Not every jail inmate is a bad guy and not all want to escape. Some try to help their guards.

A Polk County Sheriff's deputy owes his life to a work detail of six inmates who, instead of trying to get away, rendered help to the man until other authorities arrived.

It happen last week. It was a brutally hot and humid day and the officer was watching over a work detail. He was having some difficulties, so an inmate asked if he was alright.

"The guard said he was, but also told the inmate that he should call 911 on his cell phone if anything happens," says Polk County Sheriff Johnny Moats.

Moats tells WSB that, a few minutes later, the deputy wavered then collapsed due to the humidity.

"They (the inmates) rolled him over on his back," Sheriff Moats tells WSB, "took his gun belt off and his vest off and got ready to perform CPR when he started breathing."

The inmates could have taken the officer's gun and car, but stayed with him instead.

"My guys were thinking the worst on their way over there," Moats says, "but, when they got there, all the inmates were with the officer. All were accounted for. They took care of him."

The actions of the inmates do not surprise the sheriff.

"These guys are not bad guys," Sheriff Moats says. "They're people who just made a mistake and got caught."

The Sheriff and his staff bought the inmates pizzas after what they did. The deputy’s family provided dessert.