In this tough economy and with the holiday season upon us it’s hard to imagine anyone having the resources to hand over something for free to those in need, but the Churubusco/Smith Twp. Fire Department did just that Tuesday evening. They donated their old rescue truck to another Indiana department.

For the past several months a committee of five firefighters have been sifting through a stack of donation requests from around the country and the world. “We received somewhere around 25 or more”, said fire chief Roger Bennett. “Everywhere from Mexico, Arkansas to New Hampshire and Connecticut. There are a lot of departments in need” continued Bennett.

Before too long the committee narrowed it down to three Indiana departments and in the end Earl Park fire department in southwest Indiana won the donation.

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“Between the three finalist they seemed to be the most needy”, said committee member Bruce Shanabarger.

Currently the department doesn’t even have a truck to carry rescue equipment on, so they have to remove firefighting equipment from other trucks to make room.

“You have no idea how much this means to us” said Mark Jones a 4 year veteran of the department.

Just recently the area around Earl Park divided up their centralized rescue organization that is similar to an emergency management agency and dispersed equipment and trucks to local departments. “We ended up with a box truck that wouldn’t even fit in our station” said Tommy Bennett of Earl Park.

If handing over the truck wasn’t enough, they were given numerous water extinguishers, fire hose nozzles and other miscellaneous equipment to try and make their job a little easier.

We here at BuscoVoice think a round of applause is in order for the Smith Twp. trustee and fire department for thinking of others who are need when they themselves give so much each and every day!

Cisco

Cisco needs your help!

This beautiful and playful 3-year-old horse – in the care of Shadarobah Horse Rescue just south of Churubusco on U.S. 33 – has a hernia that is creating serious intestinal problems. This health problem causes the horse’s intestines to drop down into the pocket of the hernia, which in turn causes severe colic and pain. This could result in Cisco having to be euthanized.

He needs surgery that will cost at least $600, according to volunteers at the rescue shelter. “Without the surgery, it is not a matter of if he will die, it’s a matter of when,” said volunteer Carma MacPherson.

To find out how you can help, call MacPherson at 260-750-6617.

Emergency rescuers were called to the Churubusco Public Library at 1:00 p.m. Aug. 12 to help a man who had accidentally cut himself while using a power washer.

Fire rescue and EMS personnel decided that the safest way to get the man off the roof would be a ladder truck, with the closest one being in Columbia City. Not too long after they were requested a “man lift” from C&A showed up and safely removed the man and rescue workers from the roof. The Columbia City fire department was no longer needed.

The patient was transported to an area hospital in good condition with a laceration to his leg.

The patient seems to be safe, but isn't someone left behind on the roof?

Rescue workers cautiously move the man from the roof to the lift