A 10-YEAR-OLD girl has received an award for her outstanding assistance to emergency personnel during a house fire earlier this month.
In the early afternoon on January 4, Hidden Valley couple Anushka Bandaralage and Indika Udagedara devastatingly lost their family home when an evaporative cooler spontaneously burst into flames.
The presence of white smoke and a sounding smoke alarm alerted the family to the fire, who were relaxing inside at the time.
Ms Bandaralage quickly ushered their two daughters, aged 10 and 11, outside to safety while her husband attempted to extinguish the fire in the roof.
Unfortunately, the fire could not be contained, and Mr Udagedara was forced to evacuate as the fire spread quickly, engulfing the house within mere minutes.
As Wallan and neighbouring fire brigades began battling the blaze in searing temperatures, nearby neighbour and 10-year-old Kyah Nuttall selflessly took it upon herself to offer iced water to each of the firefighters, providing a much-needed refreshment to the volunteer emergency service.
Her realisation that the combined heat of the day and the fire would be impacting the crew was impressive, and her actions outstanding, garnering her a well-deserved certificate of appreciation.
Donning their firefighting gear in honour of the special occasion, brigade members gathered to observe Wallan Fire Brigade Captain Tim Benetti present Kyah with the award last Wednesday, who was full of praise for the young girl.
“The day was incredibly hot … when you consider the heavy gear we wear and the fire itself,” he said.
“During the fire … Kyah took it upon herself to offer fire crews iced water to help with keeping us cool. This is very important when considering the heat-related illnesses that firefighters were exposed to.”
Kyah’s quick thinking and kindness serve as a reminder of the power of community spirit, and the crucial role that everyone, no matter their age, can play in supporting emergency services during challenging times. Well done, Kyah!
