In a delightful twist of holiday magic, Roanoke County firefighters turned what could have been a disaster into a heartwarming lesson on fire prevention, all thanks to the involvement of an adventurous “elf on the shelf.”
Responding to a call about a potential residential structure fire in northern Roanoke County, firefighters were relieved to find no actual flames, but instead, smoke in the dining room. To their surprise, the source of the issue was identified as an “elf on a shelf” stranded near a heat-emitting light.
Upon arrival, the concerned mother, Lindsay Young, recalls her son Liam expressing worry, “Elfie died.” It turned out the elf, on a mission to secure a vantage point, had become stuck next to the warm light.
Credit – Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department Facebook Page
However, the situation took a heartwarming turn. The firefighters, displaying a touch of holiday magic, managed to revive Elfie. In a lighthearted Facebook post, the department shared, “Units on scene were able to rescue the elf and provide critical care. The elf chose to return to the North Pole while he recovered.
Before departing, Elfie left behind a meaningful message on fire prevention for everyone. “Be respectful of all lights! Both burning flames and shining lights emit heat that’s far too hot for our skin. As you keep a watchful eye on your assignment during Christmas time, please follow Roanoke County Fire & Rescue’s prevention guidelines to keep you safe from harm.”
In a heartening follow-up to Elfie’s misadventure, a substitute elf named Wyatt was dispatched from the North Pole via first-class delivery, personally brought by RCFRD firefighters. Wyatt arrived with a letter explaining the situation, “My name is Wyatt. Santa sent me by first class because your elf had an accident. Lucky for you, I am afraid of light bulbs. Santa reassigned your old elf to the fire prevention area and will keep firefighters safe. Make sure to set me out so I can fly back tonight,” the letter read.
In an appreciative update, Young expressed gratitude to the North Roanoke County Fire for the thoughtful gesture, saying, “Big shout out to North Roanoke County Fire for sneaking this into our front door while we were at Corbin’s wrestling match this evening. It rounded out our story for Liam perfectly! I cannot be more grateful for the kindness and grace that they showed me after my unfortunate elf incident earlier today.”
