JEFFERSONVILLE, In. (WAVE) – If you thought Lassie’s nose for danger was just a tale for the small screen, a southern Indiana family’s story could change your mind.
A quiet Friday morning in their Jeffersonville neighborhood turned into a rescue mission for three kids – and their puppy!
Six-month-old Shiloh, a labradoodle puppy, alerted her owners to a fire on Williams Street around 8 a.m. They called authorities and Jeffersonville Fire officials rushed to the scene in a matter of minutes.
“She’s awesome,” 10-year-old Adiel said. “We haven’t even trained her to do that.”
Adiel said she and her younger siblings, Eliana, 8, and Uriah, 6, were startled when Shiloh began barking at the fence. All of the kids rushed to Shiloh’s side to see what all of the commotion was about.
“I thought she was crazy for a moment,” Adiel laughed.
That’s when they spotted the flames just a few doors down.
“I looked over and I saw the flames and I said ‘oh no,’” Adiel remembered.
The kids ran inside to tell their mother, Lisa, who immediately called 911. She said crews were on scene within a couple minutes of her call.
Fire officials were able to determine that an out building behind the home was on fire, just 15 feet from two structures. Both sustained minor damage, though the investigative team said if the fire had burned longer, it could have spread to other homes.
“We preach ‘if you see something, say something’ and that really worked in this case,” Justin Ames with Jeffersonville Fire said. “We were able to get here soon enough to extinguish the flames before it spread to the residence.”
Ames stressed the importance of parents encouraging their children to speak up when they sense danger, believing it’s imperative to the community’s safety.
“Fire can be a scary thing,” Ames said. “But if you know what to do, if you talked with your children about what it is to do if you notice something or see something, or there’s an emergency situation, call 911 or ‘come get me’ or tell a neighbor.”
His sentiments were echoed by Lisa, who said she was thankful her kids were able to spring into action.
“We truly give thanks to the Lord that the kids had the courage and the wisdom just to come and get me right away,” Lisa said. “So grateful for the Jeffersonville Fire Department that they were able to get here so quickly, just within a couple minutes of my call.”
As for Shiloh, she’s earned her spots, complete with stuffed animal gift from JFD.
No one was hurt in the fire and the cause is under investigation.
