It’s hard not to think of the children’s classic storybook, “The Little Engine That Could,” when considering Fishers Fire Department Station 94, located at 10701 Cumberland Road. After all, it’s home to the namesake Fire Engine 94, which has been dubbed “The busiest fire truck in Fishers.”
In fact, this particular fire station, which is home to 12 firefighters who are divided up into three equal shifts, continuously receives the most calls out of all the fire stations in the Geist area. Responding to approximately 1,200 runs in 2010 alone, Station 94 is the second busiest station in all of Hamilton County.
But its hard working fire engine isn’t the only thing that the station is well known for. This particular facility is the only area fire station in which all personnel have earned certification for Project Lifesaver (PLS), a worldwide program that provides timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, autism, and other related conditions or disorders.
Captain Jeff Lawson, a firefighter for 22 years, has seen the implementation and growth of the program, and believes it’s a significant benefit for the community. “We are very proud to be a part of this effort,” he says. “The services are free for those that live in the county, and we currently have about 35 participants enrolled. The program has a one hundred percent success rate in finding those that are lost.”
Deputy Fire Marshall Ron Lipps says that the PLS program requires community effort and cooperation between the local police and fire departments, as well as support from volunteers and monetary donations. “I’ve seen the program in action,” Lipps says. “It fulfills a public driven need, and our Sheriff’s Department really took the lead on getting it implemented. It gives the participating families a genuine peace of mind, knowing that if something happens to their loved one, they can be found quickly and successfully.”
The training required for PLS includes the completion of a 16-hour class, plus refresher courses and continuous training in techniques and equipment. Additional PLS tracking devices are deployed around Hamilton County, including one with a staff officer at the Fishers Fire Department headquarters, along with two others in Noblesville. “This allows for extra availability should Engine 94 already be on a call,” says Lipps. “It provides for some ‘triangulation’ when looking for a lost person.”
So how does this process work? Once participants complete the required registration process, wristbands fitted with transmitters are worn by those individuals at risk. If someone wanders away from their caregiver, the responders are able to track down that person’s specific frequency by driving around in the community and picking up signals on special receivers.
“The last PLS call we received was about two months ago,” says Lawson. “An elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s was reported missing, and we found her within twenty minutes. She was sitting safely in a coffee shop off of Allisonville Road.”
Lawson says that a typical PLS call usually takes only 10 minutes to resolve. “We hope this program continues to gain support within the community,” he says. “In our school system alone we have about 1,500 special needs kids, so the potential is great.”
“Being involved with PLS, along with being at the busiest station in the area, keeps us active and always challenged,” says Travis Calvert, firefighter and paramedic. “There is never a dull moment, that’s for sure.”
“We also enjoy being involved with the local residents, whether it’s by giving tours at the station, or by judging neighborhood chili cook-offs and other area events,” Calvert says. “We appreciate meeting the residents one-on-one and feeling like we’re a part of the community.”
If you’d like to know more about Station 94 or the Fishers Fire Department, visit www.fishers.in.us and click on the “Government” tab.
