Firefighters upset they weren't warned of gun threat ARMANDO RIOS Bulletin Staff Writer
Posted: September 24th, 2006 :: 101 Gamaliel Fire Protection District (Station 86) (Station 86 Rescue)
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| Firefighters take cover Thursday evening while Lt. Rick Lucy of the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office stands near a window at a house near the Fulton/ Baxter county line where authorities believed a man was holed up with a gun. |
Stephen Christopher Rainbolt, 35, is being held without bond in the Baxter County Detention Center, according to Capt. Jeff Lewis. Arkansas State Police anticipate filing charges of aggravated assault and terroristic threatening.
Rainbolt allegedly called the Fulton County Sheriff's Department and said he was going to start a fire at his home and threatened to shoot anybody who entered the house, Henderson Fire Chief John Brown said.
Police at first thought Rainbolt's wife and children might be at the house but they were later found safe at a neighbor's house, Arkansas State Police Investigator Mark Hollingsworth said.
"There was a lack of communication between the Baxter County 911 Center and Fulton County 911, and between Baxter County 911 and our fire department," Brown said.
Firefighters on the scene learned of the threats when a Viola firefighter arrived and told Brown about police scanner traffic regarding the threat.
Brown said he met with Baxter County Office of Emergency Management Director Tom Fischer Friday morning to find out why he and his firefighters were not told about the danger they were walking into.
"As I understand, he had assault rifles inside, we were out in the open and he could have opened up on the whole group before we were aware of any danger like that. Our main concern was to see if there were any residents in the structure and to start working on the fire. Needless to say, my entire department, those that responded and some of their spouses, are pretty well put out. We never were contacted by Baxter County 911 at any time and told of the danger, even after they found out."
A person driving by the house saw the smoke coming out of the house and called Baxter County 911, Fischer said.
Brown said he told firefighters to check the house to see if anyone was inside. The door was unlocked, the house was full of smoke, and no one answered.
Brown had been at the house seven or eight minutes before the Viola firefighter arrived and told him of police radio conversations of a man with a gun inside the house.
The fire chief ordered his firefighters to get behind the fire truck and wait for police to arrive.
Brown said he learned Friday morning that a Baxter County sheriff's deputy who arrived shortly after him had heard some of the radio traffic on the Fulton County channel and called Baxter County 911 to find out what the problem was.
"I called our 911 and told them I understood there was a problem and we were going to stand down until we found out what was going on," Brown said.
At that point, Baxter County 911 dispatchers called the Fulton County 911 office and found out that the man said he was going to set his house on fire and shoot anybody who tried to put it out, Brown said.
"That information was given to the deputy but our 911 center never called me to tell me what was going on," he added.
Brown listened to the 911 tapes Friday morning and determined it took seven to eight minutes before anybody warned the firefighters of the possible danger.
Fischer said Baxter County 911 dispatchers were never notified about the threats until they called Fulton County dispatchers and specifically asked if there were any threats.
"We were never notified until after a Baxter County deputy overheard Fulton County radio scanner traffic and called us to find out," Fischer said. "Fulton County did not notify us that there was a problem.
"We called Fulton County three times and told them the fire was in Fulton County. They never mentioned he had a gun until we called them back because the Baxter County deputy had heard the radio traffic."
Baxter County 911 policy is that as soon as a dispatcher learns a person involved in an emergency has a firearm, all fire and ambulance services are asked to stage near the area but not to enter until police secure the scene, Fischer said.
"I am sure 911 (officials) are going to address that on their side," Brown said. "I understand from Tom (Fischer) he will address it with Fulton County. I have not decided whether to pursue it any further or just what to do. "
armandor@baxterbulletin.com
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