Dunbar firefighters recognized for rescuing elderly man from burning building
Dunbar Volunteer Fire Department fire Chief Mike Breakiron is proud of his crew and expressed the importance of working as a team.
RDunbar Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Cody Fisher recalls having to battle the flames on the second story of a Dunbar residence on April 28, successfully saving a man trapped in the house.
Rebecca Devereaux|Herald-Standard
Dunbar Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Cody Fisher shows a video from the residential fire in Dunbar on April 28.
Rebecca Devereaux|Herald-Standard
Dunbar Volunteer Fire Department firefighters (from left) Mitch Breakiron, Chief Mike Breakiron and Cody Fisher were recognized by state police for saving a man from his burning home in Dunbar.
Dunbar firefighters who were recognized by state police for running into a burning building to save an elderly man insist the rescue was due to a team effort and good fortune.
“It wasn’t his time. The good Lord didn’t want him,” said Dunbar Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Breakiron Sr. “It’s your job, bottom line. It’s what you’re supposed to do.”
Breakiron said firefighters were just returning from a call where they were assisting firefighters at a garage fire in North Union Township when they received a call that a building at 37 2nd St. was on fire with a man trapped inside at about 10 p.m. April 28. He said it only took about one to two minutes for the department to arrive on scene.
“It was a perfect situation,” said firefighter Cody Fisher, who rescued the man.
Breakiron was met outside by the son of the elderly man, who said he was trapped inside a back bedroom on the second floor. Smoke was billowing from a front bedroom, and flames were shooting out the window. Breakiron said the front windows were broken when the fire started, allowing heat and smoke to vent outside and create good visibility and preferable conditions for a rescue.
“You could have the same fire 10 times and it would be different every time. Luck was on our side — and his,” Breakiron said.
Fisher and firefighter Mitchell Breakiron, the chief’s son, ran into the structure, extinguishing flames in a hallway as they made their way to the elderly man. Fisher found the man behind a closed door. The outside of the door was severely burned, but the inside was undamaged.
“When I got through the room, I was so happy to see him,” Fisher said.
It took about four or five minutes to rescue the man.
“Two minutes seemed like two hours,” Fisher said.
The man and his son were transported to Uniontown Hospital with minor burn injuries.
“The situation could have gotten really bad, really quickly,” Michael Breakiron said.
State police fire marshal Trooper Adam Janosko sent a letter of commendation to Dunbar Mayor Norman Gordon for saving the man’s life.
“It is my belief and understanding that had these members of the Dunbar Volunteer Fire Department not responded and acted as quickly and professionally as they did, the trapped individual, who was rescued by these men, would have succumbed to smoke inhalation and would have died,” he wrote in the letter.
Breakiron compared the fire department to a sports team, saying everyone knows their position, each one is important and all the members must function together to win. Mitchell Breakiron emphasized that those running into the burning building are just as valuable as those feeding waterlines to them.
Michael Breakiron and Gordon said the team extends outside of the department.
“Part of the team is community support. If it wasn’t for them, it wouldn’t be,” Gordon said. “I’m proud of this community, and I’m proud of what these guys do.”
The men also commended Dunbar police Officer Dennis Heath for the many times he has closed roads to allow fire trucks easy access to fire scenes.
“That saves seconds. When you’re in a burning house, seconds count,” Breakiron said.
He said community support is critical, adding that many regional fire departments struggle to maintain funding, which primarily comes from donations and fundraisers instead of tax dollars.
“Everyone needs to seriously support their local fire department, because they don’t know how important it is to have them,” Breakiron said.