January 23, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Fire Chief to Present Women With Civilian Cross Award

Efforts saved five children from house fire

Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has announced that the Shreveport Fire Department will award its highest civilian honor, the Civilian Cross, to Tamora Gilliam, 26, and Sharonda Green, 22, for their acts of bravery in rescuing their five children from a house fire early Sunday morning. The ceremony and press conference will take place Thursday, January 25, at 1:00 p.m. in the fire department’s administrative offices at Central Fire Station, 801 Crockett Street.

The fire at 2918 Ashton Street started on January 21 around 4:00 a.m. in the front living room of the residence. Green said that the smell of smoke awoke her and as she went to investigate found the front of the home ablaze and unable to exit. Returning to her bedroom where three of the children were sleeping, Green, after awaking the children, forced the rooms air-conditioning unit out of the window. Because the height from the window to the ground was eight feet, Green knew that she would have to jump first and then catch the children as they left the window.

After Green was out and on the ground, her 6-year-old daughter, still inside, refused to let go of the bed. Gilliam, who was sleeping in an adjacent bedroom at the time of the fire, had already exited the home with one child, reentered through smoke and flames to reach the remaining children and "push" them out of the window and into the arms of Green. Gilliam then exited the residence herself but not until all the children were safe.

"We all would like to think that we would have done the same thing if faced with a similar circumstance, but what these two ladies did to save their children stands as a true testament of the human spirit and character that I believe is worthy of recognition," says Fire Chief Cochran. The fire department is taking up a collection of clothing and toys for the families who lost virtually everything including the children’s Christmas presents in the fire. Donations can be dropped off at Central Fire Station. The children’s ages are: boys 1, 7, and 9, girls 1 and 6. The 7 and 9 year-old-boys also need Caddo School uniforms. The cause of the fire is still under investigation but is believed to be accidental - electrical in nature.

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