Archive for December 2nd, 2016

North Riverside Fire Department news

Excerpts from the rblandmark.com:

It’s been seven years since H. Bob Demopoulos first ran as a political candidate in North Riverside. He ran as an independent for  mayor, and lost by a whopping 71 percent to 21 percent margin.

A lot has happened in the village since that time. The village struggled through the economic recession that hit as voters cast their ballots in 2009, and Demopoulos later emerged as a competitive candidate, winning two elections that followed.

In 2011, he ran again as an independent and was elected a trustee. He won re-election to the job in 2013 at the top of a slate of candidates, calling themselves Save Our Firefighters, which nearly pulled off an upset against the VIP Party.

He’s seeking the mayoral post again in 2017.

“Our main focus is fiscal responsibility,” said Demopoulos, who is calling for any year-end budget surpluses to go toward paying long-term liabilities such as pensions and post-retirement health insurance obligations.

“A certain faction of the budget needs to be earmarked toward paying off our debt,” Demopoulos said.

The village has earmarked certain funds toward such purposes. Red-light camera revenue in recent years has gone toward paying police and fire pension obligations. Meanwhile, sales taxes have been pledged to pay off debt issued to finalize a deal that brought Costco to North Riverside and more recently have been pledged to finance bonds sold this fall to fund road improvements.

But the village doesn’t have a dedicated stream of revenue other than general operating funds to pay for post-retirement health insurance costs, for which the village will be on the hook for many years at an estimated total cost of more than $35 million, according to the village’s most recent financial audit.

Demopoulos also said he wants to end the infighting between village government and the North Riverside firefighters union, which have been locked in a more than two-year-long court battle over privatizing firefighting services.

It’s unclear exactly how much the battle has cost the village, but records indicate the village, by the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year, expected to spend more than $500,000 in legal fees since 2014 on matters pertaining to the fire department.

“The legal stuff with the fire department has to end,” Demopoulos said. “It’s a losing battle.”

 thanks Dan

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MVA with entrapment in Buffalo Grove, 12-2-16

This from Larry Shapiro:

Buffalo Grove police and firefighters were dispatched for a two-car crash this afternoon (12/2/16) at the intersection of Buffalo Grove Road and Aptakisic short. Two ambulances were requested for the drivers of both cars, one of which needed to have the door opened with a spreader to remove the patient.

Firefighters assist accident victims at crash site

Larry Shapiro photo

side impact air bags inflated at crash

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighter uses Holmatro spreader at crash

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters assist accident victim

Larry Shapiro photo

Stryker ambulance cot with Power Load

Larry Shapiro photo

Buffalo Groe FD Ambulance 26 Freightliner M2 ambulance

Larry Shapiro photo

patient on Stryker cot

Larry Shapiro photo

more photos and video at shapirophotography.net

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Rutland Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

In a press release, Rutland-Dundee Fire Protection District Fire Chief Richard Thomas said the department’s Insurance Service Organization (ISO) rating has gone from a 4 to a 2.

The 2 rating awarded to Rutland-Dundee has been achieved by only 2.76 percent of fire departments throughout the nation, according to 2015 numbers. Of the 48,632 fire departments rated by ISO, only 1,343 have received a rating of 2 or better.

“Our firefighters and officers have worked hard to address all of the intricacies associated with the rating system and to identify how our resources can best be used to assure the biggest return on the investment made by taxpayers,” Thomas said. “This rating is also dependent on the performance of organizations beyond our department. A big factor in this rating was the commitment of the Village of Sleepy Hollow and the Village of Gilberts to upgrade their water systems.”

He also credited Quadcom 911 — the district’s dispatch center — and its board for helping achieve the rating.

The ISO rating is based on a wide variety of factors that assess how a fire department’s capabilities curtail the risk of loss by fire, explosion or other casualty, as well as the level of training received by department personnel, the type and condition of firefighting equipment, and the reliability and availability of a water supply for firefighting purposes.

Response times, which are dependent on the placement and availability of firefighting personnel and the location and staging of firehouses and equipment in relation to the structures they protect, is also factored into the rating.

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Chicago orders new squads (more)

This from Steve Redick:

I had a great opportunity to attend a media event held by the Chicago FD Tuesday. All of the not yet in service 2-piece squad companies (1,2,5,7) were brought to Northerly Island (Many will remember this as Meigs Field) for an unveiling and photo shoot. A total of 8 units altogether were positioned for a once in a generation group photo with views of the skyline in the background. After the group shot we had the chance to shoot each individual rig as well. The lone lime green/yellow units are assigned to Squad 7 at O’Hare Field. I made several panorama images which are comprised of 6 or 7 large resolution shots. When combined they yield a large highly detailed image. The small versions I am sending do not truly showcase these images … to see a good full size view check out my website:

All Chicago FD squad company apparatus

Steve Redick photo

all Chicago FD squad companies

Steve Redick photo

All Chicago FD squad company apparatus

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 1A

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 1

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 2A

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 2

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 5A

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 8

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 7

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 7A

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 7

Steve Redick photo

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