SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. — San Bernardino County firefighters rescued a young girl with access and functional needs from a burning home on Feb. 3, a rescue that was captured on video.
The first engine arrived within six minutes of the fire being reported and found the single-story home “well involved with smoke and fire,” the department stated on social media. The firefighters were told that a child with special needs was trapped inside the home.
Video footage showed firefighters working at a window on the side of the house where the child’s room was located. Inside, a team located the girl and passed her through the window to other firefighters.
One firefighter carried her across the yard to the street and handed her over to EMS personnel. She was then transported to a hospital, where she remained in serious but stable condition, KTLA reported.
The department stated that the rescue highlights the impact of increased staffing. Last year, the city increased staffing to four personnel per truck and added a medic squad. These improvements proved vital during the rescue, allowing firefighters to quickly hand the child to the medic squad for immediate emergency care.
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