Past Chief and current Corfu Fire Department President, Brian Schollard, was in the right place at the right time on Monday afternoon.
Genesee County Dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call reporting a house fire at 13 East Main street in Corfu a little before 1:30pm.
Schollard, who works close by in the Village of Corfu, was the first firefighter to respond to the scene just after a Corfu Police officer arrived.
“I got there right after the village police officer and saw the guy standing on the upper ledge of the second story window, I ran over to Al’s Automotive (at 14 East Main street) and asked if he had a ladder, luckily he did,” says Schollard.
“I ran back over and we set it up and I climbed up and helped him down.”
Schollard says the fire started on the first floor near the stairs and the male occupant was in the attic at the time of the fire and heavy smoke was coming from the attic window.
“He either punched or kicked the window out and he had cuts on his feet and hands.”
Heavy smoke filled the attic area and the victim also suffered some smoke inhalation, Schollard says his injuries are non-life threatening.
The house suffered very little structural damage, with fire damage on the first floor and smoke damage throughout.
After joining the Corfu Fire Department as a Junior member in 1980, Schollard’s years of quick thinking kicked in.
“I was thinking where am I going to find a ladder, I was also thinking if he jumped, I’d have to somehow break his fall, he was up a good 20 feet. I got lucky with the ladder,” says Schollard.
The victim was transported to ECMC by a Mercy Medic ambulance to be checked out.