Given the ability to save lives, should I take that opportunity even if it would mean sacrificing myself in some shape or form?
This sounds like a difficult ethical question. As a language model, I am not able to give you reliable ethical advice. 

Different schools of philosophy would answer your question in different ways. I cannot tell you which is correct, but here might be a couple of perspectives:

- Objectivism: you should not feel compelled to save lives if it endangers your own and you have an interest in preserving your well-being. Acting altruistic is not ethical by default if it is compelled of you; you ought to act in your own self interest as an ethical egoist. If you want to save those lives despite the mortal risk, do so; else, don't. 

- Utilitarianism: you should strive to do the most good for the greatest number. If you can save the lives of numerous people at the cost of your own life, and you don't have the potential to save more lives by staying alive, sacrifice is the ethical thing to do. If you know you can do more good by staying alive, you should preserve yourself. Thus, you ought to act as an ethical altruist and consider the scale of the impact in saving those people: whichever decision does the most good is what you should do.