I would like to say thank you to all of the Blanchester emergency services. When we have an emergency like on Friday is when we realize how important these people are and why we need training and equipment.

The fire department made an assessment of the situation quickly and made a much needed call for assistance. This was answered by 15 other departments who all showed up with tankers and equipment. These firefighters, under the direction of the local chief (thank you Terry), were able to contain and extinguish the fire. The local life squad was on the scene with every ambulance they own treating and assisting exhausted fire fighters and lending comfort and aid to anyone who needed it.

Please remember that the life squad service also had to respond to calls for their normal services as well. The local police responded to ensure the traffic could get through town without blocking the streets. They also maintained routes of approach so the assisting departments could get to the scene. The street department erected signage and barricades to maintain the flow of traffic and ensure the traffic thru town knew how to detour around the fire. And special thanks go out to the water department.

The fire was initially fought by connecting to the hydrants in the area. These hydrants are connected to the water mains that furnish water to every home and business in the village and had approximately 2 million gallons of water at the ready. They also opened the reservoirs and assisted the tanker trucks in loading water directly from the source in order to combat the fire.

Keep in mind with all of this demand for water, the water department still maintained good, clean water to all the residents. That alone is no small task. While all of this went on, the residents of the village still received the same level of services and care that we always enjoy.

Chad Hollon

Blanchester