Imperial Volunteer Fire Department vehicles were parked at the east and west sides of the hospital and clinic last week, responding to fire alarms in the building. Alarm system wiring had failed, setting off the alarms, according to officers. (Johnson Publications photo)
Fire call to hospital, clinic due to alarm malfunction
No one like to see a fire call to a medical facility.
While that happened last Wednesday at Chase County Community Hospital and Clinic, the call wasn’t fire-related but due to a wiring malfunction in the facility’s alarm system.
IVFD Officer Rick Elliott said the alarm panel in the hospital kept reporting an alarm was active, but a thorough search inside by firefighters found nothing.
The alarm company was at the hospital the next day, and determined wiring to the alarm system had failed, Elliott said.
On Saturday morning, the IVFD and Imperial EMS were both paged to Trinidad Bean & Elevator Co., where it was reported a man employed there was stuck in a belt in a tunnel at the base of a grain leg.
At the scene, the IVFD with assistance from another Trinidad Bean employee were able to disassemble the system and free the man’s hand. The IVFD’s heavy hydraulic equipment was not needed, according to reports.
On May 16, firefighters were also called to a reported grass fire, southwest of Imperial along the Spur 15A Highway.
Fire Chief Doug Mitchell reported they found no fire or burned spots. If there was a fire, rain likely extinguished it, he said.