Pa. Brother, Sister Lauded For Fire Response
Source The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
Dec. 12--SUMMIT TOWNSHIP -- A couple of weeks ago, like every day after school, Hannah and Keith Palko got off the bus and started toward their house. Getting closer, they saw an outside wall was on fire, and burning up fast.
Shock took its grip at first, they admitted, but it seems they didn't let it hold on for very long. And their next moves, according to local firefighters, just may have saved the rest of their family's home and everything in it from going down in flames.
"I looked at Keith," 12-year-old Hannah said, "and yelled, 'Keith, get the buckets!'"
The 9-year-old did that. Then they grabbed a garden hose, and went to work putting the fire out. They also took the time to open windows and doors, get their pet dog out safely and even see that their family's horses were attended to.
Then, they called their mom, who, along with their dad, was still a short while away from getting home from work.
"I said, 'Don't worry, Mom, don't worry -- there was a fire, but we put it out,' " Hannah said.
Hearing that, "I probably panicked more than they did," said Jennifer Palko. All in all, "they had pretty cool heads" about the whole ordeal, she said, and were safely sitting on the porch with their dog when she arrived.
The family called the Summit Township Volunteer Fire Department to report the Nov. 30 fire, and they arrived on scene shortly after. From the looks of the charred outer wall, the fire -- determined to have been electrical in nature -- "probably smoldered for a long period of time" before the kids discovered it, Summit VFD Assistant Chief Peter Albaugh said, adding if it would have broken out of the wall they kept it confined to, "it would've expanded rapidly," engulfing the ranch-style house's interiors and attic.
"If I had to guess, I'd say the fire, at that point, would have started doubling (in intensity) every minute," Albaugh said. In most of those sort of cases, "the outcome's a lot different. ... (But) these kids did a great job."
Being recognized for their efforts, Hannah and Keith were invited to the department's headquarters Sunday, where Albaugh, department Chief Gig King and other members presented each honorary membership certificates and their own official Summit VFD hoodies.
And it seems those honors -- as well as the reasons they received them -- came as natural fits: Both their parents also have experience as volunteer firefighters, and their dad, Robert Palko, currently serves as assistant chief for Conneaut Lake Park Volunteer Fire Department.
"Since they were born, they've been around firemen," Robert said.
"You can learn a lot that way," said King. "You guys did a good job."
With all that said and all that was saved, however, the parents and the Summit firefighters were quick to point out -- and point out again -- that the kids did make one important mistake: They didn't make a call to 911 their very first move.
"That's one of the only things I wish they would have done (differently)," Jennifer said. "They should have called 911 first."
If they ever find themselves in that situation again, Hannah and Keith said, they'll be sure to do that before they grab the buckets.
Ryan Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at [email protected]
