Archive for November 27th, 2013

Chicago 2-11 Alarm fire 11-27-13

Nov 27

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Scene photos, Fire Service News | 3 Comments

This from Eric Haak:

Shortly before 1530hrs on Wednesday, November 27th, companies in Chicago’s 23rd Battalion were dispatched to the report of a garbage can on fire in the rear of a building on the 8000 Block of South Ellis. While companies were en route, the Englewood Fire Alarm Office informed Engine 122 that they were getting a Full Still as they were getting reports that the rear of the building had become involved. Very shortly after that, the alarm was elevated to a Still & Box for the reports of people being trapped on the second floor. Engine 122 arrived on-scene and reported that they had a fire in the rear of a 3-story, 50 x 65 ordinary, occupied apartment building.

Chicago firefighters battle massive 2-11 alarm fire in apartment building

This is also before any lines were laid and before Engine 72 arrived. Eric Haak photo

This is before any lines were laid and before Engine 72 arrived. Eric Haak photo

The balconies of the exposure are involved. eric Haak photo

Engine 72 positioned itself at the mouth of the alley on 80th Street and led out several lines to sector 3. The first several images were before any lines were laid and before Engine 72 arrived. You can see that the balconies of the sector 2 exposure were involved and the volume of fire between these two buildings was very heavy, which led to the 2-11. The sector 2 exposure was a large 100 x 75 U-shaped courtyard apartment building. The fire consumed the rear porches of the fire building very quickly and the entire rear of the structure collapsed into the yard.

Engine 72 gets the first line operating while a second is stretched. Eric Haak photo

Back porch collapses into the yard between the building and garage. Eric Haak photo

Company uses a ground ladder to vent 2nd floor window. Eric Haak photo

Companies eventually removed both garage doors and fought the remainder of the incident from the rear windows of the garage. Engine 126 took a hydrant on Dobson Avenue, one block east of the fire and ran two lines through the gangway to the alley. One of these lines was eventually used from a balcony of the sector 2 exposure in order to get a better POV. The space available in sector 3 for companies to work in was very limited. The 2-11 was struck out at 1619 hrs. One civilian was transported from the scene in good condition.

Lines are stretched into the garage. Eric Haak photo

Firefighters work a line from the garage window. Eric Haak photo

Engine 126 brings a line in from Dobson Avenue. Eric Haak photo

Engine 126 positioned on Dobson. Eric Haak photo

Engine 72 on 80th Street with multiple lines stretched. Eric Haak photo

I wish I could have gotten more shots from the front with Tower Ladder 34 but the police taped off the entire front of the building and moved everyone off Ellis. I was only able to get a few shots off before they moved us. The goofy thing was that not much was happening in the front and the alley was far more dangerous but they never taped that off. Go figure.

More images are posted at FireScenes.Net

Tags: 2-11 alarm fire in Chicago, Chicago FD Engine 122, Chicago FD Engine 72, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago's 23rd Battalion, Englewood Fire Alarm Office, Eric Haak, fire scene photos, heavy fire and flames, massive flames from apartment building fire

Chicago firefighters help tornado victims

Nov 27

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Fox32 has an article about the Chicago Firefighter’s Union collecting items to help resident that were affected by the recent tornado’s downstate.

The Chicago Fire Department and the Chicago Firefighters Local 2 Union are supporting Illinois residents affected by last week’s devastating tornadoes. They’re collecting donations, and you can help!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, visit any Chicago fire house from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 29 to give to those in need. You can also mail them in. The members of Engine 123 started the idea, and now it has spread to the entire force. Engine 123 was the late Herbie Johnson’s home firehouse. They’re remembering him, as they organize this relief effort. The donations will be organized and delivered over the weekend.

They recommend donating water, cleaning supplies, 30-gallon plastic drums, gloves, heavy duty plastic bags, gift cards to home improvement stores, pharmacies and grocery stores. If you would like to make a monetary contribution, please direct those to Local 2’s headquarters, located at 440 w. 42nd Street in Chicago.

