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Volunteers battle house fire on Route 77 in Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

The cause of a fire that destroyed a house in Alabama where an elderly man was living has yet to be determined.

The fire at 8006 Alleghany Road, Indian Falls, was called in shortly after 5 p.m. with smoke and flames showing from the back of the residence.

Pembroke Chief Jamie Waff said dispatchers received several calls reporting flames showing, so the fire immediately went to a second alarm with Town of Batavia, Darien, Corfu and Alabama joining Pembroke, Indian Falls and the Town of Batavia's Fast Team joining the initial response. East Pembroke, Akron, Newstead and Oakfield were also toned out later.

"With manpower issues during the day, right at five, along with the fire, we went right to a second alarm for manpower," Waff said.

The wind from the southwest quickly pushed the fire from the rear of the house to the front.

The resident reportedly kept a lot of items in the house and the first firefighters in found the back of the second floor piled with garbage bags filled with stuff, so the firefighters were initially pulled out until the situation could be better assessed for their safety.

The resident, who was outside when firefighters arrived, was placed in a patrol vehicle after deputies arrived on scene so he could stay warm. The deputy requested a medic to check him for possible smoke inhalation. 

There was a dog and some cats inside the residence, but Waff didn't know the status of the animals at the time we talked.

Pembroke Fire District hosts first awards and installation dinner in about 20 years

By Howard B. Owens

David Olsen was named Firefighter of the Year for the Pembroke Fire District at the district's awards and installation dinner last night at Quality Inn & Suites in Batavia.

It's the first such dinner for the Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments in about 20 years.

Kevin Ross was named EMS Provider of the Year, but he was unable to attend.

The officers for 2017 are:

  • Firematic: Chief, Jamie Waff; Assistant Chief, Edwin Mileham Jr.; Assistant Chief, Greg Warren; Assistant Chief, James Garrett; Assistant Chief, Ed Swiatowy; EMS Captain-Pembroke, Kevin Ross; EMS Captain-Indian Falls, Lu Anne Mileham; Line Captain-Pembroke, Peter Sformo; Fire Police Captain-Indian Falls, Lu Anne Mileham; Training Officer, Colby Sanner;
  • Administrative officers for Pembroke: President, Greg Warren; Vice President, Randi Garrett; Secretary, Rachel Reiss; Treasurer, Brenda Swiatowy;
  • Administrative officers for Indian Falls: President, George Klotzbach; Vice President, Lu Anne Mileham; Secretary, Andrew Dibble; Treasurer, Lu Anne Mileham;
  • Directors: Brenda Swiatowy, Ed Swiatowy, Greg Warren, Autumn Waff, Randi Garrett, James Garrett, Tyler Smith, Amanda Smith;
  • Commissioners: Ron Tyx, Chairman, Heidi Librock; Secretary/Treasurer, Norm Waff; Jim Reinhardt, Colby Sanner, and Adam Schafer.

Chief Jamie Waff received an Award of Appreciation for his years of service to the district.

Roadside couch reportedly on fire in Pembroke

By Howard B. Owens

A couch is reportedly on fire, sitting on the side of the road, on Hopkins Road near Sliker Road, Indian Falls.

Pembroke fire and Indian Falls fire are dispatched.

UPDATE 2:42 p.m.: Responding units can stand by in quarters.

Tractor-trailer breaks down in front of Flying J on Route 77

By Billie Owens

A tractor-tractor is disabled in front of the Flying J Travel Plaza on Route 77. It is reportedly broken at the frame and may be leaking hazardous materials. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are called to respond.

UPDATE 6:23 p.m.: Pembroke and Indian Falls fire police are called to assist law enforcement in shutting down traffic at the Flying J due to this haz-mat incident.

UPDATE 10:22 p.m. (by Howard): A reader sent in this picture about an hour ago. The reader said the trailer apparently still hadn't been unloaded at that time. We've heard no further updates.

Beautiful German shepherd hanging out at wrong home in Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

This gorgeous lady is sleeping on a cozy pillow on a deck at a home on Sliker Road in Indian Falls, but that's not her home, and the homeowner would like to help find her owner.

The concerned citizen said the German shepherd won't let her get close enough to read her tags. She just runs off.

UPDATE 8:53 p.m.: Owner and dog are reunited.

Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant, 1227 Gilmore Road, Corfu, Tender Loving Care

By Howard B. Owens

Amanda Owczarczak, Owner

Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant

1227 Gilmore Road, Corfu

Tender Loving Care

Article by Tony Kutter

The Log Cabin Restaurant is located on land overlooking the Tonawanda Creek Indian Falls. It was part of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation until 1857.

In 1826, a grist mill was built on this location and was run by William Parker, father of Ely S. Parker, aide to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. It was the only grist mill in the Holland purchase run by Native Americans.

In 1879 the Gilmore Mill was built on this location. During the 1930s an addition was built on the crumbling mill and it served as a refreshment stand.

In 1940 Clayton Betzold and Ken Hodgins bought the mill and tore it down. They built a log cabin restaurant on the mill’s original foundation. At one point it was named the Falcon Crest.

Originally they wanted to have a dance hall, restaurant and entertainment center in conjunction with near by Boulder Amusement park.

To build a log cabin they had to timber pine logs from area forests. It requires sturdy timbers in lengths long enough to support a roof which had to be straight and not tapered in diameter. It was uniquely constructed with mortar between logs. It has been said that there were Indians who built log cabins on the Reservation who instructed locals on construction techniques.

What is most fascinating about this log structure is its construction similar to cabins built in the 18th and 19th century, not from factory hewn boards. Logs were usually notched and stacked on top of one another, but they did not rest against one another. The next process was called chinking the logs. Materials used earlier between logs varied from clay, straw paper, and cloth and even dried animal dunk. This effectively sealed the interior from exposure to the elements. In the past century, log cabin construction methods utilized mortar mix similar to what was used to lay bricks or cement block.

Today most log cabins are built with log siding. One owner added an addition on the west side using log siding. However we are fortunate that the original owners in 1940 built it using the construction methods of 100 years prior.

The current owner, Amanda Owczarczak, purchased the restaurant in 2009. An outdoor deck was added to the front of the building in 2013.

For decades, the Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant has attracted diners from all over western New York because of the unique environment along the Tonawanda Creek; the beautiful, scenic view of the waterfalls; and the rich history of the property.

Tony Kutter

Mercy Flight called after pickup truck rollover at Route 77 and Indian Falls Road

By Billie Owens

A pickup truck is in a ditch after an apparent rollover accident at Alleghany (Route 77) and Indian Falls roads. There is air bag deployment. Apparently, there are injuries. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments and Mercy Medics are responding. Mercy Flight is called to 7908 Alleghany Road, to the parking lot of the Indian Falls Methodist Church. 

UPDATE 12:57 a.m.: Didn't hear the destination of Mercy Flight or any word on injuries. The assignment is back in service.

Photo: Memorial marker and divers at Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

A reader submitted this photo of four young men taking a break while diving at Indian Falls, as one looks at the memorial marker for Bradley Augustin, the 22-year-old Buffalo resident who drowned at the same location last week.

Man drowns at Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

UPDATED 9:30 a.m., Thursday, July 14.

An adult male visiting Genesee County from Buffalo died this evening in a drowning accident at Indian Falls.

The victim has been identified as Bradley Augustin, 22.

State Police are handling the investigation and no foul play is suspected.

Witnesses and first-responding firefighters said there were about 30 people at the falls tonight swimming and jumping into the water, even though Genesee County's moderate drought conditions have left the Tonawanda Creek with low water levels.

Triniti Morris, from Hamburg, was among the swimmers. She said people were having a good time and then somebody mentioned somebody was missing, and other people were saying, "no, no, nobody's missing."

One of her friends then spoke to a young man who seemed to be having trouble swimming and he said he was OK.

About five minutes later, somebody noticed he was missing.

Another male dove into the water and located him and several people helped pull him onto the rocks, at which point another young woman began giving him CPR.

Morris said the woman performing CPR got the victim to throw up and she thought the victim had started breathing when paramedics, she said, instructed the woman providing CPR to turn the victim on his left side. At this point, Morris said, two State Troopers arrived and ordered everybody to leave the scene, including the woman performing CPR.

Morris was concerned that nobody continued CPR, but Pembroke Fire Chief Jamie Waff said typically, when certified CPR personnel arrive on scene, they take over from witnesses who first started CPR.

"It’s great to see bystanders starting CPR, but it’s very confusing when they're wrapped up in the situation and we don’t know if they’re actually certified," Waff said. "When we get on location, we’re actually certified in CPR with the defibrillator. If anyone told her to leave, that is probably the reason because there were certified personnel on location to take over at that point."

Adding to the difficulty of the situation at Indian Falls, Waff said, is the congregation of drunken patrons at the bar, who sometimes cause issues when firefighters are attempting to perform a rescue.  

"There’s always an issue when we come here because you’re usually dealing with intoxicated people who think you aren’t doing it fast enough," Waff said. "Our number one concern is firefighter safety. We have to make sure all of our guys are safe as they go down. It’s a law enforcement issue because you are dealing with a bar-type situation."

It was a tense situation at the scene and one neighbor of Indian Falls was upset enough to provide reporters with a profanity-laced commentary on what he perceives as inattention by the owner of the Log Cabin Restaurant, the Town of Pembroke and local law enforcement to the dangerous situation at Indian Falls.

Barry Guthrie doesn't think anybody is doing enough to keep swimmers and divers off the falls.

"We've been fighting this for 10 years," said Guthrie, who moved in 2002 into a house near the falls once owned by his grandparents. 

He said he's been to the town, but the town, he said, can't determine who holds title to what, and he said that even though the Log Cabin has posted signs all along its property that say "No Trespassing," he doesn't think the owner takes the situation seriously because he believes the falls are public property (Genesee County owns the Tonawanda Creek from the City of Batavia to the Tonawanda Indian Reservation).

Responding to the scene were Town of Pembroke fire, Indian Falls fire, Genesee County Emergency Services, the Rope Rescue Team, Mercy EMS, Mercy Flight, the Sheriff's Office and State Police.

Two possible drowning victims reported in the water at Indian Falls

By Billie Owens

Possible drownings are reported in the falls by the Indian Falls Log Cabin Restaurant. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are called to respond along with Mercy medics. The caller reports two possible victims are in the water at the falls and not coming up. The Alabama Volunteer Fire Department Chief is asked to contact the GC Emergency Dispatch Center.

UPDATE 7:13 p.m.: The command post is set up in the Log Cabin restaurant parking lot.

UPDATE 7:15 p.m.: The restaurant is located at 1227 Gilmore Road in Corfu. A trooper says one male subject who was found is not breathing. A Mercy Flight landing zone is being set up. "Looks like they're doing CPR." Onlookers at the scene are said to be a problem for first responders.

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.: Mercy Flight has a five-minute ETA. A responder with a backboard "for CPR purposes" is requested at the edge of the falls.

UPDATE 7:26 p.m.: Mercy Flight #5 out of Batavia has a three-minute ETA.

UPDATE 7:40 p.m.: Medics on scene, including Mercy medics and Mercy Flight personnel "are aware that it's a recovery mode at this point."

UPDATE 7:43 p.m.: Mercy Medic #3 is called to the scene for "firefighters with some abrasions."

UPDATE 7:45 p.m.: The chief in command at the scene reports there is one fatality and that it will take about 30 minutes to bring the male victim up and out of the area. It's unknown how long the victim may have been under water. There are no other victims. About 30 people were in the water at the time of the incident, according to the scene commander and other witnesses.

Photos: DWI accident drill staged for Pembroke seniors

By Howard B. Owens

The Pembroke, Indian Falls, Corfu and East Pembroke volunteer fire departments came together yesterday to stage a DWI accident drill for the seniors of Pembroke High School in advance of their annual prom.

The drill simulates a fatal accident caused by a drunken driver.

Also participating were the Sheriff's Office, Coroner Karen Long, Mercy EMS, Mercy Flight and C.B. Beach Funeral Home.

To find out more about volunteering with your local fire department, visit ReadyGenesee.com.

To purchase prints, click here.

Single-car accident reported on Route 77 north of Thruway overpass

By Billie Owens

A one-car accident is reported on Route 77 just north of the Thruway overpass. A person is injured and bleeding. Pembroke and Indians Falls fire departments are responding along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 2:22 p.m.: The vehicle has minor damage. There was air-bag deployment, according to a responder.

Photos: Rope rescue team trains with new equipment at Indian Falls

By Howard B. Owens

Members of Genesee County's rope rescue team trained at Indian Falls -- the site of many such real-life rescues over the years -- with a new rope system, called a Vortex.

The $25,000 system (including LED lighting) features a more sophisticated, and more effective and efficient, pulley system, making it easier to keep the ropes clear of obstructions and requiring less exertion of force to raise a patient lifter, making it easier for a medic to accompany the patient up the side of the cliff. 

Top photo: Christina Marinaccio and Jamie Call, the first team to descend and ascend with the new system. Marinaccio and Call are both city firefighters and volunteers (with Le Roy and Stafford, respectively).

To find out how you can do interesting things like this, help save lives and serve your community, visit ReadyGenesee.com.

Crash in front of Pembroke High School, one person may have concussion

By Billie Owens

A motor-vehicle accident is reported in front of Pembroke High School at 8750 Alleghany Road. Law enforcement on scene says one person may have a concussion. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments are responding, along with Darien ambulance.

Rope Rescue Team called to Indian Falls to help out man who jumped off north bank

By Billie Owens

(Photo: Tyler Tomasik, right, with friends Chad Buziak, Alyssa Kranz and Katailyn Armstrong.)

A rope rescue is needed for a man who jumped off the north bank of Indian Falls behind the Log Cabin Restaurant. People there are unable to get him out. His unjuries are unknown. He is conscious and alert. The location is 1227 Gilmore Road, Corfu. Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments, Mercy medics and the Rope Rescue Team are called to the scene.

UPDATE 4 p.m.: The male is a teenager who was rescued by his best friend and transported by Mercy medics to UMMC for evaluation at the request of his parents. He had no complaints of aches or pains.

UPDATE 4:18: The rescuer is 19-year-old Lancaster resident Tyler Tomasik. Here's what he told Howard at the scene: "We were just walking down by the water. He slipped in. Had to save him. We were right underneath the falls. Like there's a cliff where you drop off and we were underneath it, like watching the falls, and he slipped on this wet rock and just went under. I didn't know what to do. I tried grabbing a stick to pull him out. That didn't work so I just reached my arm in and grabbed him. I just kept reaching in."

Asked about whether they had jumped off the falls, he said they have heard about it but had not done so. But when his friend just slipped into the water it was "a little scary."

Once out of the water, his friend hugged him and told him he loved him and said "thanks." Tyler told him "That's what friends are for. You gotta stick up for each other."

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