August 25, 2014

SAM 017 | Interview with Doug Abernathy - Indianapolis Fire Department

49 minutes

On this episode I interview Indianapolis Fire Department Chief of Health and Safety, Doug Abernathy. Doug’s career has spanned almost three decades and on February 5, 1992, he had a close call event that, most unfortunately, took the lives of two of his brother firefighters. In this episode, you’ll learn about:

1. Doug’s close call that involved tunnel vision and running out of air on the third floor.

2. How he became disoriented and realized, for the first time in his life, he may die in a fire.

3. How he was in shock and disbelief that he was carrying out downed firefighters.

4. How is training saved his life.

5. Reflection shared by Indiana State Fire Training Director, John Buckman, III

FEATURE TOPIC

It was just after midnight on Feb. 5, 1992, when 911 dispatchers got the call reporting smoke in the lobby of the old Athletic Club downtown, a nine-story, non-sprinklered building with a working fire in the third floor. Before the fire would be extinguished, Corporal Ellwood M. "Woody" Gelenius, 47 and Private John J. Lorenzano, 29 would be killed. This interview is with a firefighter, assigned to Engine 13, experienced a close call event at this fire, and then, after surviving, assisted in searching for, and locating, two of his comrades, one of which was his classmate in the academy just four years earlier.

Normally, when I conduct an interview, I like to stop along the way and ask questions and engage in a discussion with my guest. This story is so compelling and so impactful, I simply could not bring myself to interrupt Chief Abernathy’s telling of events.

Video from the Athletic Club fire

http://vimeo.com/25100035

United States Fire Administration Technical Report

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-063.pdf

Indianapolis Star article

http://archive.indystar.com/article/99999999/NEWS06/110204013/The-Athletic-Club-fire-1992

Situational Awareness Matters! website

www.SAMatters.com

On-Line Academy

http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/

Upcoming Events Schedule

http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/