A Beverly Shores
woman was severely burned in a house fire at 11 S. Beach Ave. on Monday
evening, the Beverly Shores Fire Department is reporting.
As it happens, the
BSFD was holding its weekly drill on Monday when, at 6:28 p.m., it was
dispatched to the scene, along with the Porter Fire Department, Porter EMS,
and the BSPD. While still en route, Porter County Central Communications
advised that a woman in the house had safely evacuated but that she was
burned.
On their arrival,
firefighters confirmed that the woman had second- and third-degree burns to
her lower body sustained in a kitchen fire. BSFD Chief Himan tasked half of
his firefighters to patient care and half to fire suppression, and then with
the subsequent arrival of the Porter FD--which assumed responsbility for
medical treatment--was able to move his entire team to suppression, search,
and overhaul.
Meanwhile, Porter
EMS requested while still en route a helicopter transport of the victim, and
arrangements were made for a Lutheran Air chopper operating out of the
Starke County Airport to respond. The Washington Township Volunteer FD
established a landing zone for the helicopter at the corner of U.S. Highway
12 and C.R. 500E, where at 7:17 p.m. it landed. At 7:38 p.m., with the
patient on board, it was once again airborne.
“Start to finish,
the entire revolution took 60 minutes,” the BSFD said. “Please take a moment
to think about this response. In less than two minutes, two fire
departments, EMS, and the police were en route to the residence. Within 20
minutes a third fire department and helicopter crew were involved. All in
all, more than 40 men and women, over half of whom are volunteers, were
actively engaged in attending to the patient and extinguishing the fire.
This response highlights interagency cooperation, mutual aid, and the
benefits of our collaborative training.”
The BSFD is urging
residents to call 911 at the first sign of an emergency; to install
reflective house numbers in front of their home; and also install smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors.