Welcome to the new Bargersville Community Fire Department's Web site. We hope you find useful information related to our community as well as BCFD's public safety work. Visit us here often for updates. Please note our sponsors and give them your support, too. We will update our site with stories and photos related to our emergency calls as well as listing important community events. We'll also build a calendar of public meetings for you to review. Our hope is to turn BCFD.net into one of your favorite sites for local information and a gateway to learning what BCFD is doing in our fire district. The goal is to provide everyone with news they can use as well as keep visitors up-to-date on daily activities throughout the fire district. Again, welcome to BCFD.net. Chief James White

A water heater flue caused a fire that heavily damaged a rural Bargersville home Monday, investigators said.
 Fire Marshal Kevin Killinger said the fire started in the attic.
It is suspected the double-walled metal flue had separated and caused a blockage that allowed excessive heat to build up in the attic.
“We checked the fireplace chimney and there was no breach in its structure,” Killinger said.
 Killinger set the damage at $220,000. No one was injured during the incident.
 
Homeowner, Keith Morris, 751 S.  Johnson County Road 700 West, was not at the residence when the fire was discovered by his brother, Mike Morris, a Bargersville Community Fire Department battalion chief.
The brothers were raised in the southwest Johnson County stone and frame home.
The stubborn blaze had quite a head start on firefighters and required assistance from five area fire departments to extinguish.
 
 Mike Morris lives about two blocks from his brother’s home. He saw smoke oozing from the roof line of the residence while checking his mailbox. He called for help over his fire radio.
“I went out to check to see if the mail had been delivered, and as always – I don’t know why I do it, I glanced down the road at the house every time,” Morris said.
What he saw was a truck driver from Bolt Trucking waving at him. Morris took a closer look and saw the smoke.
Firefighters from Trafalgar, Morgantown, Franklin, Green Township in Morgan County, and White River Township assisted in the firefighting operation. The area is not served by fire hydrants and water was shuttled to the scene with fire department tankers.
The front portion of the residence was burning throughout when firefighters arrived shortly before 2 p.m. The blaze was under control within 40 minutes, but smoldered into the night.
As his peers worked tirelessly to save the house, Mike Morris sat in his pickup truck with his two young daughters.
“Dad put that Brown County stone on the house in about 1974,” he said, as his brother firefighters vigorously worked to save the building that housed so many memories.  “It’s where I grew up.”
 

Pets and farm animals often are involved in dangerous and stressful emergency situations.
Whether it’s an automobile crash or farm fire, Bargersville Community Fire Department firefighters often find animals in distress.
 Veterinarian, Dr. Emily Williamson, and Johnson County Animal Control officers held classes three days this week at Station 1 to teach firefighters techniques to deal with animals under stress.
Firefighters often find dogs, cats and livestock at emergency scenes. Sometimes, the animals are aggressive and threaten firefighters and others. Often the animals are reacting from fear and are not being aggressive to humans.
Dogs generally protect their masters or property. For example, an elderly woman falls in her home and emergency personnel are called. Upon arrival, firefighters find the woman being guarded by two large dogs.
 
What should they do?
Dr. Williamson and animal control officers gave firefighters important tips about safely removing the animals from the immediate area using a snare or noose attached to a long pole.
“It doesn’t hurt them at all,” Dr. Williamson said of the capture technique.
Dr. Williamson also taught firefighters how to attempt to revive an injured dog or cat suffering smoke inhalation.
Additionally, Dr. Williamson demonstrated how to safely handle a cat by picking it up by the back of the neck and then stretching its rear legs.
“Cats fight with their rear claws and not their fronts,” Dr. Williamson said. “If you stretch the rear legs out, it prevents them from scratching you and believe me, some cats can cause deep and serious cuts.”
 
Sometimes, cattle are involved in crashes when trucks or trailers carrying them overturn.
Dr. Williamson offered methods for moving the animals off the highway and corralling them between emergency vehicles.  One tip she offered was that beef cattle will move from the dark to light.
“They are easily moved as long as they see something in front of them whether is a group of people holding hands or a roll of (emergency scene) tape with some type of streamer hanging from it,” Dr. Williamson explained.
Deer often are struck by vehicles. Dr. Williamson said a deer trapped in the wreckage or window will be unable to survive and should be quickly destroyed.
 
