September 20, 1976

A busy weekend

       White River Township Volunteer firefighters and rescue workers hopefully caught their breath today after an extremely busy weekend.  When the final plectron tone had sounded, White River Township Volunteers had answered the emergency call seven times in addition to marching in the Greenwood Bicentennial Old Settlers Day parade during the weekend.  Activity started Saturday at 11:45 a.m. when a rural Greenwood man was struck by an auto while he was riding a bicycle on County Line road.  Thirty-four-year old Roy Mitchell, 4005 West Smith Valley Road, is listed in “fair” condition today at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, after sustaining a dislocated hip and bruised arm in the accident which occurred near the entrance to the Carefree North Subdivision.
 

Triple Duty

         Exactly 24 hours after the initial call of the weekend, the plectron sounded again, then again.  Three emergency reports occurred at the same time – 11:45 a.m. Sunday.  At the Stones Crossing grocery store, 55-year-old Peggy Thompson, 2422 South State Road 135, had fallen ill, and emergency first aid was required.  After receiving immediate assistance, she was transported to St. Francis Hospital where she was given further treatment and later released.

         Meanwhile, another crew of emergency workers rushed to 742 Tranquil Trail in the Carefree North addition where they attempted to revive 47-year-old Shirley Blaich.  Mrs. Blaich was found unconscious at her residence.  She was transported by Myers ambulance service to St. Francis Hospital where she received further assistance and was then transferred to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis where she is listed in “fair” condition.

         As the two separate emergency crews rushed to aid Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Blaich, a grass fire was reported in a field on State Road 37 north of Smith Valley road.  The fire was extinguished quickly.  Another grass fire was reported south of Smith Valley road at approximately the same time, but had burned itself out by the time firefighters could arrive at the scene.
   

Parade rest

         The busy White River Township Volunteers got a brief rest, as they participated in the parade through downtown Greenwood.  Two pieces of fire equipment were used in the ceremony.  By 8:15 p.m. though, the firefighters were back on the job, this time at the Wheel Estates Trailer Court where smoke was reported in an unoccupied trailer.  No cause for the smoke is known and there was no damage to the trailer.

         In another part of the trailer park, another type of mission was being handled by the firefighters.  Ten gallons of gasoline had been spilled on a street.  Firefighters spent nearly three hours washing the gasoline away from the trailers.  The last call of the weekend came at 1 a.m. today when an outside couch caught on fire at the Martina Tumey residence on State Road 135 south of Smith Valley road.  The fire was quickly extinguished.  No cause for the fire is known presently.  It was the final episode.

    

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