- First responders rescued an elderly couple and their dog from a smoke-filled home.
- The couple and dog were treated for smoke inhalation; their condition is unknown.
- The fire, originating in the basement, caused $50,000 in damage; investigation is ongoing.
POCATELLO — First responders saved the lives of an elderly man and woman and their dog early Monday.
The Pocatello Fire Department, police department and emergency medical services all responded to an emergency call placed from a house on Michael Street, near Olympus Drive, and rescued the married couple and the dog from the "smoke-filled residence," according to a Pocatello Fire Department Facebook post. The man, woman and dog were transported to be treated for smoke-inhalation.
"Anytime you have any kind of large-scale incident, it's a team approach," said Kim Stouse, fire department spokeswoman. "Where you have officers in the area, we're sending fire, and EMS is getting dispatched out. … Collaborating like that (is) going to offer the best potential for positive outcome for all parties involved."
The emergency call came into dispatch at 12:39 a.m. "from a female who appeared to have difficulty breathing," according to the release. In the background of the call, a fire alarm could be heard activating, with the woman becoming unresponsive shortly after. Dispatch attempted to contact the residents but was unsuccessful.
"When (the call came) in and (it) was disconnected, it'll immediately become a 911 verify. And so that would have started officers heading that way," Stouse explained.
When police officers arrived, they found the elderly woman unresponsive inside. The officers quickly got her out of the house, informed dispatch of the fire and began rendering aid until EMS arrived on scene.
Firefighters found an elderly man in the house and got him outside to safety. They also found and rescued the dog from the house, providing it with oxygen before transporting it to the Pocatello Animal Shelter.
The couple was transported to Portneuf Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation. Their current medical status is unknown.
The source of the fire was found to be in the basement of the house and was quickly extinguished by firefighters. The fire was contained to the basement, and firefighters say around $50,000 in damage was done to the home. Firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire.
Stouse said that emergency services were able to respond so quickly to the home after the line was disconnected because the woman placed the emergency call from a landline number. Although dispatch can figure out where a call from a cellphone was placed, it's less accurate, and it takes first responders longer to locate the emergency.
"When someone calls 911, if there's only one thing that they can give, that (should be) their address. Even if it's just the street that they're on or close landmarks, that's going to help the dispatchers to get help to them as quickly as possible," Stouse said.
