Archive for April 24th, 2016

New dispatch center in Will County creates controversey

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Police and fire agencies in western Will County said they feel slighted because the county is building a consolidated dispatch center for 30 agencies in eastern Will County and, if the county is paying for a new center for one group they believe it should pay for all.

The $5 million plan to add the new center when a new Sheriff’s Office facility is built this year is “generous but seriously misguided,” according to a resolution recently passed by the Bolingbrook Village Board.

But Will County officials call it efficient government, and said it is no different than spending money on major road improvements in one part of the county and not the other. Consolidation of dispatch centers has been mandated by the state.

Under a state mandate, Will County has to reduce the number of its dispatch centers from six to three. WESCOM and the City of Joliet will each continue to operate their centers, but the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Lincolnway Communications Center, Romeoville and Eastern Will County Communications Center (EASCOM) will all be consolidated into the new center at Laraway Road and Route 52 … which will include administrative offices for the county’s 911 board, which oversees all the dispatch centers.

Agencies within the Western Will County Communications Center — WESCOM — are expected to follow Bolingbrook’s resolution, which demands an equitable solution, noting that WESCOM, which dispatches calls for 21 police and fire departments from Bolingbrook to Wilmington, took on a $5 million bond issue to pay for its new dispatch center, which opened in 2014 in Plainfield.

The Lockport City Council discussed a resolution at its Wednesday night meeting. Lockport Police Chief Terry Lemming said he is happy the county is heeding a state mandate to consolidate the dispatch centers of 30 agencies to allow for better coordination, calling it a very effective way to do business.

But, on the other hand, he and other city officials are unhappy that Lockport residents, along with residents from all over the county, will have to help pay for the county’s $5 million project.

WESCOM members said the issue is equity not jealousy.

The Homer Township Fire District also is expected to pass a resolution similar to Bolingbrook’s at its May 2 meeting, to get the county’s attention, according to Fire Chief Robert Tutko … But they already have, and if the reaction during Thursday’s county board meeting is any indication, county officials are not likely to fork over any funds to WESCOM.

WESCOM built its own center in 2014 by issuing $5.1 million in bonds over 20 years and each agency is required to pay $271,000 as its share.

Bolingbrook Public Safety Director Tom Ross, said those served by WESCOM are paying twice — once for the WESCOM center, and again through the county’s use of RTA funds to build the new Sheriff’s Office facility.

“This is about being responsible to our taxpayers … We’re just asking for equity,” Ross said.

“No one is guaranteed equity. It’s hard to put a figure on circumstances like this,” said Crete Mayor Mike Einhorn, director of EASCOM, which includes 16 police and fire agencies.

“I don’t complain about what goes on in their half of the county. A majority of Will County money is spent on public works projects out there and not here. I could make the equity claim too, but that’s not how it works,” he said.

“We spend Will County money to benefit residents all over the county, whether it’s for roads or dispatch centers,” Palmer said. “People want efficient government. They want us to work together.”

WESCOM serves 44 percent of the county’s population and 21 police and fire agencies, compared to the new dispatch center, which will serve 33.7 percent of the people and 31 agencies when the three centers are consolidated. Joliet serves 21 percent of the population, but handles one-third of all calls, according to officials.

Rauter and Ross also fear they could lose member agencies to the new center … as … WESCOM was built for growth, and Romeoville residents would be better served by joining.

Currently half of Romeoville is served by Lockport Township Fire District which is part of WESCOM, and the other half by the Romeoville Fire Department. If it were part of WESCOM, it could reduce 3,600 transferred calls each year — about 10 per day, he said.

“But I can’t compete with free,” Rauter said.

Braidwood officials, who are now part of WESCOM, are thinking of moving into the new center, but Rauter hopes to meet with them and “work out their concerns.” Even if Braidwood left, it would still be required to pay its share of WESCOM’s debt for its building, he said.

thanks Dan

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CFD Deputy Commissioner McNicolas resigns after crash (more)

Excerpts from the ChicagoSunTimes.com:

The Chicago Police Department struggled Friday to explain why the third-highest ranking member of the Chicago Fire Department was neither tested for alcohol in his system nor charged with drunken driving after crashing his city-owned SUV this week near Lake Shore Drive in Lincoln Park.

The Chicago Fire Department concluded that John McNicholas was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. But the breathalyzer test was administered hours after the crash happened, at fire department headquarters at 35th and State, by the Chicago Fire Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

Chicago Police officers were on the scene of the accident on LaSalle Drive just off Lake Shore Drive for up to two hours but never administered a field sobriety test or breathalyzer test, sources said. Four squad cars were dispatched to the scene and were there from 30 minutes to two hours.

The failure to administer those tests raises questions about whether McNicholas was given preferential treatment by police and comes at a time when the Chicago Police Department is working to restore its battered image and trust with the public.

Unlike Illinois State Police, Chicago Police officers do not carry breathalyzers in their squad cars. If a breathalyzer is administered, it has to be done at the district station. That was not done in McNicholas’ case.

Both tests were important, but there are two different standards.

The fire department has as close to a zero-tolerance policy as it can get. Any department member whose blood-alcohol level exceeds .02 — which is possible after just one or two cocktails — is considered under the influence of alcohol.

That’s why McNicholas, who resigned as deputy commissioner Wednesday, agreed to a full separation from the Chicago Fire Department after taking the test that is mandatory after all accidents involving fire department vehicles.

The state standard for charging a motorist with DUI is .08. Since police officers on the scene never tested McNicholas for that standard, he is not expected to be charged with DUI.

On Friday, Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi insisted that the police investigation of the accident involving McNicholas was still open and that police were conferring with prosecutors about possible charges. So far, McNicholas has been ticketed only for negligent driving. He would not confirm that police officers who were on the scene of the accident failed to administer tests to McNicholas — much less explain why.

If officers gave McNicholas a pass, “I can assure you that, if that is the case, they’ll be in trouble.”

Instead of calling 911 and having the conversation recorded, sources said McNicholas called a “black phone” at the 911 center that is not recorded. The call taker noticed immediately that the deputy commissioner sounded as if he had been drinking and followed protocol by dispatching a battalion chief and deputy district chief along with police officers. As for its part of the investigation, the Chicago Fire Department appears to have handled the investigation by the book.

McNicholas did not return to his career service rank of battalion chief. Nor was he eligible for the last-chance policy included in the firefighters’ contract that allows members with drug or alcohol problems to keep their jobs if they submit to and pass random drug and alcohol testing over a one-year period.

thanks Dan

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Garage fire in Broadview – 4/21/16

Here are some photos from the alley garage fire on 22nd Ave on Thursday in Broadview, IL. They arrived to fire in the garage, pulled one line and made a quick knock.

Code Photography

Broadview firefighter

Code Photography

Westchester FD Lieutenant

Code Photography

aftermath of alley garage fire

Code Photography

aftermath of alley garage fire

Code Photography

aftermath of alley garage fire

Code Photography

More photos:

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4-Alarm fire in Lemont – 4/21/16

From Rick Moravecek:

Pics of Lemont 4-11 on April 21, 2016 at Harlem Furniture warehouse at Internationale and Davies Rd. in Woodridge.

Rick Moravecek photo

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Tri-State FPD Engine 521

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

firefighter operating ladder truck

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Lockport Township FD ladder truck

Rick Moravecek photo

Lisle-Woodridge FPD firefighters at a fire

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

Room Place warehouse fire in Lemont IL

Rick Moravecek photo

 

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