A motorcyclist was seriously injured Tuesday morning (July 29) in Bargersville when a trash truck backed into his stopped motorcycle, police said.
The rider suffered multiple visible injuries.
The accident occurred about 10 a.m., just west of the Louisville-Indiana railroad tracks on Old Plank Road, also known as C.R. 144.
Police said the truck had been stopped by a passing train and the motorcyclist was stopped behind it. The truck's driver decided to turn around and backed the huge vehicle into the motorcycle.

Bargersville Community Fire Department's Honor Guard was the second unit in the July 12 Johnson County Fair parade.
The team proudly presented the nation's flag to thousands of people along the parade route.
As the Honor Guard approached, parade goers stood in respect for the United States flag.
 

Flooding, fire alarms, lightning strikes, downed power lines, motor vehicle accidents and sick and injured people pushed Bargersville Community Fire Department's monthly calls for help to a record high. The fire department recorded 114 incidents. During the past 18 months, the demand for service has soared 50 percent, department records show. "This is the most jobs we’ve ever performed during any one month in our history," Fire Chief James White said. "We had a 24 percent jump in service demands the first six months of this year. Last year, we had a 26 percent increase." BCFD's firefighters assisted residents and businesses in Franklin, too, as June 7 flooding destroyed millions of dollars in property. And more calls for help followed the week of June 8 as water-soaked dirt shed several inches of rain that blew across the area. In the flooding aftermath, BCFD's Fire District had roads washed out and several farmers lost hundreds of acres of crops. "Our equipment suffered, too,"White said. "We had to have most of our trucks serviced to get water out of critical moving parts."  

Bargersville Community Fire Department now has a new Honor Guard. The nine-member group will be available to present the nation's flag at any public event and honor any fallen firefighter or public safety officer killed in the line of duty. The group also could provide recognition and honor during funeral services for public safety veterans. The unit was formed in May after veteran firefighters; Battalion Chief Mike Morris and Capt. Jason Ramey, traveled to the Chicago area and participated in a week-long school at the Elmhurst Fire Department Training Academy. Graduates obtained the knowledge to train other BCFD members. Academy instructors represented the fire service, police and military branches. Students were taught basic maneuvers from marching and flag etiquette to advanced funeral procedures. Morris and Ramey said their goal is to make BCFD's Honor Guard one of the finest in the country. The fire officers said they are prepared to provide services to families of fallen firefighters and others as well as presenting the nation's flag at the opening of public events. The first scheduled appearance of the BCFD Honor Guard is July 12 during the Johnson County Fair Parade. The group hopes to represent BCFD with its military-style presentations at several Central Indiana sporting events and other venues. Currently, BCFD's firefighters are involved in learning Honor Guard protocols and marching techniques. Any organization seeking Honor Guard services should contact Capt. Ramey at 317.714-2571 or e-mail him: jaramey@bcfd.net.

Bargersville Community Fire Department firefighters rescued 29 people during six incidents Saturday after a cloudburst dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on the area. As resident's calls began flowing into the dispatch center Saturday (June 7), Chief James White sent out page for additional firefighters to report for duty. Throughout the day, more than 20 firefighters investigated the welfare of dozens of residents threatened by rising water and investigated numerous other calls of roads washed out or covered with high water. Other calls pertained to people trapped by high water and individuals facing medical emergencies. Travel in emergency vehicles was hampered as water from creeks, ditches and even farm fields flowed swiftly and deep across state and county roads. Ind. 144 remained closed Monday (June 9) between Morgantown Road and County Road 450 West. McDonald's restaurant at Stones Crossing Road and Ind. 135 donated lunch for weary firefighters during the emergency. During the rescues and welfare checks, some firefighters waded through waist-deep water for several city blocks to reach trapped victims. Often their boots were filled with muddy water and continuous rain soaked their clothing. The rescues included 10 people from a Bargersville group home on South Baldwin Street. Keith Leistner, owner of Leistner Aquatic Services, volunteered his help and a boat to assist in multiple rescues as rising water threatened homes. "I was watching TV and told my wife that there are not a lot of times that we can help someone, but this was a case where I have a boat and I called Johnson County Emergency Management and they told me the Bargersville Community Fire Department could use my help," Leistner said. "I didn't just want to show up and get in the way." During the day, three motorists were rescued by BCFD firefighters in two separate incidents. One man was assisted to safety after his vehicle stalled while attempting to drive through deep water covering Ind. 144 between Hopewell and Franklin at Creekside Drive. Bargersville firefighters rescued two other people after their vehicle plowed into a deep water-filled ditch near Ind. 44 and South Peavine Road. Sixteen people from three residential neighborhoods south of Greenwood were floated or led to safety by firefighters. "I could not be more proud of the job our firefighters did on Saturday and their selfless dedication to our community and other communities that need help," Chief White said.

