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SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) –Quick thinking and bravery by one Savannah-Chatham Metro Police officer most likely saved a Savannah woman’s home that she’s lived in for more than 50 years.

Advanced Patrol Officer Matthew Jackson was simply getting to work when he heard the call for help over the scanner about a fire nearby, and without hesitation, he sprang into action.

Jackson just showed up to work at the downtown precinct when he heard there was a fire at a home across the street on East Lathrop Avenue. He sprinted over, and ran into the smoke filled house.

“In situations like that you kind of put the people first. That is what we signed up to do,” said Jackson.

When APO Jackson showed up to work he was not planning on using his limited firefighting training.

“I mean we are not fireman, we are policemen. But at the end of the day it is all public service,” he said.

However, just minutes into his shift, he heard there was a fire at a home right across the street. When he ran outside, he saw 80-year-old Edith Moultrie, who told him that the fire was in the kitchen but that the house was full of smoke.

“I was trying to get as much information as possible from her. I mean again, my main goal was to keep her safe,” said Jackson. “The house was filling up with quite a bit of smoke. I mean it starts to get into your system. You feel it in your lungs it starts getting in your eyes.”

He was able to find the fire extinguisher and put out the fire, ultimately sparing the rest of the home from damage.

WTOC spoke with Moultrie on Monday, and even though she didn’t want to be on camera, she said, “It means a lot to me because I would have had to start over at my age. I am too old to start over. He cared enough to go in and save my home. It is seldom you find a person like that.”

Jackson made sure to stay with Moultrie until her son was called, and he knew she would be okay.

For Jackson though, there was never a second thought, he saw someone needing help and answered the call. A call he answers every day as he serves.

“You get into this job to help people, you get into this job to serve. That is what happened,” he said.

WTOC was able to briefly see inside the home Monday, the damage is really not that bad and Moultrie is able to stay in the home.

Jackson has been with the SCMPD for four years, and says despite his firefighting experience, he will remain a cop.