Archive for February 14th, 2017

Homer Fire Department news (more)

Excerpts from the News-Gazette.com:

About 11:45 a.m. Monday, an emergency alert tone for the Homer Fire Department came over the radio.

“This is the final call for Firefighter Mike Cummins, who dedicated 31 years to the fire service,” said a dispatcher from METCAD, her voice reverberating from the radios of firefighters standing at attention outside the Homer New Life Church of Faith.

“The Homer fire chief and department members thank him for his service to the community,” the dispatcher continued. “We’ll never forget his honor, courage and duty. May he rest in peace.”

Dozens of fire, police, and emergency medical personnel from Champaign, Vermilion, and Piatt counties gathered at the church to say goodbye and pay their respects to Mr. Cummins, who was remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather; an avid fisherman; and a dedicated volunteer firefighter for Homer and other communities.

The 46-year-old Homer man was on his way home from a medical call when he suffered his own medical problem and died early Wednesday morning. He was 46.

Firefighters filed into the sanctuary and took their seats across the aisle from Mr. Cummins wife, Cindy, and friends and relatives. Mr. Cummins’ black helmet, bearing No. 17, and his turnout gear sat at the front of the room.

Pastor Dave Ashby, the chaplain for the Champaign and Urbana firefighters and senior pastor of Trinity Community Fellowship in Farmer City, officiated the service with Pastor C.W. Greer of the Homer church.

Ashby confessed that he never had the privilege of meeting Mr. Cummins. But after talking with his loved ones over the weekend, he said it became apparent that a few words could best describe him — fisherman, family man and firefighter.

On their last night together, the minister said, Mr. Cummins “bounced up and down in their bed,” then repeated to his wife, “Hello, beautiful.”

Then a tone from his radio sounded late at night.

“Mike jumped up at the tone,” Ashby said. Before he left, he said to his wife one last time, “Hello, beautiful. I love you.”

On Monday, a large American flag hung from ladder trucks from the Savoy and Tuscola fire departments.

At the end of the service, two bagpipers played Amazing Grace and then Going Home, as fellow firefighters placed Mr. Cummins’ casket in the back of the Homer Fire and Rescue truck, draped with black cloth. After his last call, a funeral procession made its way from the church through town down Main Street and under the large flag.

There, more firefighters stood at attention and saluted Mr. Cummins’ casket as it drove by. A number of residents also stood at both sides of the road.

Firefighters put one last message for their fallen brother on their sign out front: “RIP, Firefighter Mike Cummins. We got it from here.”

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Of interest … Claremont-Bonpas Fire Protection District


Excerpts from WTHITV.com:

The Claremont-Bonpas Fire Protection District in Richland County, Illinois posted the video on their Facebook page.

They are getting a good laugh on this whole episode behind firehouse doors…and it was all caught on camera.

thanks Dennis

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Elgin Fire Department news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

The Elgin City Council unanimously backed almost $1 million in purchases for the Elgin Fire Department, including a new fire engine, 11 tablet computers used in the field, and 65 breathing apparatus.

The contract for the new E-ONE fire engine is set to be $505,385. However, its terms offer a $10,000 trade-in allowance for an existing KME engine and a $9,271 discount for prepayment, reducing the actual purchase to $486,114. Money from the city’s share of Grand Victoria Casino taxes will be used to pay for the new engine, which will replace one that is 14-years-old and that has maintenance repair costs that exceed its trade-in worth.

“We keep that engine in reserve at Station 6,” Elgin Fire Chief Dave Schmidt said on Friday. “But with routine maintenance of vehicles and repairs, about 40 percent of the year we’re using a reserve.”

As recently at Jan. 20, the old vehicle had about 59,000 miles and had been outsourced for brake work and diesel repair, with the cost for such estimated at $4,000 – $5,000. Repairs over time have amounted to more than $41,000, thus far, with the estimated trade-in value for the engine at $10,000 to $15,000.

The new engine will be very similar to one Elgin purchased in 2015 that is being used at Station 5 and kept at Station 2 along Big Timber Road, Schmidt said. A difference is the new unit will have an LED light tower to illuminate nighttime incidents.

The price is a result of a contract former Chief John Fahy negotiated with Fire Service, Inc. for the 2015 purchase, which gave the department what amounts to a 4.5 percent price break and a savings of about $25,000.

The new hose bed is lower and the step on the back of the truck is wider than on other engines, making it easier and safer for firefighters to stand on it.

The ladder will be in a compartment instead of exposed to the elements and on top of the engine. The 2015 purchase and the new engine also have more storage space than other engines and can hold extrication equipment.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is that the design of the compartment for holding advance life support medical equipment allows firefighters to access it once they are outside the vehicle, instead of having it inside.

Schmidt said once the contract is signed later this month, it will take about 11 months to get the new engine. With the improving economy, E-ONE has seen an increasing number of orders, including one from Boston for more than 35 vehicles.

The council also approved the purchase of 11 Getac brand tablet computers to replace Panasonic models purchased in 2012 for use in fire inspections and patient care. The Getac units have solid state hard drives.

The final purchase moved along Wednesday was for 65 self-contained breathing apparatus and related equipment from Air One Equipment for $415,712.

The gear is Bluetooth enabled to make it easier for firefighters to verbally communicate and come with exterior amplified speakers worn on shoulders, as well. Another feature are buddy lights that can be seen from most directions and indicate critical air supply information.

Once the contract is signed, Schmidt said all items ordered from Air One Equipment should be in use by June or July.

thanks Dan, Dennis, & Scott

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2-Alarm fire in Franklin Park, 2-3-17

This from Steve Redick:

Took this in on Friday, 2/1/17… little to see firewise when I arrived but some interesting apparatus shots..

Steve

townhouse fire scene with fire trucks

Steve Redick photo

fire trucks at townhouse fire scene

Steve Redick photo

Leyden Township FPD quint at work

Steve Redick photo

firefighters on roof of fire building

Steve Redick photo

Franklin Park fire engine with hose off

Steve Redick photo

Franklin Park FD Engine 2

Steve Redick photo

River Grove FD fire engine

Steve Redick photo

Elmwood Park FD fire engine

Steve Redick photo

Norwood Park FPD fire engine

Steve Redick photo

Westchester FD fire engine

Steve Redick photo

Broadview Fire Department Engine 7

Steve Redick photo

MABAS Division 20 cascade unit

Steve Redick photo

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