Firefighter nominated for ‘AMWH’

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lisa Meiman
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  A Cheyenne firefighter is now one of several first responders nationwide to be nominated for "America's Most Wanted Hero" for his training that helped save a military family.

Mark Stephens, a captain within Cheyenne Fire and Rescue, spoke at Arp Elementary last November about fire prevention and what to do in case of a home fire.

A military dependent used that knowledge during a fire to help her family to safety.

Six-year-old Samantha Edwards, daughter of Tech. Sgt. Floyd Edwards, Twentieth Air Force, insisted her family conduct fire drills to practice their escape plan -- a plan that would soon save all of their lives.

Sergeant Edwards said Samantha knew to call 911 and knew the plan in case of a fire, but the family had never practiced the plan together until after Captain Stephens' lesson.
"My wife and kids practiced the plan quite a bit while I was at work," Sergeant Edwards said.

Sergeant Edwards was the first to notice the fire and told his family to get out of the house.

"I knew I didn't have to go back and help them," he said. "I knew they had everything taken care of."

Captain Stephens taught Samantha and her classmates how to crawl under the smoke and what to do in case of a fire. Having an escape plan, complete with a meeting point outside, and practicing that plan were important lessons during his presentation.

"He's done an outstanding job over the past six months," said William McHenry, city fire marshal and Captain Stephens' supervisor. "He finished all the elementary schools, and in the past, we've never done every grade level and every class. He hit every class at every grade level."

Captain Stephens joined the Fire Prevention/Public Education Division only six months ago and adopted a new program he now presents at Laramie County School District 1 elementary schools.