Samatters Radio

Lieutenant Todd Budd, at the time of his close call event was serving as the acting officer on Brownsburg ladder company 131. They were dispatched to assist a neighboring community for a working building fire. The call came in after midnight and their on-duty crew of four responded along with a battalion chief.   Lt. Budd was the officer of the quint. While responding, information was relayed to the crew (from one of their off-duty officers who was at the scene in an unofficial capacity) that the fire was in a building approximately 100 years old, 50 feet wide in the front and rear with 80-foot sides. There was a restaurant on the main floor, apartments on the second floor and an open cockloft.   The fire was advancing and first-due units had been there for 11/2 hours prior to our dispatch. The crew was advised that the fire was extending into the cockloft and the roof needed to be ventilated. The quint’s assignment was to lay our five-inch supply line to an engine in the rear as they approached and get to t