Medical Alert Pendant, Working Smoke Detectors and Firefighters Save Life
HUDSON, NC (December 16, 2019) — On Saturday December 14, 2019, Sawmills Fire & Rescue, with Hudson Vol. Fire & Rescue and North Catawba Fire & Rescue through automatic aide, received a call for a Fire Alarm at 1940 Leah Drive. Caldwell County 9-1-1 Communications advised a patient had activated their medical alert pendant with the monitoring company having no patient contact, the company noted that the fire alarm was going off in the background.
Also in the area, Captain Joshua Lakey of the Caldwell County Fire Marshal’s Office, responded to the call, arriving simultaneously with Battalion Chief Keith Carver of Sawmills Fire & Rescue, chauffeur of Engine 405. Upon arrival units observed light smoke visible from the exterior of the residence and investigated. Upon gaining access to the residence through the front door, Captain Lakey observed smoke banked down nearly to the floor and requested a line to the front of the residence. Captain Lakey noticed what appeared to be a foot and gained further access, finding a disabled resident and quickly recognized that the patient was unable to self-evacuate from the residence and performed an emergency drag of the female to remove her from the smoke-filled room to the front porch. Captain Lakey was assisted by Batt. Chief Carver in removing the patient once at the front door, where both carried the female to the front yard for evaluation by Caldwell County EMS technicians.
The source of the fire was determined to be an unattended cooking fire on the stove, the fire quickly extinguished and the residence was ventilated to remove the smoke conditions. The patient was treated by EMS personnel for injuries and smoke inhalation.
The quick response of each of the responding departments, coupled with Captain Lakey and Battalion Chief Carver’s prompt recognition of the occupant still being in the residence and immediate actions and effective removal of same, resulted in the positive outcome of the call regarding the occupant and her health. The combination of their swift actions and the effectiveness of the medical alert pendant and working smoke detectors averted what could have been a tragic outcome. Smoke alarms save lives. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and smoke alarms give you time to get out. To learn more about smoke alarms, visit your local fire department or call Caldwell County Emergency Services.