Bodycam footage released by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office shows a deputy rescuing a 3-year-old from a house fire.
K-9 Deputy First Class Marcus Dawson arrived at the scene of the fire ahead of firefighters and the video begins with him talking to a neighbor about whether or not the people who live in the home had made it out. The neighbor told Dawson he hadn't seen anyone leave.
Dawson proceeds to go around the house and announce himself, hoping to hear from anyone inside. After slipping onto the back porch through an open door, Dawson spotted a child hiding under a blanket through the sliding glass door. He ran in and grabbed the child, running back around the home as firefighters arrived.
FCSO reports that the child's father was out picking up dinner, leaving the 3-year-old in the care of an older sibling. No one was hurt in the fire.
"Without a safety respirator, this could have been a much different outcome,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said. “This child was hiding in fear of the fire and smoke watching a cartoon on his phone when, thankfully, DFC Dawson’s training in emergency response allowed him to find this child and safely rescue him. This was a dangerous situation and we are very proud of DFC Dawson’s bravery and commitment to serving this community and saving a life.”
– Stay on top of Central Florida news and views with our weekly newsletters, and consider supporting this free publication. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you Central Florida news, and every little bit helps.
Since 1990, Orlando Weekly has served as the free, independent voice of Orlando, and we want to keep it that way.
Becoming an Orlando Weekly Supporter for as little as $5 a month allows us to continue offering readers access to our coverage of local news, food, nightlife, events, and culture with no paywalls.
