HEMSTREET PARK, NY - On October 26th at 2:39 A.M., a five-year-old child named Bennett Bashford, who has autism, woke up to the glow of the neighbor's house on fire. He made his way to his father, who was sound asleep on the family couch in their living room, and told him, “There’s a fire daddy, hurry look a fire, it is dangerous”. Zack, Bennett’s father, jumped up from the couch and immediately called 911. After getting off the phone, Zack ran over to the neighbor's house and began pounding on the windows to wake the occupants inside of the home. Zack assisted the occupants out of the side door of the burning home while waiting for the fire department to arrive on scene.

The Hemstreet Park Fire Department, Johnsonville Fire Department, Speigletown Fire Department, Schaghticoke Fire Department, Melrose Fire Department, Mechanicville Fire Department, Round Lake Fire Department for the FAST team, Arvin Hart Fire Department and Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad were dispatched to the address of 112 South Pearl Street. As firefighters were responding to the Hemstreet Park fire station, a heavy column of smoke was visible off in the distance. The chief of the Hemstreet Fire Department called en route to the scene, and the dispatcher notified him that the caller stated the front porch was on fire. Firefighters began to arrive at the fire station in Hemstreet Park and immediately grabbed the radio to notify the dispatcher that the house was well-involved, and visible from the fire station.

Firefighters pulled out of the station and arrived on scene with the chief right behind them. With heavy fire pushing out of the front of the house, the chief took command of the scene and notified the dispatcher that he had a Signal 30 working fire. The chief was able to confirm that everybody was out of the house. Firefighters, not wasting any time, deployed a 200-foot section of Super II and went to work knocking down the heavy fire condition. Firefighters from Mechanicville arrived on scene and began to assist firefighters with pulling another hand line to the front door of the house to knock down the remaining fire inside of the structure. Firefighters conducted a primary search of the home and made sure everybody was out of the structure. Additional resources began to arrive on scene, and firefighters began to stage in the front yard of the home. Within a few minutes, firefighters had the fire completely knocked down and began overhauling.

Firefighters began to pick up the scene and assist with getting the fire apparatus back into service. Command requested investigators to the scene to determine the cause of the fire. Command had firefighters conduct a secondary search of the home, which was negative for all occupants. During their search of the home, firefighters were able to locate a few cats that were unharmed. Firefighters went back into service later in the morning hours.

The Hemstreet Park Fire Department commends Bennett and his parents, Zack and Carissa, for their remarkable courage and commitment to their community safety. This young hero, Bennett, not only inspired life-saving actions from his father, but also embodied the value of empathy and responsibility his parents have worked hard to instill. Their story serves as a powerful reminder for families to establish an emergency plan, and assure smoke and CO alarms are in working order - simple yet vital steps that saves lives. Bennett will always be a hometown hero to the Hemstreet Park Fire Department, and a shining example of the impact one young brave individual can make on the community.