27 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Shawnee Heights Fire District is recognizing one local woman for helping a family escape their burning home.
Ann Garcia-Brinker, the Nurse Resident Program Manager at Stormont Vail Hospital, was driving home from a friend’s house around 11 p.m. on June 24 when she saw something unusual.
“I saw this fire and I thought, ‘It’s kind of late to have a bonfire,’ and it was kind of big,” Garcia-Brinker said. “As I got closer down Croco Road, I noticed that the house was on fire.”
After 30 years of being a nurse, Garcia-Brinker’s reaction to seeing the fire was purely instinctual. She turned on SE 35th Street, drove to the family’s home, got out of her car and knocked on the door.
“The owner answered and I said, ‘Do you have any children?’ and she said, ‘Yes, I have two small children,’” Garcia-Brinker said. “I immediately ran upstairs to get the children, woke them up, got them out of the house, we got them in the car and away from the house. Then, I helped her kennel the dogs and we took them out to the end of the driveway.”
Because of Garcia-Brinker’s help and crucial call to the fire department, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in its early stages.
“If they [Garcia-Brinker] hadn’t done that, in another 10-15 minutes it would have spread inside and been a whole different outcome,” Shawnee Heights Battalion Chief Ken Balsmeier said. “Their smoke alarms weren’t going off because the fire was outside of the house. So, by the time they realized something was going on, they could have been in a lot of trouble. So, we’re really grateful that this good Samaritan did that.”
Garcia-Brinker said she was just doing what she loves to do, which is helping other people. She now has a relationship with the family she saved because they reached out to thank her following the fire. Garcia-Brinker told KSNT 27 News it was so nice to hear from the family and gain closure about their well-being, something that rarely happens for a nurse.
Shawnee Heights Fire District is presenting her with an award Thursday night for her efforts.
“We like to recognize our citizens and our patrons anytime they’ve done something that really has benefited the people within our fire district,” Balsmeier said.
Garcia-Brinker said actions like this are about building community and looking out for others.
“To me to get recognized, I think that encourages other people to want to help,” Garcia-Brinker said. “I’m not saying everyone should go into a burning house by any means, but if you can be there for people and just help. You know, we’re overall here to take care of each other.”