Girl, 11, Called A Hero For Saving Younger Sisters From House Fire
July 15, 2014
An 11-year old Atmore girls is being called a hero today for saving her two younger sisters from a house fire early Saturday night.
Rubye Nix was in the living room with her sisters when it’s believed lightning struck outside the home, causing sparks to fly from a window air conditioner and start a fire. She was playing on an iPad when the fire started and she immediately went into action.
“My one-year-old sister was asleep and my four-year-old sister was on my lap. I smelled something burning and saw a small fire, so I grabbed my baby sisters and ran them out of the house,” she said Monday as her mother Toni Capers and stepfather Jerry Capers were searching through the charred ruble for anything that could be salvaged.
Jerry was home with the kids Saturday night as Toni was at work. The power went out, so he went two doors down to check and see if a neighbor had also lost electricity. It was in those few minutes that the lightning struck, sparking the fire. As Jerry returned home and saw smoke, he rushed back into the house thinking the three girls were still inside. He suffered first, second and third degree burns on his hands as he searched through the burning home for his family.
Rubye said she had learned from her parents and her school teachers about how to get out in the case of fire.
“You teach them what to do,” Toni said, “but you hope they never have to do it.”
“I was thinking, ‘okay, there’s a fire, I’m getting out’,” Rubye said.
“Nothing makes me more proud than to know that you grabbed them and ran,” mom Toni told Rubye Monday as they stood in the debris. “Because I can get through this.”
The home on Forest Avenue was a complete loss from the fire. The American Red Cross temporarily put the family up into a hotel through Tuesday night. Beyond that, the family said they don’t have a place to go.
Picturd top: Rubye Nix, 11, and her mom Toni Capers. Pictured top inset: Rubye’s stepfather Jerry Capers suffered burns on his hands after he entered the burning home looking for his three girls. Pictured bottom inset: Rubye and her mother search though the rubble looking for salvageable items Monday. Pictured below: The family’s home was destroyed by the fire. Photos by Anthony Pura/WEAR 3, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo: Rainbow Over Cantonment Fire Station
July 15, 2014
Pictured: A rainbow Monday afternoon over Escambia County Fire Rescue Station 4 in Cantonment. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview, Tate, West Florida, Ernest Ward FFA Members Attend State Convention
July 15, 2014
About 40 Escambia County middle and high school students attended the 86th Florida FFA Convention earlier this month in Orlando. Escambia County was represented by FFA chapters from Northview, Tate and West Florida high schools, and Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured top: Escambia County’s FFA members at the state convention in Orlando. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
First Baptist Bratt Celebrates Freedom; Burns Mortgage Note
July 14, 2014
The First Baptist Church of Bratt held a very special “Freedom Sunday” this weekend. The Freedom Choir presented the musical “It’s America: The Songs We Sing…The Land We Love”. There was also a special message on freedoms, and the church”burned the note” to celebrate paying off their Family Life Center. Photos by Marcella Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Healthy Summer Series: Sun Safety Tips
July 13, 2014
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. Follow these recommendations to help protect yourself and your family.
Shade
You can reduce your risk of skin damage and skin cancer by seeking shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter before you need relief from the sun. Your best bet to protect your skin is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re outside—even when you’re in the shade.
Clothing
When possible, long-sleeved shirts and long pants and skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Clothes made from tightly woven fabric offer the best protection. A wet T-shirt offers much less UV protection than a dry one, and darker colors may offer more protection than lighter colors. Some clothing certified under international standards comes with information on its ultraviolet protection factor.
If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, at least try to wear a T-shirt or a beach cover-up. Keep in mind that a typical T-shirt has an SPF rating lower than 15, so use other types of protection as well.
Hat
For the most protection, wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears, and the back of your neck. A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin from UV rays. Avoid straw hats with holes that let sunlight through. A darker hat may offer more UV protection.
If you wear a baseball cap, you should also protect your ears and the back of your neck by wearing clothing that covers those areas, using sunscreen with at least SPF 15, or by staying in the shade.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure.
Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays offer the best protection. Most sunglasses sold in the United States, regardless of cost, meet this standard. Wrap-around sunglasses work best because they block UV rays from sneaking in from the side.
Sunscreen
Put on sunscreen before you go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage.
How sunscreen works. Most sun protection products work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering sunlight. They contain chemicals that interact with the skin to protect it from UV rays. All products do not have the same ingredients; if your skin reacts badly to one product, try another one or call a doctor.
SPF. Sunscreens are assigned a sun protection factor (SPF) number that rates their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more protection. You should use a sunscreen with at least SPF 15.
Reapplication. Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
Expiration date. Check the sunscreen’s expiration date. Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than three years, but its shelf life is shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures.
Cosmetics. Some makeup and lip balms contain some of the same chemicals used in sunscreens. If they do not have at least SPF 15, don’t use them by themselves.
McDavid Church To Host Women’s Conference
July 13, 2014
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in McDavid is hosting a one-day Women’s Conference on July 19 titled “Daughters of the King: Knowing Who We are in Christ.”
Tickets are on sale now for $10 per person, which includes breakfast, lunch and door prizes. Worship will be lead by Leah Taylor with message by guest speaker Julie Pickern. To purchase advance tickets contact Lisa Anderson at (850) 207-0006.
“We hope you will join us as we discover from God’s Word and through personal testimonies the awesome privileges and great responsibilities of being an heir to the Most High King,” organizer Danielle Brown said.
The event will be held from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church located at 170 W Bogia Road in McDavid, just west of Highway 29.
The Blues Are Back! (With Friday Photo Gallery)
July 12, 2014
The Blue Angels were back in the skies over Pensacola Beach Friday in a full dress rehearsal in front of tens of thousands of people for the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show on Saturday.
Pictured: The Blue Angels dress rehearsal Friday afternoon over Pensacola Beach. Photos by Raja Atallah for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Watermelons For Sale
July 12, 2014
It’s watermelon season, with roadside vendors in Walnut Hill selling fresh melons by the dozens on Friday. Local farmer James Earl Hall’s melons are for sale on Highway 97 at Pine Forest Road (just south of Highway 4) for $6 each. Friday, they were being sold with the help of Maddox Hall, Dawson Brown and Alex Davis (pictured). NorthEscambia.com photos by BethanyReynolds, click to enlarge.
Vickrey Graduates From Military Working Dog Handler Course
July 11, 2014
Hunter Vickrey of Molino has graduated from the Military Working Dog Handler Course at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. He will now report to his first duty station in Virginia at Fort Myer, which borders Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
When Vickrey graduated earlier this year from basic training/military police AIT school at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, he was one of just two of 150 soldiers in the group selected to receive a K-9 and K-9 training.
West Florida’s Bedenfield Named Florida FFA Area Vice President
July 7, 2014
Jacobi Bedenfield of the West Florida High School FFA was elected as the 2014-2015 Area 1 State Vice President of the Florida FFA during the group’s annual convention in Orlando.
“I strive for service. Living to serve is something that I live by. I want to lead the members of Florida FFA in order to make a difference in their lives and communities. I want to guide members to premier leadership, personal growth, and career success,” Bedenfield said during his campaign.
Bedenfield and fellow West Florida High FFA member Xavier McKeon were the only two students from Florida FFA Area 1 to make it through the screening process in order to become state officer candidates. McKeon also ran for the Area 1 State Vice President position.