Webb City Police officers Alex Bickett and Austin Fohey each received three life saving awards Monday for rescuing a woman whose house was ablaze on March 6.

Bickett and Fohey arrived at 514 W. Third St., the home of Krista and Jason Stark, before the fire trucks that night.

Patrol Lt. Travis Osterman, filling in for Police Chief Don Melton, set the scene as he described the situation the two officers faced. The house was fully engulfed. Flames were shooting out. They learned Krista Stark (who had recently undergone back surgery) was stuck in her room.

Fohey grabbed a ladder to reach the window, and Bickett found a shovel to break the window. It was so hot the plastic blinds were melting. They couldn’t see Krista because of the smoke. She was able to move toward their flashlights and reached out to them. The officers were able to get her out and escorted her to the ambulance.

Because of today’s synthetic materials, Fire Chief Andrew Roughton said, “You only have three minutes to survive a house fire.”

He quoted the battalion chief at the scene who said Krista likely wouldn’t have survived if not for Bickett and Fohey’s actions. According to Roughton, Krista Stark was released from the hospital on April 1.

As Osterman presented awards from the police department, he thanked Bickett and Fohey for their courage to put themselves in harm’s way.

They also received life saving awards and challenge pins from the fire department and Missouri State Fire Marshal Tim Bean.