From frcfr.org:
Much anticipated, we took delivery today of our new ambulance from Alexis Fire Equipment. The Type 1 ALS vehicle is made by McCoy Miller and will go in service within the next few weeks. This unit replaces Ambulance 1853 which was taken out of service in June due to mechanical issues.
Fox River & Countryside FPD photo
Fox River & Countryside FPD photo
thanks Martin
#1 by Ben R on August 16, 2019 - 1:36 PM
Nice looking ambulance! Have to agree with Mike C, the firefighters at FRCFR get a bad rap for no reason. I’d take a FRCFR FF to push down a hallway with me all day long versus the fat asses that bash on this site. Get a life, stop trying to knock other departments down, go out and train and make the fire service better not worse. And no, I don’t work at FRC
#2 by Mike C on August 16, 2019 - 8:15 AM
Austin – First off, don’t put words in my mouth. I didn’t say ” the district as a whole hates the fire fighters.” I’m telling you I know for a fact that neighboring firefighters don’t treat FRCFR with the same respect they treat other area firefighters. They’re treated as 2nd class firefighters which is BS.
_ I don’t care if you’re insulted over my fat ass comment. Don’t be weak. I’ve seen it in multiple cases where a FRCFR fire fighter easily out performs a overweight individual. Is that better? Do you like my political correctness?
– Regardless, if St. Charles bought land or was going to buy land, they were late in the game. FRCFR beat them to the punch!
– You made a comment than completely contradicted yourself the next sentence when you said ” But let me be clear again, the people of this part of Kane County have no gripes with them, so stop trying to stir the pot with misinformation.” Then you said “At the end of the day the department lost all trust by the residents, with their stupid arrogance and egos when this all started.”
-Just as I said in my original post, to many amateurs on this site like you. FRCFR needs the support of it’s people. I understand the residents frustration! I remember very clearly when this department was started the people were flat out lied to. They were told they would have improved coverage without any additional property taxes. Since then, FRCFR has tried to pass 6 or 7 referendums. The previous chief was terrible for the department. I don’t know about the current chief as you state. I do know FRCFR has some seasoned staff members though who excel in their day to day responsibilities.
#3 by Austin on August 15, 2019 - 7:53 PM
Mike C with all do respect, you don’t know what you are talking about in this situation. As a former resident there, and saw how it started, I have much more insight then you. I don’t mean this in a negative way, I get where you are coming from. However some of your points are off. First stop implying the district as a whole hates the fire fighters. This is not the case, and is a slap in the face to the 20,000 plus people who call that area home. I have never heard anyone say they don’t like the job they do. Pretty much the only person in the department people do not like is the chief.
As far as your point about the “fat asses on neighboring departments,” I find that insulting as well. I personally know people and have friends who are firefighters in St. Charles, West Chicago, and Elburn. They are all great departments with great people who also care. Also St. Charles is an ISO class 1 department, not some two bit entity. South Elgin, West Chicago, Elburn, and Pingree all have great departments, and hard working people. So I don’t know why you are putting them down. Now St. Charles has a legitimate reason to hate FRC, they were given next to no notice, and when the split happened basically demanded the tender stationed at Station 1 in St. Charles (STC). They really put STC in a bind by pulling that stunt, and was at the time STC just finishing replacing a lot of the fleet. So loosing all that money was very bad for them, especially while the area was struggling from the rescission.
As far as your argument about how they could have expanded, STC had land for a fourth station by STC North High School, and either had bought the land, or was going to buy land for an ambulance station very close to the FRC one in Campton Hills (by the intersections of Burlington Rd, Old Burlington Rd, and Bolcum. It was to be later expanded into a full station with an ambulance and engine. Also since 2010 Elburn added another station just north of RT. 47 and Rt. 64. Which actually brings me to another point, Elburn doesn’t like them because FRC tried to take part of Elburn’s district. FRC was trying to say it was unsafe having Elburn as your department. This pissed them off, as it should have. It just speaks to the arrogance of the department.
