Mamma Mia! Three-year-old girl surprises firefighters with her safety knowledge - Blue Haven
Published: 18 Mar 2024 05:38pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters from the state's Central Coast have discovered a young fire safety champion, moments after they saved her family's home from ruins.
The Doyalson brigade was called to a home at Blue Haven after a small fire broke out on a kitchen stovetop before spreading to the range hood, around 7:30pm on Saturday (16 March).
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, preventing it from moving into both a roof void and wall cavity.
They went on to replace a smoke alarm after noticing it was dangling from the ceiling and not working.
As the fire crew was about to leave the home, the owners' three-year-old daughter, Mia, pulled aside Station Officer Dirk Ziekenheiner and asked him to read her some books.
He obliged and quickly realised the youngster was well-versed in fire safety, sharing some lessons she had previously received from her parents.
Mia correctly spoke about calling Triple-Zero (000) in an emergency, how to escape a fire, and the importance of staying outside once you have evacuated from a building where fire has broken out.
Station Officer Ziekenheiner congratulated Mia's family for instilling fire safety into her from a young age and urged other parents to do the same with their own children.
"Knowing what to do in a fire can sometimes spell the difference between life and death, which is why it's critical everyone knows how to protect themselves and their loved ones," Station Officer Ziekenheiner said.
"I was blown away by how much knowledge Mia and her family had - they're clearly heeding our fire safety messages and prioritising their survival.
"Our firefighters urge others to educate their own families on fire safety, and remind them there are age-appropriate resources available if they need help doing so."
Mia's father, James, said his daughter was very excited to meet her firefighting heroes despite the circumstances.
"Mia watches a lot of children's TV shows which feature firefighters so she already knows they're heroes and they rescue people," James said.
"Having now seen first-hand the great work they do, we'll continue to spread the word about fire safety and we encourage others to do the same.
"Our family never thought we'd come this close to losing our home to fire, so the key is to not be complacent about the risks."
More information is available via the FRNSW (https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=71 [external link]) and Brigade Kids websites (https://brigadekids.com/ [external link])
Updated: 18 Mar 2024 05:43pm
Related safety topics
The leading cause of home fires in NSW is leaving cooking unattended.
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Having a home escape plan and a working smoke alarm increases your chances of getting out safely.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
51-53 Pacific Highway, Doyalson NSW 2262
48 Minnesota Road, Hamlyn Terrace NSW 2259
80 Scenic Drive, Budgewoi NSW 2262