Westhampton Beach High School senior Isaiah Ortiz and his friend Marcus LeBrun, a 2023 graduate, are local heroes.

On the morning of Oct. 1, Ortiz and LeBrun were enjoying breakfast when they spotted black smoke coming from a house on East Division Street. Without a second thought, they called 911 and drove quickly to the house.

“I ran to the back of the house and Marcus went to the front door,” said Ortiz. “At the back of the house, the entire sunroom was filled with smoke.”

By the time Ortiz ran around to the front door, the homes’ occupants had answered the door and Ortiz and LeBrun were able to convince them to evacuate the house along with their dog.

“They had no idea the house was on fire,” said Ortiz, who said he and his friend were at the right place at the right time.

Ortiz is a member of his school’s basketball team and plans to attend Suffolk County Community College in the fall with the goal of becoming a math teacher.

“We are very proud of Isaiah and Marcus,” said Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Probst.