Quick Response Prevents Displacement at Northwood Senior Living

Emergency crews were dispatched to Serinity Spring Senior Living at Northwood at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, after staff reported smoke in the building as winds picked up ahead of an approaching cold front. The Jasper volunteer fire department responded with six trucks and 26 firefighters, joined by Jasper Police officers, to assist with evacuation and investigation.

On arrival, firefighters found the hallway to the affected wing filled with a thick haze while residents were evacuating on their own or with staff assistance. Police officers went door to door on the wing to ensure everyone had left rooms while crews began searching for the source. Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang said, "We were concerned about what we might have to do," referring to the 13 residents who could have been displaced under a longer evacuation.

Chief Hochgesang described the conditions inside the building: "It (the smoke) was heavy, and you could see a significant amount of it in the building." Firefighters traced the haze to a malfunctioning condensing unit located in the ceiling. "There are probably a couple of dozen of these units in the ceiling," he said. He crawled into the ceiling cavity, located the faulty unit and shut off its power, stopping a suspected refrigerant leak.

Because the haze was concentrated in the hallway rather than in individual rooms, crews used fans and the natural ventilation provided by rising winds to clear the area quickly. Residents were able to return to their rooms well ahead of the incoming storm that evening, minimizing disruption to the senior living community and avoiding a full-scale displacement.

The incident underscores several local priorities: the importance of rapid emergency response capacity, the role of on-site staff in immediate evacuation, and the maintenance needs of aging heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in senior facilities. The mobilization of six trucks and 26 personnel demonstrates Jasper's ability to respond to multi-unit medical and safety risks, but the episode also highlights how equipment failures can threaten vulnerable residents and strain emergency resources during severe weather events.

Facility managers and emergency planners in Dubois County may view the event as a reminder to review HVAC inspection schedules and evacuation protocols for senior housing, ensuring systems are maintained and staff are prepared when weather and equipment failures coincide.