Cimarron Hills teen dubbed ‘911 Hero’ after saving his family from a house fire

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- About six months ago, a 13-year-old boy called 911 after a fire sparked his Cimarron Hills home, saving his three family members and animals in the process.

Monday, June 5, that boy was named a 911 hero by the Cimarron Hills Fire Department.

On December 23, 13-year-old Isaac White called 911 and evacuated his grandmother and 2 younger brothers after smelling smoke in his kitchen. He also kept his family calm while waiting for firefighters to arrive.

"I was saying happy birthday to my friend on the phone and I smelled smoke so I went downstairs to check if it was the heater," Isaac said. "I walked into the living room and it was pitch black with smoke. It kinda went tunnel vision. It didn't feel real, it felt like a movie."

The responding fire crew told KRDO that Isaac calling 911 when he did was crucial in them being able to put the fire out quickly. When crews arrived, smoke was filling up the entire home. They noticed the kitchen and stove were on fire.

Isaac's mother Brianna says she taught Isaac to be aware of his surroundings from a very young age.

"I had him very young at 17," Isaac's mother Brianna Bailey said. "It was just me and him when I moved out at 18 and ever since he was little I always told him, when we go to the grocery store and I put in groceries in the back of the car, I've always made him face over the seat and watch my back and be aware of what's going on. Anytime he's with me and I drop him off at school I say, okay you're leaving me for the day what's the number one rule? He says, be aware. So it comes with training. If you train your children young and constantly talk about being aware and noticing the little things and acting when there needs to be."

Brianna said the fact that Isaac stayed so calm, even when calling her to let her know she needed to leave work and come home, really kept everyone else calm.

"It took me a minute when he called to even comprehend what was going on because he was so calm," Bailey said.