Anniversary Of The Tragedy At Riverside Park

It has been 48 years since two Findlay firefighters drowned while trying to save two kids from the swollen Blanchard River at the dam at Riverside Park.

A memorial to firefighters Roland Smith and William VanAtta stands near the river at Riverside Park, along with a plaque explaining the events of that tragic day: April 22, 1978.

The boys’ canoe had capsized, and Smith and VanAtta were attempting to pull the boys from the churning water when their rescue boat overturned and they, and the kids, drowned.

Fire Chief Josh Eberle asks people to never forget the lives that were lost that day.

In 2021, the memorial was moved from the south side of the river to Riverside Park where more people would see it and remember the ultimate sacrifice Smith and VanAtta gave in service to their community.

Both Smith and VanAtta also served their country in the U.S. Army and were Vietnam War Veterans.

VanAtta was a military policeman, and Smith served with the 101st Airborne, receiving a Bronze Star.