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Fire officials honor 11-year-old for helping family escape fire
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Lyman Hall Elementary fifth-grader Jema Hernandez is honored Friday during class by Hall County Fire Chief David Kimbrell, left, and Lt. Beverley Walker. The youngster’s actions helped her family get out of the house during a fire last month. - photo by Scott Rogers | The Times
It’s unclear what exactly awoke 11-year-old Jema Hernandez at 3 a.m. Dec. 18.She smelled something unpleasant, and put a pillow over her head to get back to sleep.But realizing what she smelled was smoke, Jema took action that saved her family’s home, and quite possibly the lives of her parents, older brother, sister and 4-year-old nephew, Hall County fire officials said.Hall County Fire Chief David Kimbrell explained on Friday, during a presentation for Jema at Lyman Hall Elementary School, that ears stay awake during sleep, but the nose does not. “There were no working smoke alarms in the house,” Kimbrell said. “Fortunately, she woke up.