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Saratoga County firefighter Mark Hines and his wife, Megan, were awoken at around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, March 19, by the sounds of metal ductwork warping, according to a Facebook post by the family.
What they awoke to was a blaze starting to consume their Clifton Park home, located on Sugar Hill Road.
The Hines’ grabbed their three children, all under the age of six, and evacuated from the house.
Hines, who is a “dedicated” volunteer firefighter with the Vischer Ferry Fire Company, went back to the house when other units from the Vischer Ferry Fire Company arrived at the scene and helped pull the hose off the firetruck.
Unfortunately, the house was ruined.
Hines is not only involved in the community through the fire department, but also in the family’s local church, and in his role as Manager of Day Habilitation Program for Lifesong, Inc., a program that aims to provide “a platform for exploration, skill development, and self-discovery” for adults with developmental disabilities.
Hines also serves as a Life Skills Coach for Lifesong and helped establish the music program it offers.
The Vischer Ferry Fire Company shared a link to a GoFundMe set up for the family, urging those who can to “help this deserving public servant and his family.”
As of Wednesday, March 29, the campaign has raised $15,445 of its $20,000 goal.
Ultimately, Mark Hines wrote on Facebook that this experience has reminded the family of what is important in life.
“When I returned to our neighbor's house, where Megan and the kids were staying, I walked in to see all of my children smiling, laughing, and playing,” he wrote. “That was a reminder that all that really mattered made it out of the fire.”
Those who feel inclined to donate to the family’s GoFundMe can do so here.
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