When 7-year-old Jamarion Blevins smelled smoke coming from the bedroom, he didn’t have time to grab a towel or clothes before getting out to the bath tub.

Opening the door to the room, he discovered a fire coming from the middle of the bed. Ducking while covering his mouth and nose, he ran to his grandmother’s room.

“He came to me with nothing on, he didn’t have a towel on or anything,” said Rose Blevins, Jamarion’s grandmother. “He just smelled smoke and came to tell me.”

She promptly exited with her two grandchildren but was unable to bring clothing for Jamarion while the three waited on the other side of the road for the Selma Fire Department to arrive. The fire department responded Thursday to a call at 4:37 p.m. at the home, 4915 U.S. 80 East.

“I was sweating because I was very nervous,” Jamarion said. “I had to catch my breath. I think some smoke got into me because my throat wasn’t feeling so good.”

Seven people reside in the home, but only Blevins and two grandchildren were home at the time.

The family is thankful Jamarion knew how to react to the fire.

“I’m very proud of him because I shudder to think if he hadn’t come and gotten me,” Blevins said. “I lost my home and everything, but I’m glad that I’m OK and that my two grandchildren are OK.”

Jamarion learned the proper techniques for fire safety last year at an assembly at Southside Primary.

Members of the Selma Fire Department’s fire prevention program attend most elementary and middle schools as well as day cares in the Selma area to educate children.

“It’s breath-taking,” said Capt. James Murphy. “It makes you feel good to know through everything we do, they actually pay attention.”

In the programs, students learn the basics of fire prevention, such as staying away from matches or a cigarette lighter; what a smoke detector is and what it sounds like; what to do if a detectors goes off in the home; how to stop, drop and roll; how to crawl instead of walking upright and to create a meeting place outside of the home.

Since the department began in 2002, about three of the fires reported are the result of children knowing proper fire safety.

“There have been other kids who have been in a fire and they were able to get out and get family members out because of what Capt. Murphy and I taught them,” said Capt. Tim Watson.

The fire prevention program will visit schools starting in October.