When Rick Carter saw the loaded logging truck barreling toward him, his thought was, it seemed a bit like a 3D movie.

The truck gained momentum as it sped along U.S. 95 near Riggins, hit a canyon wall and bounced back, skidding on its side, engine in flames, directly toward Carter and Brett Griffith.

"It gained on us very rapidly," he said.

Carter did a quick check for traffic behind him, then jammed his vehicle into reverse, just in time as the truck crossed in front of the two men, broke through a traffic barrier, and slid into the Salmon River cab-side down with the load of timber scattering across the highway.

"We have to save this guy," Carter thought to himself.

And they did.

Three Bureau of Land Management employees were honored last week for their heroics on June 22, 2011.

"We are privileged to have such brave, self-sacrificing individuals working for our agency," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a press release.

Carter, Griffith and Edward Foley were recognized for saving the truck driver from drowning in the Salmon River and in averting a series of potential collisions during the accident.

The men received Department of the Interior Valor Awards.

"I commend each one for setting such a sterling example not only for BLM employees, but also for the public at large," Salazar said.

Griffith and Carter had finished a boundary survey that afternoon and were driving south on U.S. 95 near Riggins when the truck came at them and rolled into the river.

Carter jumped out of their government vehicle, and waved down others to slow down to prevent a domino of rear-end collisions.

Foley was in a vehicle about a quarter-mile away and ran to the scene to offer assistance.

While Carter and Foley monitored traffic and called for emergency assistance, Griffith slid down the bank to the submerged truck to pull the driver out of the water.

"Suddenly, the injured and bleeding driver emerged from under the truck," the press release said. "He was gasping for air and trying to keep his head above the cold and dangerously fast-moving water."

Griffith grabbed the driver, pulled him ashore and climbed up the bank to form a chain with others to lift the driver to the roadway for first aid while awaiting an ambulance.

Carter said it happened quickly, a matter of seconds.

"Time seemed like it was standing still," he said.

The driver, shaking, went into shock but not before saying, "I'm going to lose my job."

He would recover from his injuries.

Carter said the best part was how everyone on scene did what they could to save a life.

"Everybody was willing to help," he said. "It's good to see that with people."

Carter and Griffith are friends and co-workers. Both just did what they had to do, Carter said.

"You didn't really have time to get scared," he said. "You just had time to react."