Nov. 26, 1948-Feb. 7, 2006

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Douglas Lee Crichlow, 57, Indianapolis, died Sunday.

Born in Indianapolis, he was the son of Daniel M. Crichlow and Jean (Clark) Crichlow.

He was a graduate of Broad Ripple High School class of 1967, and he attended DePauw University, where he met his wife, Susan (Mottis) Crichlow, to whom he was married to for 31 years.

While a freshman at DePauw, he started the DePauw Fire Company, a small volunteer fire service run by students. It grew to become Putnam County's primary ambulance and EMT service, Operation Life.

After the blizzard of 1978, he served Indianapolis Mayor William H. Hudnut III, revamping the Indianapolis-Marion County emergency planning system. He became Director of Emergency Management and Civil Defense. He served in that capacity until 1983, when he returned to the private sector as a nationally known expert in the field of emergency preparedness. In 1985 his company organized and hosted in Indianapolis the first major multi-discipline international conference on disaster and emergency management, The World Conference on Disaster and Emergency Management. The conference which united emergency services officials from more than 20 countries was lauded for its contribution to public safety in Time magazine in June of 1985.

A lifelong republican, he was the vice precinct committeeman for the party, a volunteer for several campaigns and poll worker.

He was an advocate for the Monon Trail Line which ran through Broad Ripple, leading to his involvement with the Indiana Transportation Museum and the Monon Historical Society.

Surviving are his wife; daughters Catherine A.P. Crichlow and Jenny E.M. Crichlow; sisters Carol A. Crichlow, and Anne Crichlow King and husband Eric R.; brother David C. Crichlow and wife Doris Patterson; and six nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church on E. 34th St. and Central Avenue in Indianapolis.

Visitation is set for noon until the time of service Wednesday.

Memorial contributions may be made to DePauw University or Tabernacle Presbyterian Church.

Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers, Indiana-polis, is handling arrangements.