| Joint effort saves two lives |
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Volunteer firefighters are prepared to fight blaze thanks to AFG award
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LAMAR COUNTY, MS -- A wall of smoke made it impossible to see through the windows much less down the hall or in the bedrooms.
"There were people inside, and there was only seconds left before the scene became fatal," said George Stevens, Lamar County Fire Coordinator. "The crew had to act fast."
Oak Grove volunteer firefighter, Russell Stone, knew people were trapped inside but finding them meant he would have to search inch by inch.
After arriving on the scene of a trailer fire at almost 3 a.m. on Sept. 23, Stone talked with Purvis junior firefighter, Jim Davison, who indicated people were lying on the floor in a bedroom. The crew knew they had to act fast because an average size trailer can be consumed in flames in less than 10 minutes.
"Larry led a left hand search pattern, and I grabbed his leg and followed," said Stone, referring to fellow Pine Ridge volunteer firefighter, Larry Boyles. "We located the victims in the bedroom face down on the floor and barley breathing."
Stone rolled the woman on her back, and with the help of Central Lamar volunteer firefighter, Bryan Johnson, pulled her to safety. Stone then returned to the bedroom to aid Boyles in rescuing the man still trapped in the house. After saving the couple, Boyles and Stone reentered the mobile home to extinguish the fire.
"It was really a close call for that couple," Stevens said. "They were right at the brink of death." |
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AFG funds reach beyond the frontlines
Additional AFG funds were used to help firefighters prepare for the Candidate Physical Ability Test. The Lamar County firefighters held a training day in October for potential volunteer firefighters. The class is a prerequisite for NFPA 1001. Until now, the CPAT exam was only held at the Mississippi Fire Academy, in Jackson, MS, which is almost a three-hour drive from Lamar County. In addition, career firefighters are given preference over volunteers, which meant the volunteer-run departments were at a disadvantage.
"This opens up the door for departments like ours because we have a better chance of expanded our workforce," said George Stevens, Lamar County Fire Coordinator. "We were excited to see so many people show up and want to participate." |
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