Several Local 2 members traveled to central Illinois over the last week to assist the clean-up effort amid the astounding devastation. Homes were leveled and residents have lost everything. Local 2 is America’s second oldest firefighter and paramedic union. They say they’re at their best when you’re at your worst – always there to lend a helping hand when you’re in need.

thanks Dan

Tags: Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Firefighters Local 2 Union, donations to help tornado victims, firemen hep tornado victims

Decatur to layoff 6 firefighters

Nov 27

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

The Herald-review.com has an article about budget deficits in Decatur which will result in layoffs throughout several city departments, including the fire department.

City Manager Ryan McCrady said Friday that the city will cut 20 positions, including six firefighters, to close a $1.6 million gap in next year’s budget.

Twelve people are being laid off, and eight currently or soon-to-be vacant positions will be eliminated, McCrady said. The employees were notified this week, with the cuts to take effect near the end of the city’s fiscal year on Dec. 31.

All departments are likely to be affected, except for police, which typically does not spend its entire personnel budget, and water, which is funded separately by user fees, he said.

The deficit in McCrady’s budget proposal comes from a projection that revenues such as sales and food and beverage taxes will remain flat. Expenses continue to rise, including a 10 percent jump in pension costs.

In addition to the firefighters, the positions include two senior clerk typists, four clerk typists, a human relations officer, human resources training officer, plan examiner, plan development manager, senior long-range planner, a rehab construction specialist and two engineering technicians.

Four of the firefighter positions were vacant, McCrady said. The cuts will not result in closing any of the city’s seven fire stations, but they will mean more “brownout” procedures, when a fire engine is shut down. Instead of nine companies, the city will operate eight companies at a time, he said.

“If we had a situation where we had multiple fires going on at one time, there could be a higher response time to something, but it’s hard to say because you never know for sure what the situation is going to be,” McCrady said. “… I’m not saying it’s great to run eight companies. I’m not saying that’s optimum, but we do believe we can protect the city and operate in that way.”

At 490 employees, the city’s work force is already down from the 576 people it employed five years ago.

The city’s operating budget has taken more hits in recent years because of rising pension contributions. City council members have not wanted to raise property taxes to pay for the increases, though Mayor Mike McElroy recently said the city could not continue to cut forever.

Tags: city to brown out fire stations, Decatur City Manager Ryan McCrady, Decatur Fire Department, firefighter layoffs, municipal budget deficit means layoffs

5th Alarm fire in Woodstock, 11-26-13

Nov 27

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Scene photos | Comments off

This from Tyler Tobolt:

Tonight (Nov, 26th, 2013) Woodstock FD was dispatched to a possible barn fire at 16812 Kunde Road in Union. Units arrived with a fully involved hay barn. Command requested MABAS Box #5-73 to the 2nd Level at 6:40pm. Due: a Crystal Lake engine, a Marengo engine, a Union tanker, a McHenry tanker, a Cary tanker, a Harvard squad, a Wonder Lake squad, a Huntley RIT chief and engine, EMA and the Salvation Army. COQ: Fox Lake engine, Marengo EMS, Woodstock chief, and Nunda Rural tanker.

Shortly thereafter, command requested Box 5-73 to the 3rd Alarm at 6:48pm . Due: a Wauconda engine, the Nunda Rural tanker, a Hebron tanker, an Algonquin truck, a McHenry squad w/cascade, and a Harvard chief.

Around 7pm command upgraded to the 4th Alarm for tankers only which brought a Hampshire tanker, a Spring Grove tanker, a Fox River Grove tanker and a Richmond tanker. Crews were battling a large hay barn that was fully engulfed with some exposure. All tankers operated supplying multiple lines. About 1.5 hours into the incident, command requested Box 5-73 to the 5th Alarm for engines only which brought a Rutland-Dundee engine and an engine from Walworth, WI. The MABAS Box was struck out around 9pm All crews were still working at that time.

Thanks, Tyler.