MONROE COUNTY, Fla. — Mike Pettee and Tiffany Rodda are usually the ones responding to 911 calls for help in the Florida Keys, but a recent fire at their home changed that.
Their two Belgian mallenois puppies were barking in the middle of the night on May 7 in Big Pine Key.
“They never bark. They don’t leave our side. We were both sleeping,” said Pettee, a Key West Police Department motorman.
Rodda, a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy, said Pettee woke her up and said, “We have to go! The house is on fire!”
The puppies’ barks turned into crying, and they heard shots fired.
“Because we are both law enforcement, we have firearms, and they’re ready to go, and the rounds start going off,”
They both ducked for cover. Pettee’s hands were burned.
“I don’t remember much after that,”
Fire rescue personnel airlifted both of them to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital.
Pettee was on a ventilator in a medically induced coma for 13 days. He also suffered burns to his face and head. Rodda suffered smoke inhalation and contusions. Their two Belgian mallenois puppies died.
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