Firefighters Shelter Church Group, Dogs After Crisis Situations

By Kirsten Petersen

Emergency response officers are often called upon to extinguish fires, transport people to the hospital, or make an arrest. But sometimes, officers get the chance to go above and beyond the call of duty to serve citizens.

In the past two weeks, Prince George’s County firefighters and EMTs have committed unique acts of compassion that were recognized by the county fire department.

Firefighters and EMTs from the Upper Marlboro Fire/EMS Station 820 responded to a car crash near Waysons Corner in Anne Arundel County late at night June 29.

Two of the car’s occupants were transported to the hospital for minor injuries. The other occupants were the family pets—two dogs. Two volunteer members from Upper Marlboro brought the dogs to the fire station that night and informed the owners that the pets were safe.

The dogs were cared for overnight and throughout the next day until the owners were released from the hospital and could pick up their pets.

Firefighters from from the Bunker Hill Fire/EMS Station 855 responded to a tour bus fire at 10 a.m. July 3. None of the 17 church group members on the bus were injured but their new bus would not arrive for another hour and the heat and humidity had exhausted the group.