On July 3, 2024, while playing outdoors at her grandmother’s home on Horizon Way in Prescott Valley, Arizona, Brogan McFadden smelled smoke. She immediately told family members who were also outside, but they initially dismissed her concerns, attributing the smell to a BBQ or another harmless source. Undeterred, Brogan insisted that she indeed smelled smoke and that 9-1-1 should be called.
Taking matters into her own hands, Brogan went inside and urged her grandmother to investigate. Her grandmother looked over the backyard wall and saw flames engulfing the neighboring block wall. She immediately called 9-1-1 and rushed to the neighbor’s house, trying frantically to get their attention. After several attempts, she managed to wake the neighbor, who had been asleep and unaware of the fire spreading from his backyard to his home.
The fire was quickly extinguished by CAFMA firefighters, including the first-arriving crew of Engine 58, which included Acting Captain/Paramedic Wes Sheldon, Acting Engineer/Paramedic Aaron Moore, and Firefighter Stephanie Roy. Their rapid response ensured that damage was kept to a minimum and, most importantly, that no one was hurt.
Brogan is the daughter of Matt McFadden, a firefighter with the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA), and the niece of CAFMA Captain/Paramedic Mike McFadden. Her family’s firefighting legacy, along with consistent fire safety education, undoubtedly influenced her fast and decisive action.
To celebrate Brogan’s smart thinking and bravery, the firefighters of Station 58 invited her and her family to the firehouse. There, in front of family and friends, including CAFMA Board Chair Matt Zurcher, she was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation “in recognition of her quick thinking and actions in alerting her grandma, MiMi, to a house fire on July 3, 2024, allowing MiMi to call 9-1-1 and get help.” Brogan also received a bouquet of orange flowers, her favorite color, a heartfelt token of the firefighters’ appreciation.
Matt McFadden, Brogan’s father, expressed his pride: “Her mom, Kahley, and I couldn’t be prouder of Brogan. Her calm thinking in such a critical situation made a big difference.
She’s truly our little hero. Please, talk to your kids about fire safety and make sure that you have a fire escape plan that you practice.”
Fire Chief Scott Freitag also commented on the importance of fire safety education: “Brogan’s actions are a testament to the importance of teaching fire safety from a young age. Her ability to recognize danger, in this case an unusual smell of smoke, and take action highlights how important it is for families to discuss and practice fire safety. We are grateful for Brogan’s quick thinking and the positive outcome of this incident.”
CAFMA continues to emphasize the importance of fire safety education and encourages families to have regular discussions and fire drills to prepare for potential emergencies.
For more information on fire safety and prevention, please visit the CAFMA website, https://www.cazfire.gov/, or contact your local fire department.
1 thought on “Young Girl Praised for Heroic Actions that Prevented Possible Tragedy”
Once again we have “family” being at the forefront of a responsible community. Firefighters are another family that work together as a team to accomplish critical goals. We need more of these stories to enforce our overall appreciation for all in our public safety community certainly including our police men and women who are “on duty” 7/24.
Comments are closed.