of firefighters.

Born in Forest Grove, Oregon, and raised in Arizona, Chambliss grew up in the fire service—his father a volunteer firefighter, his mother a dispatcher. He lives in Arizona with his children and remains dedicated to the profession that has shaped his life.