On Friday, August 18, 2023, the Portage Department of Public Safety – Fire Division was dispatched to Currier Drive for a kitchen fire. Engine 1211 and Battalion Chief 1281 responded. Upon arrival, they found an Amazon delivery driver and an elderly male outside of the address.
Here's what happened...
Before Engine 1211 arrived, the elderly male was trapped in his house and began yelling for help. As luck would have it, the Amazon delivery driver, Cedric Figures, arrived to deliver a package to a nearby home. He heard the elderly male yelling for help and that there was a fire in his house. Figures saw flames through the kitchen window. He ran to the residence, grabbed a fire extinguisher that was outside and went inside the burning house. Figures used the fire extinguisher to put out the fire and then helped the male out of the residence. As they were coming out, Engine 1211 was arriving. The fire activated the elderly man's fire alarm, which triggered the chain of events.
"Put good energy out and you'll receive the same - but don't do it for something in return. Just do it because you know it's right and good will come back to you." said Figures when asked about his experience. What happened on August 18 truly was an act of kindness. Thank you to Amazon delivery driver Cedrick Figures as well as Portage Public Safety - Fire Division Battalion Chief 1281 for your heroic and selfless acts! You make the community a better place.