SASKATOON — The Saskatoon Fire Department is recognizing Mitch and Jaxon Hozack for their instinctive actions and heroic efforts that resulted in safely evacuating the families of two burning homes.
On the morning of July 25, Sunday, Mitch and Jaxon were travelling to the latter’s baseball semi-final game when they noticed black smoke coming from between two homes. Mitch pulled over and realized a deck was on fire.
After telling Jaxon to call 9-1-1, Mitch jumped out of the vehicle and started banging on the doors to notify the residents. His actions became progressively more intense as the fire grew and both homes caught flame.
Eventually, Mitch caught the attention of the occupants and was able to warn them of the fire. Everyone safely evacuated from the homes and retreated to a safe location.
The SFD received a report of a bungalow on fire in the 3400 block of 33rd Street West at 8:13 a.m. Arriving on scene, fire crews found the house fully engulfed in flames and the fire was threatening to spread to the homes on either side of it.
Thanks to the help of Mitch and Jaxon, all residents were found and accounted for and fire crews were able to focus their efforts on extinguishing the fire. Firefighters brought the fire under control by 9:38 a.m. Damage to all structures was estimated to be $325,000.
“We are thankful that Mitch and Jaxon were willing to spontaneously put their morning plans aside for the safety of others. Helping others, even those we have no connection to, is a value at the heart of the culture in Saskatoon. We recognize Mitch and Jaxon for putting this value into action,” said Fire Chief Morgan Hackl.
“It’s important to celebrate the everyday heroes in our community. We are fortunate that Mitch and Jaxon were at the right place at the right time. Not everyone would have stopped at the sight of smoke. Their selflessness and quick actions definitely saved lives that day,” added Hackl, who presented the Hozacks with an Award of Merit on Wednesday during a virtual meeting where Mitch described the fire from his and Jaxon’s perspective.
Unfortunately, Jaxon lost his semi-final game that morning.
"After the game, [Jaxon] came up and said, 'That one hurt, Dad. That one really hurt,’ and he gave me a hug,” Mitch says. “And then he said, 'But, we have a house to go home to.' So, it was a pretty good morning to learn some perspective.”
The SFD wants to emphasize to residents the importance of installing smoke alarms in your home. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home where people sleep. Place them on a ceiling or high up on a wall close to every sleeping area.
For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms so when one sounds, they all sound. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and replaced every 10 years, or sooner according to manufacturer’s instructions.
