Springfield youth honored twice for saving lives

Date: 12/14/2011

Dec. 12, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD — For one young Springfield teen the lessons he learned in school about fire safety saved his family and earned him recognition from the State Fire Marshall and the American Legion Auxiliary of Massachusetts.

Demetrius Faust received the “Young Hero Award” from State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan and the “Youth Hero Award” from the American Legion in a ceremony on Dec. 7 at the Forest Park Middle School.

Faust explained that he learned about fire safety while a student at the Lincoln Elementary School.

“They taught us about stop, drop and roll and family fire drills,” he said.

On Sept. 13, Faust was sleeping in the living room when he heard the smoke alarm go off at 3:30 a.m. The 13 year-old alerted his mother, father and siblings and made sure everyone got out of the house to a predetermined meeting place.

“There were nine of us, including my dogs,” he added.

The preparation Faust had came through Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE), a program run by the Fire Department in the public schools. Mayor Domenic Sarno said the SAFE program has been active for the past 17 years.

Coan said there have been 266 “Young Heroes” honored by his office and awarded Faust with a plaque and a special T-shirt.

“I don’t want to see that [shirt] on CraigsList[.com],” Coan joked about the shirt.

“It’s days like this that make me proud to be fire marshal,” he added.

Jen Hamre, junior vice director (Children and Youth Chairman), Hampden County Council District 3, American Legion Auxiliary, gave Faust the “Youth Hero Award.” Created in 2002 by the Auxiliary’s National Children & Youth Committee, the award is presented annually to recognize the heroism and helpfulness of youths younger than age 18. In the past three years alone, more than 250 Youth Hero and Good Deed awards have been presented to deserving youth across the nation.

Hamre said that Faust’s actions “gave him the opportunity to show his character.”

Faust said, “[The award] is exciting to have.”

His father, Lee Hutchins said, “He is our own true hero.” Hutchins explained that in 1977 he lost three members of his family in a house fire.

“Practice a family fire drill,” he said. “You will never know when you will need it.”