Northbrook firefighters were dispatched to the southbound Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Thursday afternoon for a crash involving a car and a tractor-trailer. Companies found the driver of the car needing to be extricated after hitting the back of the truck’s trailer just prior to the southbound exit ramp to Willow Road.
A Flight For Life medical helicopter was requested to the scene and landed on the highway after all lanes in both directions were shutdown.
Larry Shapiro photo
This from John Tulipano:
New Carol Stream Squad 27 arrived Wednesday from Alexis. Its a 2018 Spartan Alexis 1500/500 Alexis number 2346
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
Jan 17
This from Wayne Stuart for #TBT:
The Gary Fire Department operated this 1977 Mack CF685 model, Serial #CFA1852. It had a Thibault 100′ ladder and a 300 Gallon booster tank. It was originally built for Washington Township FD in Marion County Indiana, however the deal fell thru and the GFD purchased it. It was assigned to Truck Co.1, and later on to Truck Co.4. It served many years until the top fly of the ladder failed at an extra alarm fire.The FD shops removed the damaged top fly section and it ran for a few more years as a 75′ ladder.
wayne stuart photo
Wayne Stuart photo
Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
A binding referendum question on the April 2 ballot will seek a 63 percent increase in the taxes paid to the Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District. If approved the measure would put an additional $1.1 million in the district’s coffers each year to raise staffing levels and fund equipment replacements and repairs.
Voters have shot down six previous attempts by the district to raise the property tax rate in the last several years. The margin by which those measures failed has significantly narrowed since the district’s first request making officials hopeful for a more positive outcome this time around. The fire board found the March 2018 election especially promising given the fact that a proposed 60 percent increase failed by only 32 votes.
Public support and awareness grew during the November election season. With more than 9,000 people voting — at least three times larger than the district’s usual turnout — the referendum question lost by 342 votes.
If the tax hike passes, the district’s tax rate will increase from about 27 to 43 cents per $100 of taxable property value. That means the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $56 more per year.
In recent years, the district has eliminated firefighter positions and reduced costs while continuing to operate on what officials say is insufficient funding. The board decided to hold off on discussing additional budget cuts until after the April election.
“Our message remains the same,” Fire Chief John Nixon said. “We have equipment that’s failing, radios becoming a safety issue, vehicles that are costing extra money to maintain because they’re in many cases reaching the end of life, and staffing shortfalls that have created uncomfortable situations for us where we have to run short.”
The fire district plans to ask a citizen group for help talking to residents about the upcoming referendum question. Information about the proposal likely will be sent out through social media and in newsletters.
The district covers 38 square miles of unincorporated areas in St. Charles and Campton townships, as well as Campton Hills and Wayne.
The Elgin FD battled a 2-Alarm house fire at 329 Park Street this morning (1/16/19).
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Michael Paige photo
Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:
A fire that broke out at a home in Northbrook Wednesday morning had three families running for their lives. An off-duty firefighter was on his way to work when he spotted a home in the 2500-block of Melanie Lane fully engulfed by flames. The Northbrook Fire Department was on the scene about 8 minutes later. Helicopter footage shows fire billowing out of the home and spreading to the houses on either side of it.
The woman who owns the home where the fire started said she heard a loud pop, then saw a wall of flames and managed to escape relatively unharmed. The neighbors got out too.
Northbrook firefighters along with mutual aid companies responded to a reported house explosion at 2563 Melanie Lane before 6:30 Wednesday morning (1/16/19). Arriving companies found one house engulfed in flames with fire extending into the exposure buildings on both sides. A Box Alarm was requested and then a 2nd Alarm was requested bringing companies from most of Division 3 to the scene.
Tim Olk photo
The original house was totally destroyed, one exposure was virtually gutted, and companies were able to contain the fire to the other house with what appeared to be minimal interior damage. Elevated master streams were deployed by Northbrook Tower 12 and Glenview truck 14. Glenview Engine 8, Northbrook Engine 10, and Northbrook Squad 11 were all pumping.
Larry Shapiro photo
Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
A motion to place a bond referendum question for the Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire District on the April election ballot — for what would have been the fourth time — failed after the board was deadlocked and the trustee who could have cast the deciding vote was absent.
One trustee attempted to attend the Thursday meeting via phone because he’s in a rehabilitation facility. On the phone, he repeatedly said he supported placing the referendum question on the ballot, but after about half an hour — and before the board took a vote — he had to go because he wasn’t feeling well.
The plan on the table Thursday, proposed by Fire Chief Mitch Crocetti, was to ask voters to borrow $7.5 million to replace two of the district’s three fire stations. The district also would have used $2.6 million in reserves and any proceeds from selling the old stations. Voters previously rejected requests to borrow $8.5 million in November 2018, March 2018 and April 2017.
The plan has been to sell Station 2 on Rippburger Road and Station 4 on Plank Road and build new stations on Highland Avenue just east of Coombs Road and on Dittman Road about one-third mile south of Plato Road. The land on Dittman Road was purchased last year.
However, last month an estimate showed higher-than-anticipated costs, with building and site work for the Dittman Road station up to at least $10.85 million according to a second opinion.
The chief consulted with officials from the South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District who told him that bids for two new fire stations planned in that district are coming in under $10 million.
Some speculated the higher cost could be because South Elgin has municipal water, not well water like Pingree Grove, or due to differences in proposed building height.
Another referendum question could go on the ballot no earlier than the spring 2020 election. The board rejected the chief’s proposal last year to obtain architectural plans before the referendum. He plans to pursue that again in order to narrow down precise costs.
Jan 15
Oak Lawn Squad 1
Oak Lawn FD Squad 1
Firehousedecalsandmore
