Waste Pro crew prevents house fire in Palm Coast

Driver Ron Oliver and helper Jon Kippax noticed flames as they drove by the home and quickly put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.

By Guest Author
| 6:00 p.m. May 19, 2022

Driver Ron Oliver, Supervisor Danielle Holland, Helper Jon Kippax. Courtesy photo

Palm Coast Observer
News

by: Melissa Catalanotto

Corporate Communications Manager, Waste Pro

Two Waste Pros are being hailed as heroes for stopping a fire from spreading at a home in Palm Coast last week.

Driver Ron Oliver and helper Jon Kippax were on their usual route Friday, May 13 when they noticed flames coming from the flowerbed of 89-year-old Doris Bryson’s home. Doris lives alone and had no idea there was a fire. Luckily, Ron and Jon were in the right place at the right time and quickly put the fire out with a fire extinguisher that is equipped on all Waste Pro trucks. As they notified Doris of the fire, a neighbor called 911 and later called the Waste Pro office to tell Ron and Jon’s manager about their amazing actions.

“I visited Ms. Doris a few hours after this happened, and she was very kind and thankful for Ron and Jon,” said Palm Coast Division Manager Heather Badger-Felmet. “Ron and Jon never even told us about it – to them, it was just something they needed to do while they happened to be working. We are incredibly proud to have them on our team.”

As a thank you, Ron and Jon were each awarded Waste Pro’s Franklin Award of $100 for employees who go above and beyond.