From Bill Schreiber
Rosenbauer photo
This from Larry Shapiro:
The Wheeling Fire Department received a call reporting fire in a house at 40 Versailles Court just before 8:30 PM Wednesday evening (1/26/22). The initial assignment was Glencoe Squad 30, Des Plaines Engine 61, Buffalo Grove Tower 25, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD Battalion 51, Mount Prospect Battalion 3, Arlington Heights Ambulance 2, Wheeling Squad 24 and both Wheeling ambulances. The balance of the Wheeling companies including chief officers were at a house fire in neighboring Prospect Heights just over a mile away. Prospect Heights units would also have been due on the initial alarm with Wheeling companies. Des Plaines and Glencoe responded from Wheeling stations where they were providing coverage.
As the fire in Prospect Heights was winding down, command at that incident released a Wheeling engine, Wheeling chief officers, and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Squad 51 to take in the Wheeling fire. Squad 24 was the first to arrive and initially reported nothing showing. After approaching the home on foot, they noted that the house was full of smoke and made the hydrant in the cul-de-sac. The alarm was upgraded to a Working Fire which added Mount Prospect Engine 14 and North Maine Engine 1 in addition to Wheeling Battalion 24 who cleared from the Prospect Heights incident.
Companies found a basement fire which was extinguished in short order, but he fire burned through a spot above on the first floor creating hazard to interior crews. The entire house was filled with smoke and had to be ventilated.
Larry Shapiro photo
Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
Firefighters from Antioch and about two dozen neighboring departments had to battle both subzero temperatures and a raging inferno inside an auto body shop early today near Lake Villa.
Temperatures were reported at 11 degrees below zero when firefighters were called to the shop on the 1600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue at about 3 a.m. With heavy fire and smoke showing upon arrival, the call was ultimately upgraded to a five-alarm blaze because water needed to be transported into the area because of a lack of nearby hydrants. Fire crews were shuttled back and forth to a nearby warming bus to avoid hypothermia.
One man believed to be the owner of the building, was transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation where he was treated and released. There were no reports of any injuries to fire personnel.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and firefighters remained at the scene to perform any salvage work.
New engine for Highland Park
Jan 26
From Danny Nelms:
update from MacQueen on the new Highland Park engine
Highland Park Fire Department Job #36334 Arrow XT pumper
MacQueen photo
MacQueen photo
MacQueen photo
Excerpts from the ForestParkReview.com:
Forest Park Fire Chief Phil Chiappetta said Metro Ambulance Service, the village’s third-party provider, is supposed to provide six paramedics to staff the village’s ambulance in three two-person shifts throughout the day. But for the last several months at least, no more than three contract paramedics have been available and that, until recently, that number was only two.
The shortfall means that Forest Park firefighters, all but one of whom are cross-trained and certified firefighter/paramedics, have been working overtime shifts to cover the gaps. Chiappetta said finding volunteers to work those shifts has, thankfully, not been a problem, but that the lingering effects of what he described as a statewide shortage have led him to approach village hall about ending the contract with Metro Paramedics when it expires in April 2023 and converting the village’s ambulance staff to full-time fire department employees.
Metro Paramedics said paramedics are in short supply nationwide and that one part of a more complex web of issues is that base pay for contract paramedics is extremely low, something that is causing people to leave the business and dramatically shrinking the pool of students who are now attending and completing paramedic certification programs. Metro has been trying to raise pay for years, something prompted by incremental increases in the minimum wage in Illinois, which is now $12 per hour. They have lost clients in other municipalities as Metro has raised prices to try and subsidize wage increases, but that right now companies like his have few other options.
Because Metro has been unable to fulfill its end of the contract with the village, Forest Park taxpayers are not shelling out any additional tax dollars to make up for the shortage. Any overtime hours paid to Forest Park firefighters are deducted from the amount the village pays Metro, so for now the financial implications in the village are minimal. That’s not the case, of course, for Metro.
Chiappetta is hopeful for the prospect of bringing the paramedic service in-house, something that is buoyed by an effort from former chief Steve Glinke to cross-train staff to serve in both roles.
Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:
Chicago police and firefighters responded just before 2 a.m. Tuesday to the 8200-block of South Cornell Avenue in Stony Island Park for a reported house fire. When they arrived, they found the nearby fire hydrants were frozen, hampering their efforts to battle the blaze.
An 81-year-old woman, who neighbors said lived alone, was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, where she later died of her injuries. She was found in the kitchen, just steps from the exit.
According to the Chicago Fire Department, there were no working smoke detectors in the home. Fire crews knocked on doors in the aftermath, handing out free smoke detectors to people in the area.
CFD officials said the fire might have started in the basement and the cause is still under investigation, but a smoke alarm could have provided more warning to escape.
From Chicago Fire Department Media on Twitter:
Fatal fire 8215 Cornell 82 year old woman removed in cardiac arrest critical to U of C where she was pronounced. No working smoke detectors. 911 call at 154 a.m. Engine 72 on scene at 158 a.m. 2 story 25×50 Still and Box alarm
CFD Public Education will be at 82 and Cornell at 10 a.m. to pass out smoke detectors and info in the aftermath of the fatal fire this morning.
8215 Cornell preliminary report indicates fire may have started in basement. No smoke detectors found. Victim found only a few feet from exit. Smoke alarm could have provided enough warning to allow safe escape. Are yours working?
Update on Cornell fatal fire. CFD OFI has determined the most probable cause of this fire was a wiring problem and it will be classified as accidental. Please remember to check smoke detectors. They do save lives!
CFD Media photo
CFD Media photo
Westmont FD
Update from macqueen on the new Westmont engine, Job: #36386 Impel Pumper
MacQueen photo
thanks Danny
2009 Spartan Smeal 100′ Platform – Sold and Delivered to:Oak Island FD – Long Beach,North Carolina
thanks Martin
Previous Tri-State FPD tower ladder was sold to the Paoli Fire Department
