Archive for February 4th, 2017

Itasca Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from the Dailyherald.com:

The Itasca Fire Protection District is asking voters for roughly $1 million in additional property taxes to pay for the rising cost of salaries, employee benefits, building maintenance and other expenses. The district’s funding request will appear on the April 4 ballot.

“The referendum we’re looking for is purely to take care of day-to-day operations,” Fire Chief James F. Burke Jr. said. “This is not to add more people. It is not to build a new facility. It is just to continue current service levels into the future and to continue to pay our bills.”

The district — which covers most of Itasca and parts of Addison and Wood Dale — gets nearly all its revenue from property taxes. But the roughly $4.4 million in tax dollars the district collects isn’t enough to pay for its expenses.

The district faced a deficit each of the past few years and officials tightened their belts to offset those deficits, however, the amount of the deficit is projected to grow and officials are running out of options to close the gap.

The district is facing the possibility of having to cut staff. Right now, it has 22 firefighter/paramedics, the chief, a deputy chief and two office staff members. There’s also a fire prevention director who is partially paid by the village.

The district already is using a minimum daily staff of five people more than half the time. On those days, the district has a three-person engine and a two-person ambulance.

If the ballot measure is approved, the district’s annual property tax revenue will increase to roughly $5.47 million from about $4.46 million. That amount includes money for the district’s pension payments.

Owners of homes valued at $200,000 would see their property tax bills increase by an estimated $130 if voters approve the proposal.

While the referendum is for operational funds, Burke said the additional revenue also would allow the district to address some capital needs. Money could be set aside for vehicle replacement and repairs to the district’s 46-year-old fire station at 520 W. Irving Park Road.

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Chicago Fire Department news

 

Chicago FD Memo M-11-17, Radio Signature changes

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Technical rescue/recovery in Geneva, 2-3-17

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into the death of a 47-year-old West Dundee man who was killed Friday while installing a sign on a tower at Geneva Commons.

“A worker was crushed while he was in his aerial lift while he was working on a sign,” said OSHA spokesman Scott Allen. “We do have two OSHA compliance officers at the scene. We’re conducting interviews with potential witnesses, the employer and employees.”

Authorities said Donald J. Tentler, 47, was killed in the accident, which occurred at about 11:48 a.m. Friday. Tentler and another worker were at the top of the bell tower.

Firefighters found Tentler unconscious and unresponsive, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. The other worker was able to walk down a fire truck ladder, but it took three hours to remove Tentler’s body from the bell tower.

“It seems to be some kind of mechanical malfunction. Whether it was human error or mechanical (failure), I don’t know,” Kane County Coroner Rob Russell said. “The worker was pinned by the lifting device.”

Fire agencies assisting Geneva at the scene included St. Charles, West Chicago, and Batavia.

2/3/17 GENEVA, IL – Technical Rescue – Fatal Construction Accident – Worker pinned inside tower at Geneva Commons shopping center 322 Commons Dr. – Video by Dave Weaver

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Stickney Fire Department news

The Stickney Fire Department is celebrating their 50th Anniversary

Stickney Fire Department 50th Anniversary decal

Stickney Fire Department 50th Anniversary

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