Scott Maltz is a real American hero.

The 21-year-old veterinary technologist major from Bellmore, Long Island was recently honored by the Nassau County police department for his courage and dedication to his community.

In addition to the honor bestowed upon Maltz by the Nassau County police commissioner, he also received certificates of merit from two county legislators.

“My father and I were on our way home from the movies when we saw a woman in her late teens or early 20s walking northbound in the southbound lane of a three lane highway,” Maltz said.

The volunteer firefighter/EMT initially assumed she was in an accident.

“I noticed she was covered with blood. My initial thought was that she was in a car accident so I told my father pull the car over,” he said. “I saw a car down the road stopped and thought she was in it or it was involved in the accident.”

However, Maltz quickly realized it was anything but a routine car accident.

“I then realized something was a miss. I had, by this point, convinced the young woman to sit down and began asking her questions that I learned to ask from an EMT course I had just taken,” he said.

After getting important information like her name, age and medical history he uncovered more clues that indicated something was very wrong.

“While I was asking these questions, I was assessing her injuries and found many cuts, abrasions and deep lacerations to her hands, face and head,” Maltz recalled. “I began bandgaging her wounds as best I could with limited medical supplies.”

While his father was on the phone with a 911 emergency operator, he called the local fire department directly, relayed the information to them and told them he needed an immediate response.

“I was later informed by the firemen and police officers that if I had not stopped and given her the care I did she would have not survived,” Maltz said. “It turned out the 21-year-old girl from Connecticut was a student at a college in Queens. She had gotten a ride to the train station from some guy she met at a party. While on route, he took her into the nearby woods and tried to rape her before she escaped.”

While Maltz was aiding the girl, the rapist was still on the loose. Despite this, Maltz kept a level head on his body and did what he needed to do.

Maltz said he plans on continuing serving as a firefighter for years to come.

“I plan on being a firefighter for as long as I am physically and mentally capable,” Maltz said. “I am planning on working to become an officer within the next two years.”

Despite his acclaim and distinguished honors, Maltz, like a true hero remains modest.

“What I did was not for fame or publicity, it was just something I did, but am proud of it,” Maltz explained. “No matter how nice a person seems, one must always be conscious of the fact that bad people are everywhere.”