Of major concern are raccoons.
“Do not handle coons,” Dr. Williamson said. “They carry a dangerous roundworm that is found in their feces and it can be transmitted to humans and other animals. Do not touch their fur because the roundworm can be found and transmitted from there, too.”
 
Animals capable of powerful kicks, including horses, must be handled properly.
For example, a horse removed from a burning barn should not be turned loose in the barnyard.
“It will return to the burning barn,” Dr. Williamson said. “It is best to lead them into a paddock (secured area) and turn them around so they can watch you leave through the gate. This avoids you being kicked. The leading cause of death for veterinarians is being kicked.”
And when in doubt about what to do with an animal, Dr. Williamson said a veterinarian should be consulted.
 

As snow begins to fly and temperatures drop below freezing, winter safety reminders could save your life. 

Governor Mitch Danels reminds us that winter safety is necessary to keep Indiana residents healthy. 

 

Click on the above headline and pdf file to read the governor's proclamation.

 



 

 
Bargersville Community Fire Department’s customers were warned Monday that improperly used space heaters can be deadly, said Fire Marshal Kevin Killinger.
Every year, space heaters are associated with more than 25,000 residential fires and 300 fatalities, according to estimates from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
 To minimize the risk of fire while using a space heater, read and follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions.
Here are more safety tips from the commission:
• Keep all furniture and combustible items at least three feet away from any heating device.
• When selecting a heater, look for one that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters have been determined to meet specific safety standards, and manufacturers are required to provide important use and care information to the consumer.
• Never use space heaters to dry clothing, towels or other combustibles.
• Never refill a fuel-burning space heater while it’s on or inside your house.
• Space heaters should not be left on while you are asleep or leave the room.
• When not in use, space heaters should be unplugged.
• Never use a space heater with a damaged or frayed cord.
• Be sure your space heater is in good working condition and that the heating element is protected by a metal guard.
• Make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working before using a space heater.
• Keep small children away from space heaters.

