Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services rescued an 84-year old woman from a burning home in south Cobb on Sunday, December 14, 2015. Heavy flames were showing at the back of the home when rescue workers arrived on the scene at about 4:20 PM and family members informed them an elderly woman was still inside.
Located in Bathroom
Rescue workers located the woman in a bathroom window and Engine 7 deployed a ladder in order to safely extricate the woman from the burning home. She was carried to safety and provided with emergency medical treatment at the scene. She was then transported to WellStar Cobb Hospitals’ Burn Unit where she is listed in stable condition. It is expected she will be released from the hospital within the week. There was no information available on the cause of the fire.
Delayed Response for Different Fire
Another fire that occurred over the weekend in Marietta had firefighters frustrated. The fire, which occurred on Elm Creek Drive, seriously injured an 86-year old woman. Instead of calling 911 to report the fire, the elderly woman called her daughter instead, telling rescuers that she just dialed the first number she could think of. Police and fire officials were unsure of the nature of the call for help, which delayed their response and furthered damage to the home. The victim was in the front yard, suffering from burns and firefighters found the remains of her pet poodle who apparently died in the fire inside the building. The fire destroyed the garage and kitchen. It appears that the fire began around the stove, but the exact cause is not known. Because the daughter thought her mother was having a medical emergency, police and paramedics responded first, delaying the fire department’s response.
Fire Safety
In Cobb County, there were 68,456 fire dispatches in 2013 and 452,174 police dispatches. According to statistics, if a fire begins in your home, you have only two minutes to escape. Rescue workers were able to save the women injured in the Cobb fire, but the delay in response to the fire in Marietta resulted in the death of a family pet and severe damage to the home. The American Red Cross says that when a fire breaks out in your home, it is critical to get out as quickly as possible and remain out of the building. The first call when a fire occurs should be to 911 and not to family members or friends. Once you have placed a call to 911, you can reach out to others for assistance.
Waggoner Insurance hopes your family never suffers a devastating tragedy such as a fire or injury. However, they can help you plan for those emergencies with home, life, auto and health insurance in order to keep your family protected should a tragedy occur. Contact them today online or by telephone to learn how you can keep your family safe and secure.
