CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte student is being honored for taking what she learned three years ago and putting it into action to keep her brother and herself safe during a fire that broke out at their apartment.
The North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal is honoring Tyshala Ni'Anna Wilson, who on March 16, 2021 called 911 to report the apartment she was living in was on fire. Tyshala, who is a 5th Grade student at Tuckaseegee Elementary School, was able to get her younger brother Hampton to a safer area while getting important information to a Charlotte Fire Department communicator. She also closed a door to protect both of them from the fire and smoke, before she and her brother were able to be rescued by ground ladders.
Charlotte Fire says Tyshala learned what to do after she took part in safety classes as a 3rd grader. Those classes prepared her on how to call 911 and escape a fire. A special ceremony Wednesday commended her for taking what she learned and put into action, and the department says this was an example of the value of the fire safety program.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.