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Girl, 13, To Get Public Safety Award For Alerting 911 About Officer's House Fire

GERMANTOWN, Md. (WJZ)—A fire that claimed the life of an off-duty officer's dog could have been worse if not for the alertness of a 13-year-old girl.

Eva Soderstrom will be presented with a Citizen's Public Safety Award on Wednesday morning for quickly alerting her mom to call 911 when she noticed smoke coming from a home across the street.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of May 14 in Montgomery County.

Officer Nicole Gamard was on duty and in her police cruiser when she heard the dispatcher ask officers to assist with a house fire.

Garnard quickly recognized the address as her home. Her two dogs, Quest and Frenzy, were in the house.

Although both dogs were rescued from the home, Frenzy died from smoke inhalation.

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