YAKIMA, Wash.- When West Valley Fire-Rescue responded to a call of a house fire on July 9, crews found familiar faces when they recognized the address.
Shauna and Jason Tupy, volunteer firefighters in West Valley, lost their home in the fire. While the structure is still standing, the inside was severely damaged by the heat, smoke and water.
Shauna was the only one in the home when the fire started, with Jason six and a half hours away.
“When I got out the bed to get into the hallway, it didn’t click,” said EMT student Shauna. “I couldn’t see down the hallway. I couldn’t see– it was just thick black smoke.”
“You never think it’s going to happen to you,” Jason said. “You’re never prepared. You should have a plan.”
Despite losing their home full of memories, they’re not focused on getting donations to support them. Instead, they want to help people learn how to protect themselves in a fire.
While their son wasn’t at home when the fire started, closing the room to his bedroom would have been essential in saving his life.
“Our son’s door was closed and that was one of the hottest parts of the fire,” Shauna said.
The Tupy’s were told the temperature at that part of the house was between 450-500 degrees. That high of temperature burned the smoke alarm that woke up Shauna, melted lightbulbs and even warped a microwave and dishwasher though the fire didn’t burn in the kitchen.
Growing up in a firefighting family, Jason raised his son to be prepared in case of emergency. He’s prepped his son to memorize their address to call 911 and knowing how to escape.
“He knows because we’re firefighters, he would have gotten out the window,” Jason said. “Not every child knows that might be your only option is going out the window. You might not be able to get out of the house.”
As firefighters, the Tupy’s have been trained on finding children in burning homes. They say most of the time the kids are found hiding from the flames under the bed, in the closet or under the covers.
When discussing fire safety with children, Jason and Shauna recommend having a designated meeting spot outside of the home, such as a driveway, mailbox or street corner.
They also suggest calling your local fire department to check or install smoke detectors and help come up with a solid plan for your household.
“You can’t over plan,” says Shauna. We have been in this for years and you can’t over plan.”
