Firefighters Battle Structure Fire at Koontz Lake

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Firefighters from several fire departments battled a structure fire in the Koontz Lake area Tuesday morning.

Koontz Lake Fire Chief Andy Lawrence said they were called to a residence in the 900 E. block of 700 N. just after 10 a.m. CT.  Due to a lack of manpower, firefighters from several departments were dispatched to the scene to assist with the single-wide modular home fire. 

Lawrence said nobody was home at the time of the fire.  One firefighter suffered an injury and was evaluated by Starke County EMS, but refused transport. 

A fire can destroy a huge part of your home and its hard to recover from this, however, with the help of fire clean up you can remove the debris.

The Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office was called to the scene to help determine the cause and origin of the fire. 

The Koontz Lake Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Hamlet-Davis Township Fire Department, Knox-Center Township Fire Department, Washington Township Fire Department, Walkerton Fire Department, Polk Township Fire Department, North Liberty Fire Department, and Starke County EMS. 

County Officials, Koontz Lake Fire Department Resolve Medical Call Issue

Posted on Author WKVI

Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Council President Dave Pearman, EMA Director Ted Bombagetti, EMS Director Paul Mathewson, Chief Dispatcher Dawn Bau, Koontz Lake Fire Chief Andy Lawrence and Oregon Township Trustee Mark Allen
Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Council President Dave Pearman, EMA Director Ted Bombagetti, EMS Director Paul Mathewson, Chief Dispatcher Dawn Bau, Koontz Lake Fire Chief Andy Lawrence and Oregon Township Trustee Mark Allen

County officials have offered the Koontz Lake Volunteer Fire Department what they hope is a workable option to make sure they are able to respond in tandem with Starke County EMS to all medical calls. Members of the fire department took exception with the county’s policy to let Grovertown-based Medic 5 decide whether they need their assistance, saying the department has provided medical services to year-round and seasonal residents since its establishment in the early 1940s. Starke County Council President Dave Pearman, who is also a volunteer firefighter, says public safety is the county’s number one concern. He says the Koontz Lake Fire Department’s pagers can be programmed to get the EMS calls automatically. He says it will cost the township about $30 per pager.

Township Trustee Mark Allen called a meeting of fire department, EMS, dispatch, sheriff’s office, emergency management and county government representatives. “The whole purpose of this meeting wasn’t trying to point fingers at anybody. I think some people might have thought about that in the meeting, but it’s not the case. This was just a matter of everybody getting on the same page and working for what’s best for the township. At least now we have an option. Actually Dave had a good suggestion. That was never suggested before. That would have been great to know that,” Allen told WKVI news after the meeting. Continue reading →