Archive for May, 2019

40th Anniversary Memorial Service for AA Flight 191

On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 departed from O’Hare Airport for Los Angeles. While accelerating on the runway, one of the underwing engines detached from the DC-10. The flight was airborne for 31 seconds before crashing into a field across Touhy Avenue and bursting into flames, killing all 271 on board plus two people on the ground.

Marking the 40th anniversary of the deadliest passenger aircraft crash on US soil, several hundred people gathered at Lake Park in Des Plaines, the site of a permanent memorial to those who perished that day. At 3:04PM, a bell was stuck 31 times, once for each second the ill-fated flight was in the air. The names of all who died were read, and two Chicago FD ARFF units then released four bursts of water over the memorial, representing each decade that has past.

Chicago FD ARFF 658 Oshkosh Striker 3000

Larry Shapiro photo

Flight 191 memorial

Larry Shapiro photo

v

Larry Shapiro photo

Flight 191 memorial

Larry Shapiro photo

speaking at the Flight 191 memorial

Larry Shapiro photo

Flight 191 memorial

Larry Shapiro photo

Chicago FD ARFF units water salute

Larry Shapiro photo

Tags: , , , , , ,

A request for assistance …

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Seventeen year old Jacob A. Manka was struck by a westbound Metra train around 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and pronounced dead at the scene about an hour later. He was among a group of three male teens who were trespassing on the train tracks that span a bridge near Pilcher Park when Metra Rock Island train No. 419 approached. The train’s operator saw the teens on the tracks, but not in time to stop and avoid striking two of them.

The teen who avoided being struck was running on the opposite track of the other two boys when the train approached. The three teens were on their way to meet a fourth boy who was nearby, but not on the tracks when the train passed.

Dozens of emergency personnel from 20 different police and fire departments searched a 1.5-mile stretch of Hickory Creek Thursday for the second victim, but failed to recover the body.

The search, which included drones, swift water rescue divers, and a cadaver dog, started at 7 a.m. and was suspended around 2 p.m., after the creek’s conditions became too dangerous. The search for the second body resumed Friday, but it wasn’t as extensive as the one performed the day before.

thanks Tim

Tags: ,

North Chicago FD apparatus part 2

More from Larry Shapiro:

Here are the North Chicago engines and 85′ tower ladder to go along with the ambulances and buggy posted before

 2011 Pierce Saber pumper

Engine 4 – 2011 Pierce Saber 1500/1000/10. Larry Shapiro photo

2001 Pierce Saber pumper

Engine 5 – 2001 Pierce Saber 1500/1000/40. Larry Shapiro photo

North Chicago FD apparatus at headquarters station

Larry Shapiro photo

2009 Pierce Arrow XT 85' tower ladder

Tower 9 – 2009 Pierce Arrow XT 1250/500/20 85′ tower ladder. Larry Shapiro photo

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Hazardous Materials incident in Niles, 5-23-19

Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:

Niles firefighters responded to a fire alarm at 12:32 p.m. at the Microlink plant, 6457 Howard St., when they found a small fire in the northwest area of the building. Firefighters found that workers were cleaning a 30-gallon drum containing phosphorus at or near the area of the fire, causing phosphine gas to release from the drum. Phosphine gas is poisonous and an irritant if inhaled.

About 40 workers evacuated the plant when automated alarms in the building sounded. Although everyone from the plant had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, several employees were unaccounted for causing firefighters to search the building. Those workers were later found safe outside the plant.

Several workers were evaluated, but none were transported to the hospital. Firefighters deployed hazardous material decontamination pools.

Tags: ,

Hazardous materials incident in Lincolnshire, 5-23-19

Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

The Lincolnshire Police Department said officers responded to a community pool at 445 Village Green at about 2:20 p.m. for reports of two unresponsive teenagers. When officers arrived, they found the teens unconscious but breathing. They were taken to Lutheran General Hospital in serious condition.

The initial investigation suggested there was a chlorine gas leak or a carbon monoxide leak after servicing the pool earlier in the day. Firefighters and hazardous material teams focused on the clubhouse near the pool where the boy and girl were found. Some of them inhaled the poisonous fumes in the process. A total of 14 people ended up being transported to area hospitals for treatment: six police officers, four firefighters, and four civilians, including the two original victims.

