Emergency Training Update

A little over a week ago, I wrote a blog on the concerns that increased railroad activity could affect response times, especially with the RFD’s only station on the south side of the tracks and the ambulance service located north of the tracks. Well, last Sunday I saw another incident that raises my level of concern even higher. As I was traveling north to my new favorite restaurant, I approached the same rail-crossing on Main Street that I discussed last week. A train was proceeding across at a low rate of speed. It became apparent the train was stopping. Sometimes this happens, and the train blocks the crossing for a few minutes as it switches cars at area businesses. It then became apparent that this would not be a stop that lasted a matter of seconds.

After about 10 minutes of waiting, I decided to seek an alternate crossing. I looked to the east and could tell the train stretched east toward Fort Wayne Road. So then I went to the west to test my luck. As I drove along 3rd Street, along with many other cars, I could see all visible crossing were blocked. When I finally made it to Spencer Street, there was unblocked and traffic, albeit heavy, was moving north and south across the tracks.  I was then delayed about 15-20 minutes by the time I got across. What would have happened if a fire run, traffic accident or medical run occurred? Taking into consideration the emergency worker motto of “time being critical,” it could easily have cost lives and loss of property. A friend “in the know” told me that it was about 10 minutes into the stoppage before 911 knew of the blockage and then several more minutes passed before they identified to accessible routes across the tracks.

How many times does t his need to happen? I think it is time for action. First, the City needs to begin discussions with CSX to find a solution to train stoppages. I am sure this could have been a rare incident, but I remember seeing trains stopped along this stretch of tracks before. The thought of it being more than an inconvenience though never crossed my mind until now.

Second, the City needs to work with the Hospital and area businesses to figure out placement of equipment to avoid this problem. One suggestion made by a reader was to locate an ambulance at the fire station and the reserve engine at the hospital. While I am not sure of the logistics, it is thinking outside the box, and we need more of that. I would hate for a tragedy to be the reason the “powers that be” decide to fix this situation.

Now for some questions:

1. Will the leaders of our community take action and work to stop this problem before a tragedy hits?

2. How long has this been a problem and why has no one thought to do something about it?

3. Did the city have a second station north of the tracks in the past?

4. Is 10 minutes a long enough delay for our leaders to address the problem?

5. And in an encore request, why did RFD and RTVFD split, and could this be the reason now to bring them back together?

6. Does it seem odd that the EMS issue in Milroy was quickly identified and addressed, and this situation doesn’t seem to warrant conversation?

Comments

[jppickett]

When Stevens was mayor in the late 1950's a firehouse was started at 11th. and Jackson.They bulldozed the flower bed that was there and poured a concrete footing. A few nearby residents objected and the city stopped work. The reasons then for the station north are the same as now. What I don't understand is why they can't put a station behind the Police station in the garage or on the lot back there. It would be an insurance advantage for the industrial park....

[Out of Towner]

The reason we don't have a station north is manpower. In order to man another station, more firefighters would need to be hired. This would create a new problem, more taxes. You get what your pay for!

[Jim Huston]

If they merged with Rushville Township, no additional manpower would be needed. The current City firefighters could be split between the stations and get the equipment rolling, and meet up with the volunteers at the scene.

[Someone Who Knows]

Do you really want Volunteer running through town over 900 times a year to go on city run? Then another 150 times in the Township? Nothing happens for free. The city wanted too much money in the 80's to cover the township. That is why Trustee Buhler split from the city fire. It is up to the trustee to provide coverage to the township, be it contracted out to another department or township owned. To do this someone will have to pay more money and these days that's not going to happen.