Every week, we recognize the men and women in law enforcement who go above and beyond to protect our communities, and today’s story comes from Roxbury Township in Morris County.
On Friday, September 25, police received a call about a house fire on Williams Street.
Flames were visible coming from one of the home’s windows.
Patrolman Roumes arrived first. Detective Shannon and Patrolman Dixon were right behind him.
Soon, Sergeant Barbera, Corporal Strowbridge and Patrolmen Trieber and Smith were on the scene.
Seven officers, a house on fire, and no time to waste.
And here’s where the heroism of everyday police work was on full display.
Photo by Yevhen Stienin on Unsplash
A dog trapped inside as officers battle the flames
Officers Roumes, Trieber, and Shannon entered the burning home, searching for anyone who might still be inside. The homeowners weren’t there.
But the home was occupied. The family’s dog was there, terrified and hiding underneath a table.
As anyone who has ever had a dog knows, when they’re scared, they don’t always listen.
The officers had to coax this frightened animal out from under the table. After a bit, they got the dog out safely.
While the rescue was happening, something else was unfolding.
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Officers take action before firefighters arrive
Officers Dixon and Smith climbed onto the roof from a deck.
Think about that for a moment: A house is burning, and these officers are climbing onto the roof to fight the flames.
Armed with a fire extinguisher, they went to work battling a bedroom fire. They managed to knock down a significant portion of those flames before the Roxbury Fire Department arrived.
Firefighters then took over and extinguished the remaining fire.
Now, here’s what I love about this story: These officers weren’t dispatched to rescue a dog. They were responding to a house fire.
They didn’t know what they would find, but when they discovered a frightened family pet trapped inside, they didn’t hesitate.
When they saw an opportunity to keep the fire from spreading, they acted.
That’s what service looks like. It’s not always about catching criminals.
Sometimes it’s about saving a life, and sometimes that life has four legs.
So today, we’re recognizing Patrolmen Roumes, Dixon, Trieber, and Smith, Detective Shannon, Sergeant Barbera, and Corporal Strowbridge.
Seven Roxbury police officers who answered the call.
A family’s dog is safe, and a dangerous fire was contained because these officers stepped up.
Thank you for your courage, your quick thinking, and your service to the people of your community.
You are our Blue Friday honorees.
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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill’s own.
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