Archive for May 26th, 2013

North Chicago Gets Grant for New Hires

The North Chicago Fire Department received a FEMA grant allowing for the hire of five new firefighters. The Lake County News-Sun has a brief article HERE with a photo now that the personnel have been hired.

Five new North Chicago firefighter/paramedics were sworn in on Monday, May 20, and the new hires aren’t costing the city a cent.

Their salaries for the first two years of employment will be paid for through $832,741 in federal grant money, an amount that will also pay the first three years for a sixth firefighter, a veteran of the U.S. Army, who will be sworn in at a later date.

Previous mention of the grant is HERE.

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Barrington Countryside FPD update

For several months, we have been following the discussions between the Village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside FPD regarding their relationship. Previous articles are HERE, HERE, HEREHERE and HERE..

The Daily Herald has a recent article stating that the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District is looking to hire personnel.

According to Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District trustees, questions over their proposed year-end split with the Barrington Fire Department have changed from theoretical to practical — from “why?” to “how?”

That means starting a process by which the fire district — a separate taxing body — will begin acquiring its own staff and equipment rather than receiving them by contract from the village of Barrington.

As far as the staff goes, district President Tom Rowan said requests for proposals have already gone out seeking 33 employees from a chief on down who will be ready to take over from Barrington Fire Department workers on Jan. 1.

While the Barrington Fire Department was originally created to serve only the village of Barrington, the fire district covers a larger area just outside it that includes portions of Barrington Hills, Inverness, Lake Barrington, South Barrington and unincorporated Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

Fire Station 1 in Barrington will remain the Barrington Fire Department’s, but a split would leave the fire district with Station 2 in Barrington Hills as well as Station 3.

The agreement between the two agencies spells out an even division of the equipment they co-own — to be started with a coin flip, Rowan said.

Notice of a Dec. 31, 2013, end to their long-running contract was given last fall after district trustees said they’d become frustrated by the village’s refusal to supply the levels of equipment and staff the district requested.

But Barrington Village President Karen Darch on Monday said she doesn’t think the relationship is beyond repair. She said adequate time remains for any and all business still required between them.

However, Rowan believes the only discussion remaining is the calling of “heads” or “tails” to start dividing the equipment.

The entire article can be found HERE.

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New ladder truck for Huntley

This from Larry Shapiro:

I visited the Spartan ERV aerial plant in Ephrata, PA on Monday. The new quint for Huntley was out back having the stress test performed on the aerial ladder. Here are several photos. The unit will be shipped to South Dakota any day now (if it hasn’t already left) to have the pump module and body mounted for completion. It is a 103′ rear mount in a Spartan Gladiator chassis with the Evolution facia.

 

new fire truck for Huntley FPD

Huntley’s new Spartan ERV quint. The subassembly and ladder have been mounted to the chassis. Larry Shapiro photo

new fire truck for Huntley FPD

Huntley’s new ladder undergoing stress testing. Larry Shapiro photo

new fire truck for Huntley FPD

New ladder for Huntley FPD ready for installation of the pump and body. Larry Shapiro photo

Previous production photos were posted HERE.

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