Archive for September 25th, 2017

Chicago Fire Department news (more)

Excerpts from dnainfo.com

Plans for a state-of-the-art $95 million training facility for Chicago police and fire recruits advanced Wednesday after winning the endorsement of a key city panel.

While the Chicago Plan Commission unanimously approved the plan to buy the 30-acre site at 4301 W. Chicago Ave. in Garfield Park for $9.6 million, a coalition of groups rallied outside the mayor’s office urging that the plan be shelved and the money spent on schools and community redevelopment efforts.

The People’s Response Team, which is part of the No Cop Academy effort, said the money would be better spent on restoring cuts made to Chicago Public Schools’ budgets or reopening mental health clinics closed by Emanuel.

About $20 million from the sale of the Goose Island Fleet and Facilities operations center will be used to buy the long-vacant land in the 37th Ward and start construction on the state-of-the-art facility. With the backing of Emanuel, the City Council is expected in October to finalize the sale of the North Branch property for $104.7 million to Sterling Bay.

The facility will replace the police training academy at 1300 W. Jackson Blvd., built in 1976; the fire prevention training facility at 1010 S. Clinton St., built in 1950; and the Fire Academy South at 1338 S. Clinton St., built in 1965, officials said.

In the next two years, Emanuel has promised to add 970 positions to the police department: 516 police officers, 200 detectives, 112 sergeants, 50 lieutenants and 92 field training officers. The department also plans to fill 500 vacant positions.

thanks Dennis 

Tags: , , , ,

New engine for Park Ridge (more)

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

One year after announcing it was the recipient of a federal grant to purchase a new fire engine, the Park Ridge Fire Department debuted the new engine during a Sept. 11 commemoration ceremony at city hall.

The engine was purchased with a $500,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, with a $50,000 match from the city, the department said last year.

It replaces a truck that was 22 years old. Last year, Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen said the aging vehicle frequently required repairs and maintenance and, because many parts were not immediately available due to its age, it was out of service for extended periods.

The new engine has better safety features, including a rear back-up camera; less diesel emissions than the older vehicle; and it is capable of pumping almost twice as much water. It is assigned to the city’s south side station at Devon and Cumberland avenues. 

Terms of the FEMA grant that allowed the department to buy the truck dictate that the 22-year-old truck cannot be sold to another fire department or emergency services agency.

Purchase bids for the truck will be sought, Sorensen added. On Sept. 18, the City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the sale or disposal of the vehicle.

Tags: , , ,

New tanker for Prospect Heights (more)

From Drew Smith:

The 1994 Spartan/S&S Tanker is DOA. During its annual maintenance inspection, it was discovered that there was fracturing of the oak planks that are part of the mounting between the tank frame and chassis frame. The vehicle was sent to Alexis Fire Equipment for repair. When the tank was removed as part of the work it was then found that both chassis frame rails and both tank frame rails were severely corroded. The cost to repair the tank (of which the body was part) was tens of thousands of dollars. The chassis frame was determined to be not repairable as it had pitting along the top and deep pitting on the sides. The side pitting was in the location of the suspension mounts and was deeper than half the thickness of the frame. The top pitting ran the entire length of each frame rail. In some spots, when struck with a welding hammer the areas deepened further. 

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

corrosion makes fire truck not repairable

Prospect Heights Fire District photo

Tags: , , , ,

As seen around … Chicago

This from the Fleet Guy:

Chicago FD Jump Bag Unit 562

Fleet Guy photo

Chicago FD Jump Bag Unit 562

Fleet Guy photo

Chicago FD Jump Bag Unit 562

Fleet Guy photo

Tags: , ,