Alarm dispatcher saves N.L. lives

An eastern Newfoundland family owes their lives to a security firm dispatcher in Montreal.

The Tucker family was at home in Mount Pearl during the Christmas holidays when a woman from a security company called and told them to get out of their home right away.

ADT dispatcher Caroline Joly called to say carbon monoxide levels in the Tucker's home were dangerously high.

A recording of the conversation between Joly and Lynn Tucker shows Tucker didn't know make to of what she was being told.

"The [carbon monoxide] detector has gone off, I've got three portable ones here and they're all perfect," said Tucker.

But according to the dispatcher's monitoring equipment, deadly carbon monoxide was filling the home. The recording shows dispatcher Caroline Joly was persistent.

"We just called the [firefighters] right now maybe it's better to go outside," she said.

But Tucker couldn't be convinced.

"There's nothing going on here, call them back, everything is fine," she said.

Joly didn't give up, insisting, "Yes, but [the firefighters] need to go out and verify ma'am."

Exasperated, Tucker agreed to take her family outside.

When firefighters arrived, Tucker was told carbon monoxide levels in her family's home were high enough to kill the family if they had stayed inside for another 15 minutes.

"You can't see it or smell it and initially it just puts you asleep until you finally get to the point where you die," said Capt. Randy Hammon of the St. John's Fire Department.

Joly's diligence was recognized with a special lifesaving award for helping the Tucker family.