ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — 12-year-old Makila McCullough was given a special award by the American Red Cross on Tuesday for her life-saving actions in helping her family escape a house fire in September.
On the morning of September 3rd, 2019, fire crews were called to Bildahl Street, near Ken-Rock Park, where they found a vacant trailer fully engulfed in flames.
The fire was quickly put out, but the trailer was a total loss A nearby home also caught fire.
Makila was awakened by a smoke alarm and went downstairs to wake up her mother, Doreen, and sister Carmen.
The entire family was able to escape the house, which was since declared unlivable.

The Red Cross says on May 11th, 2019, volunteers had installed smoke alarms in the McCullough home during the organization’s annual “Sound the Alarm” smoke alarm installation event.
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