A young Hero: A former Washington Elementary Learn Not to Burn student remembers his lessons and save the lives of his great-grandmother and himself.

The alarm came after 5am on February 5; a home on Dale Street was on fire.  When the Kingsport Fire Department quickly arrived they found the home fully involved. Outside the home they found Irene Shipley and her 13 year old great-grandson Aaron Estep.  Aaron awoke to find his bedroom wall on fire; he rolled out of bed, and crawled to his great-grandmother’s bedroom to wake her. Once awakened Ms. Shipley headed toward the front door and the fire, Aaron quickly grabbed her leg and said “Nanny out the back door!”   Ms Shipley and her grandson Aaron are alive today due to his quick thinking and his remembering what he learned as a student in the Learn Not to Burn program four years ago at Washington Elementary School. Aaron is indeed a Hero!

This is a testament to the hard work and the continuing cooperation between the Kingsport Fire Department and the teachers in Kingsport’s Elementary Schools. I would like to thank the current and past Learn Not to Burn teachers for their time and efforts helping the Kingsport Fire Department to teach our youngest students how to prevent and survive home fires.

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