An Oak Harbor firefighter was honored Tuesday for his efforts to save a man while he was off duty.

Fire Chief Ray Merrill presented firefighter Andrew Moon with a meritorious service award during the council meeting.

Merrill explained that Moon, who’s been a paid on-call firefighter since November 2012, was at his other part-time job Jan. 19 when he heard “a thud” and turned around to see a man on the ground.

Moon jumped into action and took control of the scene, Merrill said.

“I was told it was like a mass exodus of people moving away and Andrew moved forward,” he said.

Moon started CPR after the man suffered a seizure and was pulseless. Merrill said he performed CPR so well that the man started regaining consciousness and tried to push Moon’s hands away.

The man lost consciousness again and his heart stopped, so Moon continued CPR as other first-responders rushed to the scene. The man’s pulse was restored as he was taken away in an ambulance, Merrill said. Unfortunately, the man died at the hospital.

Merrill said the man’s family members were so thankful that they asked Moon and another firefighter to serve as pallbearers at the funeral.

Merrill and Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley thanked Moon for putting his training into action.

“We live in a safe community, but you make it safer,” Dudley said.

Moon thanked his fellow firefighters, police officers and his family for showing up to support him.