Four recently hired fire officers bring nearly 60 years firefighting experience to the Bargersville Community Fire Department.
Fire Chief James White administered the oath of office on Oct. 8 to Capt. Kevin P. Killinger, Lt. David S. Porter, Lt. Joe R. Shields and Lt. Thomas C. Tharpe.
The men were selected from a group of 26 who sought applications for the advertised positions.
Killinger was appointed the department’s full-time fire marshal.
 The new officers have completed orientation and now are prepared to lead firefighters at the scenes of emergency incidents. The first-line officers are at the core of emergency services delivered by BCFD and will ensure high quality standards.
Killinger, 31, Bargersville, became involved in the fire service in 1994, when he became a BCFD volunteer. He often cleaned fire hose, washed trucks and performed other odd jobs at Station 1.
He became a member of the department in 1996, the same year he graduated from Center Grove High School.
In November 2005, Killinger became a full-time firefighter with the City of Franklin and maintained his volunteer status at BCFD.
 Fire Marshal Killinger will oversee safety inspections of existing structures and commercial complexes under construction as part of his duties.
“I like interacting with the general public and developers as far as dealing with their buildings,” Killinger said. “I like being involved in growth and progress of the area and as fire marshal; I will be at the forefront of all of it.”
Killinger is married to Christie Killinger, and they have one daughter, Bailey, 11.  
Lt. Porter, 34, rural Amity, is a 1992 graduate of Franklin High School
He became interested in the fire service in 1995 as a member of the Amity Community Volunteer Fire Department. He also volunteered at BCFD.
He held every position within Amity’s fire department, including a 4-year stint as chief. Today, porter retains a volunteer rank of captain at Amity.
“My children were getting older and involved in many extracurricular activities and I wanted to spend more time at home,” Porter said of turning down an opportunity by Amity’s membership to nominate him to a second 4-year term as chief.
“The department deserved someone as chief who has the time to devote to the department and carry on the department’s values. It is a good volunteer department has a lot of good people involved.”
In 2000, Porter was hired as a Franklin firefighter.
“I applied to Bargersville (Community Fire Department) because I wanted the opportunity to help make it the best department possible serving a growing community,” Porter said.
Porter is married to Nicole Porter, and they have two children; Austin, 11, and Brittany, 6.
Lt. Shields, 38, Franklin, came to BCFD via the Shelbyville Fire Department.
Shields, a 1998 graduate of Oak Hill High School in Converse, Ind., was hired in 1992 as a firefighter with the Peru Fire Department in Miami County. He earned to the rank of lieutenant within five years and captain in his 10th year.
In 2006, he moved to Franklin and was hired in Shelbyville.
“I worked at Bargersville Community Fire Department as a volunteer and really enjoyed it,” Shields said. “I fell in love with the department and felt more comfortable than with a much larger department.”
Shields predicted the number of calls for help to BCFD will soar because of an increasing population and ongoing commercial development.
“The main reason I applied here was being able to be in on the growth and on the ground floor of helping develop the department,” Shields said. “I wanted to be part of the growth process and bring some of my experience to the department and its members while helping in the development of the department and community.”
Shields is a widower and has three children; Leigha, 20, a Purdue University student, Garrett, 17, and Logan, 14, both students at Maconaquah High School, Miami County.
Lt. Tharpe, 40, Trafalgar, is a 1987 graduate of Indian Creek High School.
He entered the fire service in 1992 at the Trafalgar Volunteer Fire Department. He served as a BCFD volunteer from 1995 to 2000 and served part-time for two years with White River Township Fire Department.
In 1999, Tharpe was hired fulltime at the Franklin Fire Department.
He was named chief of the Trafalgar Volunteer Fire Department in October 2007.
“I applied for the job at BCFD for a chance to be at a ground level in the development of a department dealing with the growth,” Tharpe said. “I have 16 years of experience, administrative knowledge and I am still learning.”
Tharpe believes his training in fire science and his ability to have a dual role as career firefighter and volunteer chief is a good fit for his talents.
“Every third day, I am a career firefighter,” he said. “The other two days, I am serving as a volunteer chief and I think it helps me understand the dynamics of both full-time and volunteer career paths.”
Tharpe is married to Beth Tharpe, and they have three children; Riley, 9, Gabrielle, 7 and Eliza 1.
 

A 37-year-old woman was trapped inside her family’s van Wednesday after slamming into a tree along Smokey Row Road, west of Ind. 135.
The van’s driver, Lori A. Powers, 37, 3800 block of South Morgantown Road, received severe leg injuries in the crash.
Her son, James, 6, was riding in the second row of seats of the van. He complained of neck and back injuries and was taken by Rural/Metro ambulance to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
Mrs. Powers was taken to Methodist Hospital by a LifeLine helicopter.
A motorist who witnessed the accident told Johnson County sheriff’s Deputy Chris Mattison the Powers van was going west on Smokey Row Road about 3:45 p.m. and veered to the right striking the tree on the north side of the road.
Bargersville Community Fire Department and White River Township firefighters struggled about 40 minutes to free Mrs. Powers from the twisted wreckage.

Maple Grove Elementary second-graders were taught fire safety measures by Bargersville Community Fire Department Capt. Jason Ramey.
Ramey explained primary safety rules to the inquisitive children.
Included in Ramey’s presentation was an explanation of all the safety gear firefighters wear and why the equipment is necessary.  Knowing that a friendly face was behind the face mask and that the distorted voice was caused by the mask, too, appeared to relieve any anxiety the children had about firefighters.  
Among the safety tips in Ramey’s presentation was guide for a family plan to use if awakened by a smoke detector. Children were urged to talk with their parents about escape plans and a location to meet once leaving their home during an emergency.
“The mailbox would be a good place,” Ramey said in agreement with one child. But any easily identifiable landmark a short distance from the building would be appropriate.

One van overturned and three other vehicles damaged in a chain reaction accident along Ind. 135, south of Whiteland Road.
All the vehicles were northbound on Ind. 135 when the crashes occurred.
No one suffered life-threatening injuries in the 4:45 p.m. incident.
 

To view, click on headline above and follow the link.

