Editorial: Heroes choose to act

Edna Harrison tried to help save her neighbours house.

Life is full of risks.

Driving in heavy rain, crossing a busy road or riding a bike in peak-hour traffic all involve a degree of risk.

Most of the time, with the use of caution, we come through unscathed. These are run-of-the-mill situations we face every day but what happens when someone is faced with a situation where they have to put themselves in harm's way to help others?

The Bay of Plenty Times has featured two stories over the past week about people who did just that to help a neighbour in need.

The first involved Hairini's Karen Arthur, her daughter Danielle, 19, and son Andrew, 17. The trio rushed into their elderly neighbour's home as a pot left on the stove filled the house with smoke.

The neighbour had suffered a stroke and the Arthurs managed to pull the partially paralysed woman from the house.

Yesterday, we reported on the amazing efforts of 89-year-old Kulim Ave resident Edna Harrison who chose to walk into her neighbour's burning home to help fight the blaze.

She had gone next door for a cup of tea after the America's Cup racing was postponed on Sunday only to find her 62-year-old neighbour in the hallway, which was filling with smoke.

Mrs Harrison started to open some of the doors and windows to let the smoke out before a big, black billow of smoke filled the hallway. She told the neighbour to get out and then tried to untangle the garden hose while her neighbour dragged it toward the window of the bedroom the fire had started in before the emergency services arrived.

Everybody at some time has wondered what they would do in such a situation. The Arthurs and Ms Harrison no longer have to wonder. They chose to act.