Intel

Oklahoma Army Guardsman Saves Woman from Fire

March 29, 2020Katie McCarthy

This article was originally published on March 10, 2020, by the U.S. Army.


OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Army National Guardsman Sgt. Darren Watkins, a Soldier with the 2120th Engineer Battalion, 90th Troop Command, Oklahoma Army National Guard, exhibited the Army Values when he selflessly saved the life of an elderly woman and her four dogs from a house fire in Wagoner County, Feb. 29.


Watkins, who is a sheriff’s deputy with Wagoner County, began his shift on the evening of Feb. 28 after a daddy-daughter dance with his youngest child. His shift was like most others; he answered routine calls, filled out paperwork and performed other typical duties. He had no idea by sunrise he would be a hero.


Toward the end of his shift, at approximately 4 a.m., Watkins was dispatched to a fire in a vacant house. After arriving, Watkins quickly realized the main threat was actually the neighboring house, which was also ablaze and occupied by an elderly widow.


Oklahoma Army National Guardsman Sgt. Darren Watkins. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.
Oklahoma Army National Guardsman Sgt. Darren Watkins. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army.

“I knew she was in there, and I knew she needed to get out,” Watkins said. “I really wasn’t thinking of anything else.”


He quickly entered the home and located the woman. After attempting to collect photos of her family and other belongings, Watkins began leading her toward the safest exit. She then tried to get to her vehicle through the garage, where the fire was the most intense.


“I had to hold the door closed pull her away from the door leading to the garage,” Watkins said. “The firefighters later said if she would have opened that door the fire in the garage would have flashed into the living room and possibly burned both of us.”



Still concerned about her dogs, Watkins assured the woman they needed to get to a safer location. He then firmly wrapped his arms around the woman and steered her toward the safest exit. Watkins, the woman and her four dogs made it out of the burning house, just in time.


“As we walked a safe distance away, we heard the garage explode behind us,” Watkins said.


Despite having minimal fire safety training, Watkins, whose father is a firefighter, knew he needed to protect those inside even though he might face a personal injury. He selflessly chose to exhibit personal courage and entered the home to save the woman.


“I have had some crazy calls in the past, but this was probably the craziest with the best outcome,” Watkins said. “She did lose her house, but we were able to get her out of the residence with her dogs.”



Katie McCarthy
Katie McCarthy

Katie McCarthy is the managing editor for Coffee or Die Magazine. Her career in journalism began at the Columbus (Georgia) Ledger-Enquirer in 2008, where she learned to navigate the newsroom as a features reporter, copy editor, page designer, and online producer; prior to joining Coffee or Die, she worked for Outdoor Sportsman Group as an editor for Guns & Ammo magazine and their Special Interest Publications division. Katie currently lives in Indiana with her husband and two daughters.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
soflete
Soflete: How This Veteran-Led Company is Changing Military Fitness Culture

In 2014, Soflete’s co-founders saw workout overkill hurting their peers as they prepared for selecti...

glock 19
Glock 19: Origin Story of a Legendary Pistol

Get to know the Glock 19 — how it works, who uses it, and why it’s one of the most popular handguns in the US.

afghan soldier asylum
Afghan Soldier Who Helped US Weathers Injuries, Uncertainty in Asylum Bid

Afghan soldier who assisted the U.S. now faces uncertainty in bid for asylum.

The Dirty Dozen
‘The Dirty Dozen’: Meet D-Day’s Real Rogue Commandos

The Dirty Dozen was based on a real team of rule-breaking elite paratroopers who jumped into France ahead of D-Day.

d-day 79th anniversary
Normandy Marks D-Day's 79th Anniversary, Honors World War II Veterans

This year's D-Day tribute to the young soldiers who died in Normandy is not only a chance to honor t...

f-22 raptor
The F-22: The Superiority Fighter That Never Shot Down an Enemy Plane

The F-22 Raptor was designed to fight next-gen Russian fighters. So far its only air-to-air kills are a Chinese balloon and a UFO.

Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway: Where America's March to Victory Began

The US Navy outwitted and outfought the Imperial Japanese Navy to secure victory in the do-or-die Battle of Midway.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved