Facing danger on the job
Two RE/MAX Associates recount stories of heroism, action in times of crisis
BY DEBORAH BALL
RE/MAX TIMES ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Adam Brett is skilled at putting out fires in business deals. But it was his training as a reserve sheriff’s deputy that helped him quell a real-life blaze.
Brett, a Sales Associate with RE/MAX North Orange County in Fullerton, Calif., saw smoke billowing up the side of a house. He drove to the scene and his deputy instincts took over.
“The first thing I did was clear people from nearby houses,” says Brett, who joined RE/MAX last year. “A bunch of people were standing around, and I made use of them and tasked them.”
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With the help of some neighbors, Brett got the homeowner out of his house and evacuated an elderly neighbor from hers.
“He was really frantic,” Brett says of the homeowner. “I grabbed hoses from the neighbors and we started hosing down the houses. We had the fire put out before it got out of control, but the garage was burnt to a crisp.”
Brett’s quick thinking helped save lives and homes. However, he cautions agents who come across similar situations to be careful.
“Don’t try to be a hero,” says Brett, noting that as a reservist, he's trained in emergency response. “Try to be as helpful as you can without putting yourself or anyone else at risk.”
Brett isn’t the only RE/MAX agent who has faced a life-or-death predicament this year.
On a rainy afternoon in March, RE/MAX Hall of Famer Frank Tierney (CRS) was taking a different route to one of his listings in Lake Zurich, Ill. The Broker Associate with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest saw smoke and flames shooting from the eaves of a house, so he stopped to help.
“Right away, I called 911,” says Tierney, a 31-year real estate veteran who’s been with RE/MAX since 1994.
He heard someone say that an elderly man was inside the house.
“The door was unlocked, so another fellow and I ran in and brought him out,” Tierney says. “A neighbor said that two other people lived in the house, so we ran inside and swept the house, but didn’t find anyone else. When we ran out again, we heard a loud explosion.”
When the fire department arrived, Tierney left for a showing. At the meeting, his client told him he smelled like smoke, and Tierney was proud.
“I wore the smoke like a badge,” he says. “I believe I was there for a reason. I have no doubt that someone else was driving my car that day.”
Handling emergency situations
Brett and Tierney offered these tips should agents encounter situations similar to what they faced:
- Call 911 immediately – “That’s the first thing you do,” Brett says.
- Be a good neighbor and report incidents – “We’re out in these neighborhoods every day,” Tierney says. “Don’t be afraid to look around and call things in.”
- Use your best judgment – “Put human life above property and pets,” Tierney says. “Keep your wits about you.”
- Get training – Brett encourages agents to enroll in community emergency response training (CERT) classes offered by many law enforcement departments.
- Don’t rush to the rescue – “Unless you know you can help the situation, stay out of it,” Brett advises. “Protect yourself, protect other people, but don’t try to be a hero.”
TO CONTACT
Adam Brett
(714) 496-8116
Adam Brett
RE/MAX NOC
Fullerton, CA
714.496.8116
800.977.ADAM
realtoradam@gmail.com
www.realtoradam.com
http://activerain.com/realtoradam
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