Morfin Watkins has spent nearly 18 years as a paramedic and is one of Santa Barbara County’s most trusted, known for her clinical expertise, steady leadership and willingness to mentor newer colleagues—but the rescue that earned her national recognition unfolded in a matter of minutes. Earlier this year, on a rain-soaked stretch of Highway 101 north of Highway 154, a vehicle left the road, hit a tree and caught fire. “Over the radio we heard, ‘car into a tree, engulfed in flames,’ and I knew it was going to be bad,” she recalled. “Those calls happen fast, and a lot of times people are trapped.”