View this gallery at IndyStar: Funeral procession for Vania Shields

 
A beloved member of the Bargersville Community Fire Department family was killed Thursday morning in a horrendous crash along I-65.
Vania Shields, 33, Franklin, has been a BCFD paramedic since Sept. 25, 2007. She also worked as a paramedic with the Wayne Township Fire Department.
The accident occurred on I-65 between Franklin and Whiteland. Mrs. Shields was en route to work at Wayne Township Fire Department at the time of the crash.
Vania Shields had worked a 12-hour shift at BCFD on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Her husband, Joe Shields, also a BCFD member, was recently hired as career BCFD lieutenant. He was scheduled to start his new full-time job on Oct. 1.
Vania Shields was popular with coworkers.
“Vania had unique qualities,” said Battalion Chief Mike Morris, BCFD’s Emergency Services director. “She was always happy.”
Morris described Shields as an excellent employee.
“Everybody loved her and her family,” Morris said. “Her mother and sister brought mounds of food in for our firefighters and her sister’s pies were really great and her mother’s dishes were exceptional.”
Shields was a stickler about cleanliness.
During her last shift, she had purchased about $20 worth of cleaning supplies and brought them to work.
“She used to joke: ‘Boys are dirty’ and we (women) are always cleaning up after them.”
“Bargersville Community Fire Department has lost one of its best professional and personal friends,” said BCFD Chief James White.
Funeral arrangements are pending with Swartz Family Community Mortuary, Franklin.
 

A stubborn hay fire inside a metal barn and threatening a second metal barn containing valuable farm equipment was held in check by firefighters and drastically reduced a Bargersville-area farmer’s loss.
Firefighters saved the second barn.
The cause of the $50,000 fire at Martin and Son Farm, 3125 North County Road 200 West, has not been determined. There was no power within the building.
Farm owner, Danny Martin, and his wife, Nancy, said the hay was top quality and valued between $10,000 and $15,000. The hay was stored to help feed the farm’s cattle this winter.
“We just finished the barn where the hay was stored this spring,” Danny Martin said. “I don’t think we’ll be storing any more hay in a barn.”
Upon arrival at the Martin farm shortly after 2 p.m. on Tuesday (Sept. 23), Bargersville Community Fire Department firefighters quickly determined the hay barn was extremely hot and threatening the second barn. Stopping the fire from spreading was the primary objective.
With the help of firefighters from Amity, Edinburgh, Franklin, Madison Township of Morgan County, Needham, New Whiteland, Whiteland, White River Township and Trafalgar, the fire remained contained to the hay bar.
 Area fire department tankers delivered tens of thousands of gallons of water to fight the fire.
Eventually, heavy equipment pulled and pushed the hay barn’s structure to the ground.
A large bulldozer later pushed the smoldering hay and debris to a safe area in a nearby field.
No one was injured as a result of the blaze and no farm animals were hurt.

Bargersville’s annual two-day Family Fun Festival began Saturday Sept. 20 with a parade and other festivities.
The entire town’s business center was busy with vendors, games and other activities.
Bargersville Community Fire Department’s Honor Guard followed a police car leading the parade.
The parade included old tractors, antique cars, trucks, an electric car, horses, and the fire
department’s trailer used to haul the 2006 Kawasaki Mule, an off-road rescue vehicle, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Horse Patrol.
 
Residents and visitors lined the town’s streets.
 

 
 
Bargersville Community Fire Department’s firefighters learned firsthand this week about farm equipment safety.
Veteran farm industry experts explained the varying degrees of risk associated with equipment fires and other accidents that occur while harvesting crops as well as dangers associated with using chemicals.
The training site was at the Duke Farm on Johnson County Road 725 West, south of Whiteland Road.
Farmer Steve Duke rolled out his equipment for firefighters to examine.
 Bargersville businessman Tom Umbarger, of Roy Umbarger and Sons, brought a 2,000 gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia to the farm, too.
Tom Umbarger explained the various safety valves built into the tanks and their purposes. He also suggested ways firefighters could approach a leaking ammonia tank and the risks involved.
For firefighters, some with farm experience and others who grew up in the city, the demonstrations were refreshing and potentially lifesaving.