PHILIPPI — Local firefighter and emergency medical technician Heather (Kress) Miller is seeing her job from a new perspective after losing her home, two pets and all of her belongings, including her vehicle, in a house fire on Friday.

Miller has been a firefighter for more than 10 years and has spent the last 2 1/2 years at the Belington Fire Department, where she also is an EMT. In her time as a first responder, she’s helped many people. Now, her fellow emergency responders and her community at large are rallying behind her.

Miller was doing some holiday baking in her home in rural Barbour County Friday evening, when she walked from the kitchen into her living room to find her couch was on fire. She suspects her wood stove threw an ember onto a blanket, which caught fire and spread to the couch.

“I came around the corner and saw the smoke,” she said.

As if to prove that no one really knows how they will react in such a situation, Miller’s first thought was to try to drag the burning couch out of the home.

“I’ve spent the last two days kicking myself in the butt, thinking I should have just left it, got my pets and got out,” she said.

Two of her pets, one dog and one cat, ran into the bedroom and did not make it out, but another dog, her Labrador, did escape. Once outside, Miller realized she had left her phone inside. Standing sock-footed in her yard, there wasn’t much she could do to call for help.

“The house is kind of in the country. There’s electric fences and cattle fields between me and my nearest neighbor, so, basically, all I could do was stand in my yard and scream for help in my socks and a T-shirt,” she said.

Miller saw a cell phone light in a passing truck and thought perhaps the passerby was calling 911.

“The next thing I know, my brothers from the fire department are pulling into my driveway,” she said.

Miller suffered severe smoke inhalation, a minor burn on her hand and “bumps and bruises.” She was taken to Davis Medical Center, where she was kept overnight and released Saturday.

Belington Fire Chief Phil Hart said the fire occurred in Philippi’s first-due area, but Belington and others responded to assist. Hart said the emergency services community in Barbour County is pulling together to help Miller. A meeting was hosted Sunday night to form a plan to help her get back on her feet.

“It can happen to anybody, absolutely,” Hart said. “What we want to do is help her get back to where she has a home.”

Hart said Miller was planning to begin paramedic training next month. He wants to make sure Miller is set up with a vehicle so she can complete her training.

“She definitely likes to help people and is very interested in learning. She’s also highly trained,” Hart said. “We’re glad to have her on the department. She’s a great benefit to us. This is just an unfortunate circumstance. She lost a lot of stuff, and even her pets, but all that can be replaced. She was safe, and that was our priority.”

Since the fire, Miller has been staying with her mother and at the fire

station.

“Technically, I’m staying with my mom, but she goes to bed at 9:30 p.m., and I’m just not ready to be alone, so I’m actually kind of staying at the squad with my fellow firefighters. My dog is here with me. They’re keeping me company,” she said.

After she was released from the hospital, her family took her to get a new phone.

“After that, I came back to the station, and we went on a call,” she said.

Working helps Miller keep her mind occupied, she said.

After Sunday’s support meeting, Miller said she was amazed by the outpouring of assistance from the community.

“It’s truly humbling. We pick on each other, we goof off and we tease each other, but we’re all friends. We work in different squads, but when it comes down to it, everybody in this service is family. And it’s not just the emergency services, the community itself, the churches, are offering to help. There are not enough words to begin to describe the gratitude. I’ve had patients I’ve transported in emergency situations come down to make a donation or just bring me a card,” she said.

An account has been set up at gofundme.com, which already has raised more than $2,000, and an account is being established at Freedom Bank for anyone who wishes to donate, Hart said.

As someone who already enjoys helping people, Miller believes the experience has taught her more about the importance of support in the aftermath of a crisis.

“It’s something that we see and we do all the time as firefighters. We always try to do our best by offering any assistance we can in the aftermath. But you never appreciate the full extent of the emotions and how overwhelming it is until you’ve actually been through it,” she said