Smoke and Courage

Two strangers have emerged heroes after courageously rescuing a Winamac man from his burning home.

Pulaski County Deputy Christopher Parish, Buffalo Fireman Mike Anderson and Eugene Geisler, the victim, together with their friends and family, met for the first time after that day at the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, May 2.

As Sheriff Chris Schramm recounts, on April 11, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a Winamac address in reference to a vehicle fire that was near a residence. Pulaski County Dispatch had information that all residents were out of the residence.

Deputy Christopher Parish, who did not have to respond to the fire call, cleared another call for service and went to the scene of the fire. Upon his arrival, he discovered the vehicle fire had spread to the residence. The residence was being fully engulfed rather quickly. Deputy Parish began checking the house to ensure it was vacant.

Upon announcing his presence, Parish heard a voice in the residence. The man, later identified as Eugene Geisler, made it clear he could not get to the door.

“On the body cam, you can hear the victim, Mr. Geisler, say very faintly, ‘Help me, help me,’” Sheriff Schramm recalled from Parish’s body cam footage.

Deputy Parish utilized his flashlight and busted a side window out. At that time, Buffalo Fireman Mike Anderson arrived on scene to help.