Fire Chief Tom Krueger said two of the devices they use to measure hazardous materials at the pool were broken due to the high levels of poisonous gas in and around the clubhouse and pool. He said in his 19 years on the job he had never seen anything like that before.

Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD Engine 52

Max Weingardt photo

Max Weingardt photo

Countryside FPD Chief 4100

Max Weingardt photo

Countryside FPD Ambulance 414

Max Weingardt photo

Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD Ambulance 52

Max Weingardt photo

Wauconda Fire District Squad 341

Max Weingardt photo

fire trucks at Lincolnshire chlorine leak

Max Weingardt photo

Lake Villa FD ambulance

Max Weingardt photo

Buffalo Grove FD Utility 26

Max Weingardt photo

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Buffalo Grove Fire Department news

From the Buffalo Grove Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Local 3177 Facebook page:

Buffalo Grove firefighters and The Muscular Dystrophy Association are holding the First Annual Food Truck Fest. Come join us for food, music and fun!!

Our first Fire Up! Food Truck Festival for MDA is less than two weeks away! Please make sure you come out for some amazing food and fun!

You are definitely going to want to swing by A. Sweets Girl food truck at the Fire Up! 

Who doesn’t love pizza? Make sure you stop by Your Sisters Tomato for some incredible pizza at our Fire Up! Food Truck Fest on June 1st!

Saturday June, 1 12-4PM at Woodland Park, Twin Groves Middle School

 
Buffalo Grove Firefighters and The Muscular Dystrophy Association are holding the First Annual Food Truck Fest.

Tags: , , , ,

Area apparatus orders

From Fire Apparatus Magazine:

Illinois Fire Service Institute, Champaign – Pierce Enforcer pumper 1,500/500.  Delivery in September.

Geneva Fire Department – Pierce Enforcer PUC pumper 1,500/750. Delivery in September.

Lake Forest Fire Department  – Spartan Gladiator/Marion pumper 1,500/850/30. Delivery in November.

Lake Zurich Fire Department – Pierce Saber pumper 1,500/750. Delivery in September.

Mount Prospect Fire Department Pierce Dash CF PUC pumper 1,500/750-gallon tank. Delivery in September.

St. Charles Fire Department – Pierce Dash CF PUC pumper 1,500/750. Delivery in September.

Springfield Fire Department  – Two Pierce Enforcer pumpers 1,500/750. Delivery in September.

thanks Ron

Tags: , , , , ,

Loves Park Fire Department news (more)

Excerpts from wifr.com:

With less than two years in the role, Loves Park Fire Chief Jerry Wiltfang is proud of the progress his team has made. In just 14 months, this formerly all-volunteer crew now has a full-time staff to better serve their community in a fraction of the time. To address the rapid growth, the Loves Park City Council approved a resolution that provides funding for two new engines and updated equipment.

“Our response times were getting close to 20 minutes before we were here, before we had our full time crew, and now we’re looking to average around 6 minutes, by the time the tone goes off, until we’re at a person’s house is about 6 minutes. It’s just going to bring more safety to the public and hopefully all around Loves Park,” said Captain Adam Kuehl.

thanks Dennis

Tags: , ,

North Chicago FD apparatus part 1

This from Larry Shapiro:

I had the opportunity to photograph the current apparatus in North Chicago. Here are the ambulances and buggy.

Thanks to everyone in North Chicago for your help.

Larry Shapiro

North Chicago FD Battalion 15

Battalion 15 – 2016 Ford Explorer. Larry Shapiro photo

North Chicago FD Ambulance 6

Ambulance 6 – 2017 Ford F450/AEV. Larry Shapiro photo

North Chicago FD Ambulance 7

Ambulance 7 – 2014 Ford F450/AEV. Larry Shapiro photo

North Chicago FD Ambulance 8

Ambulance 8 – 2015 Ford F450/AEV Larry Shapiro photo

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

New engine for Lyons

Final inspection photo from Fire Chief Gordon Nord, Jr of the new Pierce engine for Lyons

Lyons FD Engine 1311

Gordon Nord, Jr. photo

Tags: , , ,