A Peterborough boy is being praised for his quick thinking and actions to get his family out safely during a house fire earlier this month.
On Monday, Peterborough Fire Services Chief Chris Snetsinger presented a certificate of appreciation to Christian Dummitt, 7, for his efforts on the morning of March 10.
Around 5 a.m., Christian was alerted by a smoke alarm and ran to wake up his father and little brother. They got their mother and got out of their Afton Street home safely.
“I heard a really super loud siren,” he said. “I woke up daddy. He got Connor. And mommy heard us running down the stairs and then I found my dog (Charlie) eating in the kitchen. “
The family met outside at a designated location and then called 911. Firefighters arrived and quickly extinguished the fire which originated in the bathroom. The blaze caused extensive damage to the bathroom and attic and smoke damage throughout.
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The youth was joined by his Grade 2 classmates at Keith Wightman Public School as Snetsinger and other firefighters presented a framed certificate which thanked him for recognizing a fire emergency and taking the appropriate actions.
“Your actions ensured a quick response from our firefighters and helped reduced property loss and injury,” the citation reads.
Snetsinger says he was impressed by the boy’s wherewithal to remain calm and act swiftly.
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“For a seven-year-old, he was able to wake up, hear it and just know what to do and that’s a pretty big deal,” said Snetsinger. “Obviously, our message is getting through to the schools and we want to continue to focus on ‘Every Second Counts’ and getting people out safely during an emergency.”
Christian’s mom, Tanya Dummitt, who was sleeping on the couch when the smoke alarm rang, says she’s very proud of her son.
The home childcare provider says she practices fire drills every month with her clients and family.
“I think he learned from school and at home — and just remembered, thank goodness,” she said.
Snetsinger says with 21 fire deaths in Ontario already this year, the importance of smoke alarms is heightened.
“We’re at the same number as last year and we want that number to go down,” he said. “And that’s why it’s so important to not only have a smoke alarm but also to make sure it works and people know what to do.”
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