UFLX 
Dunedin Highlanders’ Split-Second Heroism Saves Man & Dog in House Fire
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA, USA — What began as a routine scouting mission turned into a life-or-death rescue this past Tuesday, when Steve Korossy, Chief of The Dunedin Highlanders, and his daughter Kristen Korossy stumbled upon a house ablaze on San Mateo Drive — and sprang into immediate action.
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Smoke, Heat & Urgency — No Time to Hesitate
According to local fire reports, the blaze was intense and moving rapidly. FOX 13 Tampa Bay+2Facebook+2 Steve and Kristen, returning from evaluating practice fields, spotted smoke and flames and diverted toward the scene. Kristen dialed 9-1-1, while Steve charged to the wide open front door, voice raised, calling into the inferno.
The faint voice of a man responded from inside. The conditions were treacherous — choking smoke, searing heat, and falling debris made entry nearly impossible. Steve urged the man to crawl toward his position, but confusion set in: the victim began crawling toward the flames instead.
Back Yard Rescue and Tactical Decision-Making
Steve and Kristen quickly relocated around the house’s left side to the back yard. Kristen navigated dense vegetation in the backyard to rescue the dog, freeing him from danger. Meanwhile, Steve attempted a approach at the rear — he smashed a window, though clutter and limited visibility blocked his access. FOX 13 Tampa Bay+2highlandersfb.com+2
As emergency sirens were approaching, Steve returned to the front and conferred with arriving Dunedin firefighters — who arrived in a Dunedin FD medical response vehicle. Firefighters Makayla Bowers and AJ Gonzalez, despite limited initial equipment, entered the burning house based on his real-time intel. They located the man and extracted him from the burning structure. The victim was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for critical care and is currently in critical condition. Fire crews from Dunedin, Clearwater, Palm Harbor, and Safety Harbor responded the blaze, which left the home severely damaged. FOX 13 Tampa Bay+2Facebook+2
The dog survived thanks to Kristen’s bravery; sadly, the man’s cat did not make it out. FOX 13 Tampa Bay+1
“My father has always inspired me to be confident and help anyone in need. He's always guided me to be compassionate to all; white, black, brown, two-legged, four-legged, or no legged… all sentient life is sacred. My role in this event was to relay info to the dispatcher and get the dog to safety. I’m sad the cat didn’t survive”, Kristen Korossy said.
Credit: Tampa FOX 13 News
A “Once in a Career” Call — A TRUE TESTAMENT TO TEAMWORK
Dunedin Fire Rescue described the intensity of the situation, calling it nearly “a perfect storm”— with limited equipment on scene initially, and life hanging in the balance. FOX 13 Tampa Bay+2Facebook+2 The Assistant Fire Chief Steve Santana publicly commended all who were involved, as the quick leadership and decision making prevented a tragedy.
As Steve Korossy reflected, “If we’d been even seconds later, the outcome could have been tragically different. The firefighters may not have known someone was inside, waiting for full support before entering the burning house, which would have resulted in a fatality.
The timing — almost surreal, as he put it — underscored how singular moments can define life or death."
The Highlanders: More Than a Football Team
Founded in 2024, The Dunedin Highlanders are a premier adult pro-developmental football organization rooted in community and leadership. After a promising 8–4 season in the Elite American Football League (EAFL), the Highlanders officially joined the Universal Football League Xtreme (UFLX) as a founding team for 2026. highlandersfb.com+2highlandersfb.com+2 They play their home games at Dunedin Memorial Stadium (Freedom Field) and are actively recruiting for their 2026 roster. highlandersfb.com+1
The Green Table On Tour and The Green Table Restaurant
Steve Korossy often emphasizes that the organization is not just about football — it’s about building character, leadership, and community values. The decision to act during the fire was an embodiment of those principles.
“Taking decisive action to help somebody in crisis is exactly the message we want to instill in our players and staff,” he has said in team profiles. highlandersfb.com
Fans and prospective players can follow the Highlanders on social media (@DunedinHighlandersFB) or via their official website www.HighlandersFB.com for updates, registration, and game info. highlandersfb.com+2Facebook+2
Steve Korossy is former law enforcement officer, most of those as a patrol sergeant. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Steve Korossy visited Dunedin frequently throughout his life, finally moving to the Dunedin, Florida area in 2015. He has coached basketball at Dunedin High School for a number of years after moving to Florida. Steve is "The Voice of Dunedin", as he is the Public Address Announcer at Dunedin High School Football Games, as well as previously being the PA Announcer for the former Dunedin Pirates (2016-2022), where Steve was the Vice President and Game Day Manager (2016-2019). Steve is now a licensed home inspector with SunPro Inspect.
