Hero paramedic tells of professional pride

Jeanette Yeoell, a paramedic practitioner based in Bexhill Ambulance Station, kicked in a glass door and crawled through to rescue the 73-year-old woman last Thursday, battling thick smoke and the threat of fire.

She said: "I pushed the letterbox and smoke came streaming out.

"It was so thick and acrid that it just knocked me back.

"I called out Hello, and heard a voice and just kicked the glass out the door. I just thought: I've got to get in - there's somebody behind the door."

Jeanette, of Ticehurst Close, Hastings, had been on duty for 40 minutes when a call came through at 7.40am: "Burns to legs".

Not knowing what to expect, she arrived at the Clifton Rise bungalow with fire crews as yet unaware of the blaze.

Showing remarkable courage without back-up, she crawled through the door and called again to find the elderly lady, whose legs were severely burned.

55-year old Jeanette, a paramedic for 22 years, said: "There was this sillouhette person in the bedroom doorway. She looked like Robinson Crusoe, I could see her garments were ragged from the fire.

"I remember thinking, what do I do now. I didn't have a lot of choice."

Reaching the woman, Jeanette tried to coax her back through the panel-space in the door only to find the lady's legs were too burned to crawl.

The pair found the door key and stumbled to safety, before Jeanette called for support and the fire brigade arrived minutes later.

Both women were treated for smoke inhalation. The pensioner was taken to the Conquest hospital, and transferred the same day to the Queen Victoria in East Grinstead, a specialist burns hospital.

Candles in the bedroom set light to the duvet cover and mattress while the woman was in the bed.

Jeanette said: "They do tell us safety first, but its difficult. I don't know how I would have felt if I hadn't gone in.

"I'm proud of what I am and of the people I work with. To be singled out makes me uncomfortable because it's my job and I know a lot of the other guys do exactly the same.

"I'm very proud of my profession."

South East Coast Ambulance Service clinical operations manager Nigel Hammond said: "I have no doubt that if it wasn't for the brave actions of Jeanette, the elderly lady would not be alive now."