A LifeLine helicopter zipping across the sky at 150 miles-per-hour before landing along a public highway or field usually means someone is critically ill or injured. And each time, firefighters, paramedics and/or police are waiting, too. On June 2, LifeLine crew - Steve Shimonek, pilot, Dianna M. Voida, a certified emergency and critical care nurse, and Miranda Wise, a paramedic, flew their Columbus-based "bird" to Bargersville Community Fire Department"s Station 1. Firefighters learned firsthand from the crew exactly what to expect when the air-ambulance is called. The crew explained setting up a safe landing zone and proper procedures for loading patients into the helicopter for a short flight to a Trauma 1 hospital. Each step by firefighters and the flight crew is orchestrated to ensure emergency worker's and patient's safety. For example, two firefighters were assigned as human safety barriers between the copter's clamshell-type opening in its rear body and the rear whirling rotor blade. Four firefighters were assigned by Voida and Wise to assist them in moving the patient to the rear of the copter. And when the loading was reenacted with an imaginary patient, the flight crew warned firefighters about areas of the cot that could pinch or cut their hands. And after the patient is loaded, the pilot counts firefighters as they retrace their steps away from the airship. "It is very important each rescuer is accounted for and follows our procedures," Voida said. "When everyone knows what to do and why, it is extremely safe." Voida, Clarian Heath's Regional Outreach Coordinator for LifeLIne Critical Care Transport, urged firefighters to call for LifeLIne as quickly as possible. "We would rather be in the air on our way to help a patient and later disregarded than not be in the air and be able to quickly provide all the lifesaving tools we have," Voida said. Among the tools on the emergency flight is blood, Voida said. "I believe we are the only emergency responder carrying blood. And that is quite a feather in our cap." Currently, LifeLine has helicopters based in Terre Haute, Kokomo, Indianapolis and Columbus. LifeLine"s first flight was in July 1979. The air-ambulance division of Clarian Health has recorded 30,000 safe transports.

Bargersville Community Fire Department and neighboring White River Township Fire Department joined in a 3-day venture to improve safety for vehicle crash victims and firefighters. The sessions included classroom and on-site application of theories taught by instructors. The combined training enhances the ability of firefighters to safely approach and remove crash victims from heavily damaged vehicles in either fire district. The departments' personnel sometimes are dispatched to the same crash scenes, when manpower is available,and assist in providing joint rescues.

More than 25 fires were set inside a century-old house during three days of intense training for Bargersville Community Fire Department personnel. The house and two barns were burned to the ground April 28. Firefighters, training at the site along Ind. 135, north of Whiteland Road, learned vital techniques in stopping fires efficiently and quickly. The training was possible after the property owner donated the buildings to the fire department for use. The fires were started with straw and wood. No flammables were used whatsoever. Of importance to trainers was the teamwork and trust built among participants. Without incident, firefighters experienced dense smoke and curling flames while extinguishing the flames. Safety crews were stationed inside and out of the house to oversee procedures exhibited by firefighters. Rapid intervention teams were available to take any action necessary to provide the highest level of safety for firefighters while in the burning building. While training on the second level of the house, escape ladders were placed at every opening and ventilation shutters were placed over each window. As the fires were put out, teams on the ground opened the shutters to clear heavy smoke and steam away. Because of planning by teams who prepared the buildings for the training, not one minor injury was reported.