Doing something to help others when you are aware that in doing so you put yourself at a significant risk. thought I do suspect in a lot of case the spure on the moment action is instinctive, but I still think that counts after all it could equally be instinctive to run away. I suspect from an evolutionary point of view a "hero gene" is not a good thing.
The people in the nuclear plant control rooms are they operators or engineers ? they could achieve that status.
Re your quote made me think.
If a doctor or GP make one mistake in doing so it can and does cost lives but as engineers we normally have the luxury of safe guards between our mistakes and the consequences of them, peer review, system tests and many more things.
Just came across this,