INDIANAPOLIS — Rodger Birchfield, who retired from one career and then spent 21 years in another, has died. He was 81.
Since 1999, Birchfield was a photographer and historian for the Indianapolis Fire Department. His scenes of firefighters in action have frequently been used by Indianapolis news media, including as recently as last week, when he photographed an east side Indianapolis warehouse fire.
You may remember Birchfield's name from his long association with the Indianapolis News, the evening newspaper which ceased publication in 1999. Just one month later, Birchfield joined the fire department.
He died at his home in Camby over the weekend, just 10-days short of retirement.
Birchfield, according to IFD Battalion Cief Rita Reith, always considered himself on duty, and responded to fires around the clock. "Rodger could be found photographing firefighters working an incident or highlighting the apparatus on scene," said Reith. "Rodger’s love of all things fire-related is well documented in each and every photo he takes. His knowledge of the IFD and its storied history is invaluable for anyone trying to connect the present IFD to its historical past."
In 2013 Birchfield was awarded an IFD Public Safety Service Commendation. In 2015 He was awarded the State of Indiana State Fire Marshal Meritorious Service Award.
