By Mary Spicer
The Meadville Tribune
MEADVILLE, Pa. — Five-year-old Landyn Hines doesn’t really grasp the idea that he personally saved the lives of six people, but he’s very happy about his new bike — and crazy about the medal he received from Meadville Central Fire Department in recognition of his actions on the morning of March 28.
It was shortly before 6 a.m. on that fateful Friday when Landyn heard the sound of a fire alarm in his family’s 409 Arch St. home.
Fortunately for all involved, he recognized what he was hearing — and knew exactly what to do about it.
In the words of the citation presented to the young hero by Meadville Mayor Christopher Soff and Fire Chief Larndo (Tunie) Hedrick, the 5-year-old “courageously followed his Fire Prevention training and awoke his parents and siblings to alert them.”
Although the fire destroyed the house and all the Hines family’s belongings, Landyn, his parents, Jon and Brooke Hines, and three siblings, 4-year-old Jonavyn, Jaxsyn, 2, and Jensyn, 1, all made it out. “We lost two dogs and I messed up my shoulder and elbow a little bit,” Jon Hines told the Tribune on Thursday. “Other than that, nobody was really hurt.”
With their house and belongings gone, the family is currently staying in a Meadville shelter while putting plans for the future into place. Donations are being accepted at any PNC Bank branch or by mail at PNC Bank, P.O. Box 426, Saegertown, Pa 16433. Checks should be made payable to “Fire Fund for the Hines family.”
A benefit is also scheduled for May 17 from 2 to 10 p.m. at French Quarter on Perry Highway. “Make reservations on Facebook,” Jon Hines said, noting that a $5 donation is being requested at the door and all sorts of fun activities are being planned.
Fire Prevention
Landyn had been paying close attention when veteran Meadville Central Fire Department firefighters and emergency medical technicians Darren Hall and Jim Aldrich visited his Pre-K Counts classroom at Meadville Children’s Center last October.
During the annual national Fire Prevention Week, Meadville firefighters visit every elementary school and child care, preschool and day care facility in the city. In the elementary schools, they meet with all students from kindergarten through third grade. “We reached over 900 kids last year,” Capt. Evan Hasko, head of the department’s fire prevention program, told the Tribune on Thursday.
“We go out as a shift, usually four at a time,” Hasko continued. In addition to talking about fire safety and showing an educational video, the firefighters put on their gear so the kids won’t be afraid when they see them in action.
“We don’t want them to run and hide when they see us,” Hasko said. “We want them to holler out when they see us so we can come in and rescue them.”
Center Coordinator Francee Miller agrees. “They get to see the firefighters before they put the big suit on,” she said. “It’s a very scary thing to see that coming at you. ... You’ve got to take that fear away — that’s the biggest thing. Children are fearful and we don’t want anyone hiding.”
The fire took place just up the street from Carrie Sorrensen’s house, and she and her three children attended the presentation — which took place at the beginning of Meadville City Council’s recent monthly meeting — to show their support.
“The education in the schools that the fire department does is so important,” Sorrensen told the Tribune on Thursday.
However, that’s not all.
“One of my sons put his hand through the glass and they were there in two seconds,” she recalled. “The fire department is something that you know is going to be there. There are some services that can’t be negotiated when something happens — you’ve got to know they’re there.”
During the presentation, nine members of the department were right there — presenting a bright-red bicycle to Landyn and an equally bright-red scooter to Jonavyn. Landyn received a beautifully-boxed medal saluting his brave act.
“I thank the community and the people in it for pulling together and giving my family a great support system,” Jon Hines said Thursday. “People have been willing to donate clothes and all sorts of things without even knowing us. I’d like to thank the community and Crawford County.”
You can help
Donations toward the Hines family, which lost its home on Arch Street in Meadville due to a March 28 fire, are being accepted at any PNC Bank branch or by mail at PNC Bank, P.O. Box 426, Saegertown, Pa. 16433. Checks should be made payable to “Fire Fund for the Hines family.” A benefit is scheduled for May 17 from 2 to 10 p.m. at French Quarter on Perry Highway, approximately two miles south of the casino in Erie County’s Summit Township.