There was a near fire in Volusia County when only one firefighter initially showed up to fight a fire that gutted a home.
That firefighter battled a house fire in Oak Hill all by herself for 10 minutes until backup arrived, but state procedure calls for no less than four firefighters to be at a fire at the same time.
The county follows the state fire marshal's standard of two firefighters inside a burning structure and two outside in case something goes wrong, WESH 2 News reported.
The lone firefighter who responded said she did not go into the structure, despite reports to the contrary.
Rescuers could not save the house or the pets inside it. One firefighter responding to a fully involved house fire was woefully inadequate, according to Oak Hill police Officer Diane Young, who was also at the scene.
"For one fire truck and one firefighter, it was very difficult for her to handle. I would say, yes, she could have used more help at the time she arrived," Young said.
County Fire Station No. 22 is less than a mile from the house. Firefighter Melissa Drewry arrived quickly but alone because her partner was in training.
County spokesman Dave Byron agrees that a replacement should have been called in.
"Certainly. I mean, unequivocally, there's no question about it. Backup support and having a partner or having additional partners there is absolutely a better and more safer situation," Byron said.
WESH 2 News has obtained the fire dispatch report, which says that one firefighter was in the burning structure by herself with heavy smoke conditions and fire coming out of windows. But the Drewry's statement conflicts with that report.
"I stood on the porch of the structure in the open doorway of the front and sprayed water into the doorway to cool it down before reinforcements could arrive," she said. "I did not make entry into the structure, but stood in the doorway for approximately two to three minutes spraying water."
The discrepancy may center on the front porch itself. It is covered, with screened walls but not necessarily part of the house structure.
Whatever the case, the county admits without the minimum two-crew team, a lone firefighter could have easily have been in harm's way.
"Certainly there's some second-guessing going on and we will definitely take steps to see what we can do to prevent this from ever happening again," Byron said.
The county said there is some leeway in the two in, two out rule, including if a firefighter thinks lives are in jeopardy or if they think they can go it alone with just one backup and still be safe.
The county is hiring 65 new firefighters so they can better staff all of the county's fire stations.
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