November 17, 1979

Firefighters meet coalition

       The two volunteer fire departments that serve White River Township are getting busier and busier as the population in their area increases. That was one of the main points make by representatives of the Bargersville and White River Township Fire Departments during Monday night’s meeting of the White River Township Coalition. White River Fire Chief Larry Robinson told the audience of about 25 persons his department has made 357 emergency runs- “right at one a day”- in 1978, and the heavy pace is continuing this year. “We may get three or four a day, or we may go a week without one,” Robinson said. The White River firemen have had roughly a 75 percent increase in the number of runs over the past four years. Bargersville department Assistant Chief Jim Thompson told the coalition members and guests his company made eight runs in 1954, its first year of existence. Last year, the total was 147. So far in 1979, the Bargersville department has made 160 runs for fires, first aid and other emergencies. White River Township Trustee Bob Kelso also spoke at the meeting, held at Mt. Auburn United Methodist Church in Stones Crossing. Kelso explained various duties assigned him and the township advisory board, their funding sources and expenditures and township funding aid to the fire departments. The meeting did not include a presentation about the recreation potential of the White River corridor. An appearance by a representative of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to explain its survey of the river’s recreation areas was announced for Monday’s meeting by mistake. The presentation will probably be scheduled for the coalition’s Nov. 26 meeting. Firemen from both companies said they have enough money to operate, but there are financial concerns. Robinson indicated his department depends heavily on donations from citizens and various fund raising activities. “Without donations we could not operate,” he said. “We try to complement” funding provided through the township with special fundraising events, he said. Robinson told the coalition his department distributes letters requesting contributions each spring, but gets only 17 to 18 percent response, “Which is very poor.” Bargersville firemen and township advisory board member Forrest “Tug” Sutton said the Bargersville department gets about 50 percent response to its fundraising letters. “We can meet our expenses,” Thompson said, “but anything major (added expense)…were going to be hurting.” He said the Bargersville department is pondering ways to raise $85,000 to purchase a new pumper truck within three years, to replace a truck that will soon be 20 years old. Representatives of both departments said they hope to save money back from each yearly budget to go into special funds for truck purchases. Robinson also added one troublesome expense his department faces is the purchase of new emergency radios. Kelso said “I’m doing the best I can for the firemen” through allocation of available township funds. He said the fire departments receive much of the township’s local option tax money and its federal revenue sharing funds, plus the yield from a fire protection tax rate of five cents per $100 of taxable assessed valuation. Sutton pointed out the tax rate once was higher before revenue-sharing money was available. There is a strong possibility the federal revenue-sharing program will end this year. “If revenue-sharing is cut off, the fire departments will suffer,” Sutton said. Kelso explained how the contracts for fire protection, with both fire departments agreeing to provide service throughout the township. “That contract we signed binds both departments to the entire township,” Sutton said, even though the two fire stations are located at opposite ends. Thompson said the two departments use Stones Crossing Road as a “gentlemen’s agreement line” to divide the township into areas of primary jurisdiction. Bargersville also contracts to provide protection to portions of Union and Franklin Townships. “White River and Bargersville are kind of sister departments,” Robinson said. They cooperate with each other in serving White River Township. He mentioned the White River department must call Bargersville or the Perry Township Department in Marion County when an extractor tool is needed, “and we love them for it.” The White River department has not been able to purchase its own extractor. Kelso, a former fireman, praised both departments for their quality. “I think we have the finest two fire departments in the county,” he said. “I’ve been on both departments and I back them 100 percent.” Robinson and Thompson stressed their departments are purely volunteer. Firemen “are not compensated in any way,” Robinson said. “It costs a man to be a volunteer fireman,” Robinson said. Thompson said the Bargersville department has 35 members. Robinson said there are 24 in the White River company. Sutton pointed out the departments’ fire protection contracts with the township do not cover first aid service, which is provided “mainly as a courtesy.” Both departments are having increasing numbers of first aid runs. Thompson said 85 of the 160 Bargersville runs this year have been for first aid. The coalition’s police and fire committee chairman, Forest Garey, said, “I think these men spend a lot more time being a volunteer fireman than most of us realize. We do appreciate you. We have a sense of security because you’re there.”  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 

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