A second-grader in Phoenix, Arizona found a way to rescue her autistic brother and grandmother right before their home was obliterated by flames.
Young Monibelle Townsend received the “Citizen Lifesaving Award” on Tuesday from the Phoenix Fire Department.
The Desert View Elementary School student said she smelled smoke and heard the fire detector sounding off in her home. She quickly woke up her grandmother and 6-year-old brother to get them to safety.
“I feel happy about winning this award because I didn’t want my family to get hurt,” Townsend told Fox News. “My grandma didn’t know what to do, so I just had to do something to save them.”
Just days before the fire, the second-grader and her classmates underwent fire-safety training by the local fire department. They learned how to stop-drop-and-roll and the technique of feeling door handles with the back of their hand to determine if the fire is near the room.
“It’s very rewarding for us because we spend a lot of time in the classes and we always wonder if this is making a difference? So when we hear a story like this it just helps us keep doing what we’re doing,” firefighter Tommy Reeve said.
The Phoenix Fire Department said the fire completely destroyed Townsend’s family home and belongings.
“I feel happy about winning this award because it makes me feel I didn’t want my family to get hurt,” the 7-year-old said.
