www.the-papers.com
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
TAX SERVICE
Serving Kosciusko County and important parts of Noble & Marshall Counties
Individual | Business | Farm
574-505-0813 By Appointment Only 9581 E. 100 N., Akron, IN 46910 E-mail: tom@tombauterscpa.com
Vol. 51, No. 36
Milford (574) 658-4111 • Warsaw (574) 269-2932 • Syracuse (574) 457-3666
114 W. Market, Warsaw, Indiana 46580
2/' 68,76 ³ 3LFWXUHG LQ WKH ROG ZDWHU UHVFXH VXLWV DUH %UHQQHQ $GDPV OHIW DQG .HJDQ 2·%ULHQ ERWK 6HZDUG 7RZQVKLS %XUNHW YROXQWHHU ÀUHÀJKWHUV
6HZDUG 7RZQVKLS %XUNHW
)LUH 'HSDUWPHQW
prepares for ice rescues %\ 3+2(%( %$1.6 $VVRFLDWH (GLWRU Seward Township-Burket Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department often takes part in training in the winter for rescue missions, such as ice water rescues. Fire Chief Kevin McSherry said the department has 28 members, and they train at least twice a year for ice water rescues. Recently, the department got new suits and new gear. REMC and Kosciusko County Community Foundation helped purchase the new equipment. REMC customers can “round up” their bill and these funds are administered through KCCF. “We use the new suits whenever the water is cold and not ideal for swimming. They are flotation devices too,” said McSherry. “You can’t think when you’re in those suits because they are so buoyant.” The old suits, which were 20 years old, were in bad shape. They had been given to the department by the K-21 Foundation. “K21 helps us a lot,” said McSherry. The two older “Gumby suits,” as he calls them, were leaking, he said, and were not safe. “Last year, we used them at Beaver Dam Lake and the zippers froze shut,” McSherry said. He said the department has had to rescue people, who fell through the ice several times in the past. Last year, a man who was on Beaver Dam Lake, was rescued thanks to the Burket Fire Department. “Later that year, we had a guy fall through the ice on Palestine Lake,” he said. “He left his
1(: 68,76 ³ 5(0& DQG .RVFLXVNR &RXQW\ &RPPXQLW\ )RXQGDWLRQ KHOSHG 6HZDUG 7RZQVKLS %XUNHW )LUH DQG 5HVFXH SXUFKDVH QHZ LFH ZDWHU UHV FXH VXLWV OLIH MDFNHWV DQG URSHV 7KH ÀUH GHSDUWPHQW WRRN SDUW LQ ZDWHU UHVFXH WUDLQLQJ ZLWK WKHLU QHZ JHDU )HE DW 3DOHVWLQH /DNH 3LFWXUHG IURP OHIW DUH &DS WDLQ %U\FH *RRG 0DWW .ROG\NH /W .HJDQ 2·%ULHQ %UHQQHQ $GDPV DQG /W 5\DQ 6KRHPDNHU $OO SKRWRV SURYLGHG E\ .HYLQ 0F6KHUU\
gear on the ice. The conservation officers called us to retrieve $1,700 worth of fishing gear.” McSherry said whenever he puts a fireman on the ice, he is putting himself at risk. “So, we have to treat it as a full-scale event,” he said. “We have protocol, and we don’t break that protocol. We don’t divert at all.” The department received new ice water rescue suits, life jackets and ropes. The new suits are much more high tech than the former suits. “They are much improved and they are cheaper,” he said of the cost. Due to the severity of the calls, the firemen are constantly training. “We train a lot. We have about 300 calls a year,” McSherry said. “Training is vital.” Since some of these calls are ice water rescues, safety is of the utmost importance, for both the firemen and ,&( :$7(5 5(6&8( ³ 6HZDUG 7RZQVKLS %XUNHW )LUH DQG the victim. 5HVFXH WRRN SDUW LQ LFH ZDWHU UHVFXH WUDLQLQJ ODVW PRQWK DW 3DOHVWLQH “We have three rescuers pulling /DNH ZLWK WKHLU QHZ VXLWV DQG HTXLSPHQW on the rope, and they all have life vests on. The victim always comes out of the hole first,” McSherry stressed. He said take part in the training. a fire hose can be used as a rope, too, he noted. “We are hosting it, and Chris Fancil is one of The department just started hosting a new the instructors,” said McSherry. first responder class at its station in Burket. First Shade Keeney, a Warsaw fireman, is also an responders come from all over Kosciusko County instructor and a Burket volunteer firefighter. to take part in the training. Additionally, first re“We constantly strive to improve our sersponders from Whitley and Fulton counties also vice to our community,” said McSherry.