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Pinellas Ambulance Crew Pulled Woman From Burning Home

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

Updated: 11/26/2008 10:21 am

LARGO - A person severely injured in a mobile home fire this morning has been identified as a woman in her 60s, and if she lives, she can thank an ambulance crew that arrived before firefighters, fire officials say.

About 7:50 a.m., authorities received multiple reports of smoke billowing from a unit at Indian Rocks Mobile Home Park, 12701 126th Ave. N., said Michael Wallace, chief of Largo Fire Rescue. A Sunstar Emergency Medical Services two-person ambulance crew showed up before firefighters, Wallace said. The emergency medical technician and paramedic went to the front door, found the woman unconscious and took her to the ambulance, Wallace said.

She was the sole occupant.

"If this woman lives, it will be clearly because of their willingness to risk life and limb," Wallace said. The effort left the rescue personnel's hands black with soot, he said.

The woman, who has burns on 18 percent of her body and significant respiratory distress, was flown by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

The mobile home was destroyed, Wallace said. The blaze began in a back bedroom, but the cause remains unknown, Wallace said.

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