DOVER — A small pizza party was held Sunday at Dover’s North End Fire Station in celebration of one of the community’s young heroes.
Members of Shift-B, Mike Ryan, Jim Anagos T.J. Staiti, Josh Ambrose and Lieutenant Marc Plante, received a 911 call Jan. 10, 2018, for a “woman trapped under wood.” The ambulance and some apparatus rushed to Tolend Road where they found a woman buried under a pile of firewood. Alongside the woman was a young girl who was alternately communicative and shaken up - the woman under the wood was her mother.
The firefighters removed the wood and assisted Rebekah Greason to her feet. They discovered that the originator of the call was her 7-year-old daughter Annabelle.
“I was confused, hurting and didn’t know how bad things were,” said Rebekah, “I called for Annabelle and told her to get help.”
The second-grader called 911, bringing the needed assistance.
Rebekah advised the reason for the accident. “I had more than a full load onto my wood hauler and attempted to push it up the stairs when it tipped over and it all fell on me and knocked me down.” Annabelle attempted to pull the wood off her mother while waiting for help.
The address was one familiar to members of the department. Several times in the past they were called to the location to perform a citizen’s assist for Jeffrey Greason, Rebekah’s husband, and Annabelle’s father, who died three months ago from leukemia. At times Rebekah needed help moving him for medical reasons.
“They have always been wonderful,” she said.
Considering the circumstances, Dover F&R decided to honor the young lady for her actions, and Shift B invited her to the station.
Annabelle has had an affinity for the fire service for several years, and arrived at the station in full firefighter uniform, coat, hat and pants, which she had received as a birthday present the previous June.
This day she joined her mother and 2-year-old brother at the North End Station for a walk-through of the station where a presentation was made to her stating “You are a 911 Hero.”
When asked whether she might want to be a firefighter someday, Annabelle grinned and said “yes, as a substitute, but not full time.” The Woodman Park School second-grader’s first desire is to be an inventor.
“I want to invent a time machine,” she said.
Mom, nodding in agreement, said, “she comes from a family of engineers, so that makes sense.”
As all participated in the pizza party, Fire Capt. Dave Hanna said “after all that she has experienced, I hope that this will leave a good positive feeling. They, as does all the public, know that we are here if they need help.”