Five-year-old Nathaniel Stocks is being called a local hero in Phelan, California, after saving his grandmother from a fire that broke out in their home Saturday.
According to TODAY.com, it was all thanks to what he learned from his kindergarten class’ visit to the San Bernardino County Fire Department earlier that week.
"They taught us how to stop, drop and roll on the field trip, and I also learned that you have to crawl on the ground beneath the fire," he told TODAY.com.
As soon as Stocks smelled smoke at around 1 a.m., he crawled down the hallway to immediately wake up his grandma, Kimberly Racliss, and they evacuated the house together. The fire was caused by a space heater in his room.
"Nathaniel had the good sense to remain calm and come to me," Racliss, 50, told TODAY.com. "I wouldn't have made it out alive without him."
Along with following proper evacuation procedure, Stocks didn’t allow Racliss to go back in after their pet chihuahua Tinkerbell. Eric Sherwin of San Bernardino County Fire told LittleThings that the fire was brought under control quickly, and Tinkerbell was retrieved from the house safe and sound.
Sherwin said that three days prior on Thursday, Stock had been one of 100 kindergarteners from Phelan Elementary School’s tour that had attended the field trip to County Fire Station 10. The program consisted of a tour, brief safety discussion, and lesson on the “EDITH” skill drill (Exit Drills In The Home). “Fire Departments all over do this kind of community outreach and education, and this just goes to show how important that outreach is,” Sherwin said. “It’s great that Nathaniel got to absorb and apply his knowledge. It speaks to the importance of education.”
Stocks and his family were invited back to the station on Monday for a more personalized visit, where he received a challenge coin and plaque, and got a chance to meet Fire Chief Mark Hartwig. “We typically give challenge coins to other providers that do exceptional service,” Sherwin said. “Nathaniel acted the way we would see our own firefighters act, so he got one of his own.” Did Nathaniel's story inspire you, too? Check out this video of his courageous act in the news and SHARE with friends and family!
