December 1, 1989

Review of tapes backs fire department

       A review of telephone conversations taped at Greenwood Police Department confirm it did not take White River Township Fire Department members 30 minutes to respond to a Friday morning fire at Shady Brook Heights.  Several trailer park residents complained it took firemen at least 30 minutes to respond to a fire that destroyed Ralph C. Gilpin’s trailer in the White River Township community.  Several residents reported having difficulty getting through on a telephone number that rings into Greenwood Police Department to report the fire.

         Assistant White River Fire Chief Pat McDaniel said she determined the first call received at the Police Department about the fire came in at 11:34 a.m. Friday.  A telephone operator called in the first report of the fire because someone had complained of difficulty in getting the White River Township Fire telephone number to work.  A second call made by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department was received at the Greenwood police headquarters at 11:35 a.m., the time White River firemen were dispatched to the fire.

         Two other calls from individuals were received by the Greenwood police at 11:36 and 11:38 a.m., McDaniel said.  White River firemen did not arrive at the burning trailer until 11:46 a.m. Friday, a full 11 minutes after the fire report was first dispatched.  McDaniel said firemen will continue to investigate complaints about the special telephone line used to report fires in White River Township to determine if the line is malfunctioning.
 
 

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