Two local teenagers are being recognized for helping save a life. Nikita Brass, 17, and Dionne Kirchman, 19, were awarded Certificates of Heroism and Fire Department medallions for rescuing an individual from a burning car on November 15.
Brass says the pair were driving to the store and saw the car on fire, on Catherine Street near Wellington Ave. She said their first instinct was to call 911 because she was afraid that the fire could spread from the car itself. While they kept watch on the situation, they did not initially see the man in the vehicle.
"I knew I had to call someone, say something and tell someone."
When they saw there was someone still inside and struggling to get out, Brass says that's when they knew they had to help. Kirchman opened the door and they got the man clear of the burning vehicle.
"I saw the guy in the car hanging out the window, and he was coughing and it was a deep, heavy cough from all the thick black smoke. Once I saw him hanging out the window, we got out and got him out of the car."
Brass says that her thoughts at the time were all about the man they were rescuing, and not about her own safety. She says that her priority was helping the man in the car, and that's the only thing that was on her mind through the event.
When it comes to being recognized, Brass says that she's proud of what she did but didn't expect any recognition.
"It's really crazy, I never thought anything would come of it. I know I did a good deed and I'm proud of myself for being there at the right moment at the right time, he could have been really hurt."
Fire Chief Trevor Morrissey says that the teens saved the man from serious injury and possibly death through their actions, and given the amount of heat in the situation he says it was not an easy rescue to accomplish.
"Just for them to have the willingness to step forward and do something like that in that situation is just astounding. It's also good to see in young people. We obviously don't encourage people to put themselves in life threatening situations, what they've done turned out for the best and we really appreciate their efforts."
This the first time that the Fire Department has awarded a medallion, and Morrissey says that these medallions are things that he takes seriously and will only award in extraordinary circumstances.
"As you approach something like this, they create extreme amounts of heat, and that extreme amount of heat will typically shy off the largest person. What they've done is astounding."
