Archive for July 25th, 2017

East Joliet FPD news

This from Scott Matthews:

After 21 years of service, Monday Engine 52 (a 1996 Pierce) was decommissioned after finding out recently her pump gave out. Chief Kelly wanted me to post some final pictures as many current and former members have fond memories of her as Engine 531 & Engine 52.

East Joliet FPD fire engine

Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo

thanks Dennis

East Joliet FPD Engine 531

Larry Shapiro photo

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Mundelein Fire Department news

Excerpts from the Dailyherald.com:

Mundelein Fire Department Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Gaunky, who’s been with the fire department for 28 years, is joining the University of Illinois at Chicago as its assistant director of fire and life safety.

Gaunky joined the department as a paid-on-call firefighter in 1989. He worked for the village’s public works department for a while and became a full-time firefighter in 1994. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2007 and to deputy fire marshal in 2014.

During his tenure, Gaunky twice helped rewrite the village’s fire prevention codes and revamp the curriculum for the state fire marshal’s inspector program, among other accomplishments.

thanks Dan

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As seen around … Chicago

Chicago FD Engine 121 from Dennis McGuire, Jr. 

Chicago FD Engine 121

Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo

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Of interest … Gary Fire Department

Excerpts from the nwitimes.com:

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson had a starring role as the CBS television series “Undercover Boss” made its eighth season premiere. The series follows executives as they slip anonymously into the rank and file of their own organization.

She saw her appearance in the show as an opportunity to highlight the city and the opportunity to acknowledge the entire group of employees, especially the ones who appeared on the segment.

Shooting of the episode took place in early August and on the show she is shown working alongside employees at the Gary Sanitary District, the city’s park department, the fire department, and the police department. A well-known and often photographed mayor, Freeman-Wilson was disguised with the help of her staff and a local beautician. It took about an hour each morning for the disguise to be applied.

She said none of the employees recognized her, although she did veto working with one employee who she thought would see through the disguise. Employees were told that she was a contestant on a game show called Tough Jobs. 

Clips show Freeman-Wilson raking sludge at the sanitary district, helping to pick up trash by tossing a large container of trash into a large, 25-year-old beach cleaning vehicle at the city beaches, getting into a firefighter’s gear, and undergoing some police training. The job at the sanitary district was the worst, she said.

Based on what she learned, Freeman-Wilson said it was decided that a payloader would be a better piece of equipment to use for that on the beach. The city is also going to rehab the firehouses, beginning with the one she worked at, and obtain more police vehicles than originally intended.

The mayor said the experience with the employees left her with a real sense of pride and gratitude. The employees she worked with are underpaid and overworked, but were some of the most dedicated people she ever worked with.

 

thanks Asher

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