Badly Injured New York Firefighter Paired With Lifesaving Companion Dog

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A badly injured New York firefighter received a companion dog whose already saved people's lives from fire.

As CBS2's Dave Carlin reported, disabled firefighter Tom Prin beamed as he was officially presented with his new canine companion Halona inside of a packed ceremony in Suffolk County.

The former firefighter was one of 15 people receiving their canine companions.

Prin was chosen because of what he's been through -- after fracturing his neck and back while responding to a Brooklyn fire.

"When I was going from the third to fourth floor, the steps gave out and I fell through the fire escape," he said.

Prin has endured five spinal surgeries, but the Holtsville man will now be comforted by Halona who has quite the lifesaving resume herself.

"She saved our lives last year. We didn't know there was a fire, but Halona did," Gina King said, "And she woke up our daughter and son."

King's family was raising Halona in their Pennsylvania home to be a canine companion. When fire broke out in the middle of the night, Halona's barking woke up the family.

"I didn't smell anything. I assumed everything was fine," Andrew King said, "Halona started going completely insane, and she's never done that."

In all, ten people inside escaped the burning home safely, and all consider Halona their lifesaver.

Now, the family is delighted that she will watch over Prin who -- before he was hurt battling flames -- raced to ground zero on 9/11.

"The match is amazing. it's just the best thing we could have asked for," Gina said.

Both she and Prin called it a match made in heaven.

"The things she does on a physical and emotional level have been a great improvement for my life, and for our family," he said.

Prin and Halona have spent the last two weeks training together, now they will share a life together.

Perhaps even more remarkable, while Halona was trained to respond to 40 commands she was never taught to detect fire.