New Hampshire woman uses Facebook to get help during fire
HAMPTON, N.H. – A New Hampshire woman turned to Facebook when a fire started in her kitchen and she needed help.
Barbara Lovell fell while she was cooking and was unable to get up. Her stove top over heated, filling her Ocean Blvd. apartment with smoke.
Lovell had no phone nearby, but her tablet was next to her with access to the internet, so she messaged her best friend Lois Gannon for help.
"She had no ability to call us herself," Hampton Fire Chief Michael McMahon said.
Thanks to the social media message, the Hampton Fire Department received a 911 call from Gannon about the fire and resident in trouble.
"She sent me a message and it said 'Fire!' Gannon said. "I said 'What's wrong are you having a fire?' And she said 'Yes stove on fire.' All of a sudden she messaged me and said, excuse my language, 'Call the (expletive) fire department.'"
The firefighters were able to quickly respond and put out the flames. McMahon said he is grateful the message made it to the department before it was too late.
"It did work and we're glad it did because it might not have been a good outcome for her," McMahon said.