Editor,
I am a resident of North Harbour who was sleeping at dawn the morning of Aug. 13 when I heard someone pounding on my front door and ringing the doorbell persistently.
I was slow to respond while the pounding and ringing continued. When I opened the door, a fellow resident of North Harbour, Tony Cermak, who had been driving by on his way to work, said, “Do you know your house is on fire?” Simultaneously, I began to smell smoke, and I asked Tony to call 911 for me while I grabbed my dog and backed my car out of the garage. Seems I had had a lightning strike, which burned through the attic and collapsed a ceiling on the second story and delivered water damage to the main floor.
Had Tony not stopped and persisted in awakening me, I would have perished from smoke inhalation. He is a personal and local hero whom I want to recognize and thank publicly!
I would also like to recognize and commend publicly the quick action of our Noblesville firefighters who were weary at the end of their shift but responded immediately. They were brave and knowledgeable as they fought to get the fire under control. Some of them entered the burning attic at once, breathing in the smoke and getting singed on their boots by the heat. I was astounded by their gallantry and professionalism.
How lucky we are to have such wonderful experts locally available to save the lives of ourselves and protect our property! My gratitude will endure as I support appropriate remuneration for those who take such risks on behalf of our citizenry. I vote for higher taxes to ensure appropriate salaries for those who risk everything for us all when called to do so.
Caroline Hanna, Noblesville
