Saturday, December 14, 2024
On Sunday, Nov. 10, local Hood County firefighters and EMS successfully rescued a 2-year-old from a burning apartment building — a lifesaving effort that made national news.
In a striking coincidence, however, the same lifesaving techniques that enabled the dramatic rescue were honed at the very fire training facility now slated for much-needed repairs.
During the Granbury City Council meeting Nov. 5, the city approved an interlocal agreement with Hood County that will provide $25,000 in improvements to the Granbury Fire Training Center. As stated in the agreement, the county will provide $25,000 in needed repairs to the fire training center in exchange for the county’s continued usage of the facility over the next three years.
“The proposed improvements are related to the roof, the ceiling and other structural improvements, along with power washing and painting,” said Deputy City Manager Michael Ross Nov. 5. “The city will handle the procurement under our policies and will oversee the work.”
While the city initially approved the agreement Nov. 5, it was not official until the county gave its approval — which was on the agenda for Nov. 12.
Richard Hoefs, member of the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department board of directors, spoke in favor of the collaboration between the city and the county, emphasizing just how essential the fire training facility is to the department’s success.
"Just 10 days ago, we graduated 37 new firefighters from the Granbury Fire Academy representing 10 fire departments — six in our county, and four from outside of our county — and this burn house that you're giving us money to repair is critical in that training,” Hoefs said. “I hope you've all seen the dramatic, riveting video of the rescue Sunday morning. That rescue happened exactly as trained, and that burn house is critical in that training for how to enter a burning room and search for a victim and extract the victim.”
Hoefs also credited GVFD volunteer Brian Serratelli and North Hood County VFD Lt. Jonathan Head, who were instrumental in rescuing the toddler.
“(They) executed their role precisely as they were trained, and it's because of support with the county commission that we can give them that training,” he added. “Thank you for your support.”
Mike Stafford, deputy fire marshal for the county, said he was also going to bring up the Nov. 10 rescue to highlight the importance of the training center.
"It's an important thing to have the firefighters do,” he said. “(We) make them better and train them to perform rescues like this one.”
“Kudos to those guys with the job that they did,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Kevin Andrews said. “We couldn't be more proud.”
Precinct 3 Commissioner Jack Wilson also added that the rescue made national news, with similar newscasts and articles published in Mississippi, New York, Colorado and California.
“It has made national news — not local, not state, but national news — of what those individuals were able to do to save that child’s life,” he said.
Wilson made a motion to approve the agreement between Hood County and the City of Granbury to repair the fire training facility in the amount of $25,000. Following a second from Andrews, the motion passed unanimously.
