Archive for July 27th, 2017

Oak Lawn Fire Department news

Excerpts from the Oaklawnleaf.com:

Three Oak Lawn firefighters and their union are once again celebrating a Cook County judge’s decision to issue a judgment that the village cannot force union members living in Indiana to move into Illinois.

The contentious battle between organized labor and the administration culminated in the Oak Lawn firefighters’ union filing a lawsuit almost a year to the date of judgment in Cook County Circuit Court after the administration notified the union of proposed contract language.

The administration exchanged final offers with the union on June 1, 2016 and at that time notified the union that it intended to include a new provision in its labor contract addressing residency that states:

All bargaining unit members hired before the issuance of Arbitrator Bierig’s award are required to establish residency within the State of Illinois within six months of the issuance of his decision. All bargaining unit members hired on or after the issuance of the Arbitrator Bierig’s award are required to establish residency within (50) miles of village hall….within six months…

The union’s lawsuit sought an order from the court stating that the village is precluded from imposing residency requirements on bargaining unit employees hired prior to the Arbitrator’s award.

The union had cited Illinois statutes that state residency requirements cannot be made more restrictive for employees after they are already serving in the department. The union, in its filing, noted that the Village of Oak Lawn has not had a residency requirement on any of the current employees and therefore any new rule would be more restrictive and in violation of Illinois law and contrary to its authority under the Illinois constitution.

In addition to the union, the named plaintiffs are fire Captain William Roser, Engineer Timothy Radke, and Firefighter/Paramedic Todd Stanford.

Roser has served the village since April of 1992 and has lived in Munster, Indiana for 24 years in a home he owns. Radke, has served the village since May of 1993 and also lives in a home in Munster he owns for the past 21 years. Stanford has served the village since May of 1997 and has lived in Crown Point, Indiana in a home he has owned for the past 19 years.

Under the Village of Oak Lawn’s proposal, those employees would have to sell their homes and move back into Illinois. The village has the right to answer the allegations or make a motion to dismiss the complaint within 28 days of service. Village officials are expected to discuss the lawsuit in executive session.

The village relied on the same arguments it had made before the Illinois Labor Relations Board Arbitrator who  ruled that the Village of Oak Lawn could talk with the union representing its firefighters about establishing a rule requiring the village’s firefighters to live within 50 miles of Oak Lawn. At the time of the arbitrator’s decision, several firefighters privately expressed confidence that the court would overrule the arbitrator.

The Village of Oak Lawn Board of Trustees could vote to appeal the decision to the Illinois Appellate Court. In some cases, the homes in Indiana may be closer in traveling time to the Village of Oak Lawn than where other firefighters in the department live.

thanks Scott

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Cardiac Enlargement in U.S. Firefighters

A new white paper released by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), “Cardiac Enlargement in U.S. Firefighters,” shows research has found a direct relationship between an enlarged heart and an increased risk for cardio vascular events, including sudden death, among firefighters.  

click on the paper for a larger, downloadable copy

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Chicago Fire Department news

 CFD 10-1 79th & Yates Shots Fired at Engine 126

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

A man who intervened in a traffic crash in a South Chicago neighborhood fired shots at a crowd of people early Thursday, hitting the windshield of a Chicago fire truck. One of the three firefighters in the truck said he suffered a cut to his nose, apparently from flying glass.

The two-car crash happened in the 7900 block of South Yates Avenue just before 2:25 a.m. One of the people involved in the crash called the man to the scene and an argument ensued. 

As firefighters in Engine 126 pulled up, the man retreated to a car he parked nearby, grabbed a handgun, and fired from the edge of the parking lot, according to witnesses. 

Two firefighters had gotten out of the truck and three were inside when he started shooting. 

Officers arrested a suspect and recovered a weapon.

Excerpts from ABC7Chicago.com:

Firefighters who responded to a car crash on Chicago’s South Side early Thursday morning wound up having to take cover after someone shot at their fire truck.

Engine 126 responded around 2:30 a.m. to a two-car crash at East 79th Street and South Yates Boulevard in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood and an argument between two people involved in the crash broke out in front of the fire truck.

A person involved in the crash allegedly called a man to come to the scene. Police said that man grabbed a handgun from his car and started firing shots into a crowd. A bullet struck the windshield of the engine and at least one firefighter was cut by flying glass. He is expected to be OK. No one else was hurt.

The man who opened fire ran into a nearby restaurant. Police gave chase and caught him. They also recovered the handgun.

thanks Dan

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As seen around … Chicago

Chicago FD Engine 73 from Dennis McGuire, Jr. 

Chicago FD Engine 73

Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo

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