Fire Chief Recognize Parks Employee For Selfless Actions

Earlier this year, on Jan 13, Renton Parks employee Jeff Nasset noticed smoke coming from a house in the 600 block of Harrington Ave. NE as he drove by. Instead of calling 9-1-1 and going about his day, Nasset stopped his car and came to the aid of a woman and two children who were inside the house.

A challenge presented itself when Nasset realized that the woman only spoke Spanish. He was able to get all three residents outside and turn the power off before calling 9-1-1.

However, the woman went back into the burning house while Nasset was on the phone with the dispatcher.

"We have a lot of people who go back into burning structures and they never come out," Said Fire Chief Mark Peterson at Renton City Council on Feb. 13. "It goes to the quality of people the city hires … and jeff went one step beyond."

Nasset went back into the house and got the woman out safely again before the fire department arrived.

"Jeff, your quick thinking and appropriate actions in this emergency situation saved the family from smoke inhalation and possible injury," Chief Peterson wrote in a letter to Nasset. "Please accept our sincere gratitude for a job well done."