So you think the area doesn’t stand behind the men and women who are working the front lines is laughable. The residents gripe is with the chief, and the board, nothing more and nothing less. The firefighters are unfortunately caught in the middle. But let me be clear again, the people of this part of Kane County have no gripes with them, so stop trying to stir the pot with misinformation.
At the end of the day the department lost all trust by the residents, with their stupid arrogance and egos when this all started. There was no need to split from STC to begin with. Now if Campton Hills stepped up and said “we are going to take over our portion of the district, and be self sufficient,” the residents would accept it with open arms (so long as we pay close to what all the departments around us do). Honestly, that is the best outcome if they did that. Buy The station on Rt. 64 and have that be the Campton Hills station. I really hope something like this happens, not to mention Campton Hills has 13,000 people, so they should have their own.
I understand where you are coming from, but this situation has left a bad taste in the majority of peoples mouths in this district. It isn’t black and white, it isn’t something people see outside of the district. As someone who lived in what is now Campton Hills from ’82-’13, and has many friends and family there, the conversations we have, this is what people think. If you ever want to know whats going on, talk to the residents, not the firefighters. Our problem is not with them, its the board and Chief. Just to reiterate again, I am not mad at you and understand where you are coming from, but this is a very unique situation that can’t be fully understood unless you are a part of it.
#4 by CrabbyMilton on August 15, 2019 - 11:38 AM
I never worked in the fire service so the idea of brotherhood and comradery is something that’s lost on me.
However, what’s stopping people from rallying behind our fire fighters and police officers.
The petty behind the scenes crap is usually because of childish behavior which should be put down anyway and the rest will take care of itself.
Plus, the voters ought to pay attention to whom they vote for since that’s a reflection of them.
#5 by rich s. on August 15, 2019 - 9:48 AM
Mike C.,
The old days of “the brotherhood” are gone. The fire service has lost the element of family. It’s a job now no different than target. Sure there are members who try to retain the old ways but they are few and far i between. The fire service is treated as an corporate employment now. We are a hindrance to government and a tax burden to the public. If you think for one second that the area department would try to lift these guys up for there efforts your wrong there as well. The area department actively rally against these guys. I’ve seen on this very site people talk about how this particular department is so horrible. It’s really very sad.
#6 by Mike C on August 15, 2019 - 8:23 AM
This website has turned into a bunch of complaining amateurs! I am not affiliated with FRCFR in anyway but lets be clear on a few things.
-Most of the staff at FRCFR are GOOD people working to put a meal on their table, and/or get familiar with the fire service. Just because they’re non-union, and/or young with limited experience doesn’t mean they are bad people. I guarantee there is staffing on FRCFR that outperform some of the fat asses on neighboring departments.
– Surrounding fire departments treat FRCFR poorly. What happened to the brotherhood in the fire service?
– While we can all agree FRCFR has it’s share of issues, it also has some good things going on within the district. Some of the staffing come from a long history in the fire service with decades of experience.
– St. Charles, South Elgin, and Elburn missed the opportunity to expand their coverage when there was a need. Valley View developed with hundreds of additional citizens without any additional coverage until FRCFR was established. Wasco also developed with hundreds of additional citizens. Again, no additional fire service coverage was established until FRCFR was established. There was clearly a need for additional coverage.
To be clear again, I am not affiliated with FRCFR and I don’t even live in the district, but if you live in the district, support your firefighters. Show them that you’re grateful for them. You’d be surprised how far that goes. Stand in unity!
#7 by Austin on August 14, 2019 - 3:08 PM
Rich S there is so much more to this then the job the firefighters do. No one has a problem with rank and file employees, its the board and chief. The biggest is the vast majority never wanted it, they never had a solid plan, the board is inept, the chief is horrible, they lie, and are always “broke.” I used to live in the district, and I have family and friends who still do. There is so much more to the story, and has been written about locally in various Tri-City publications, the Tribune, and heavily discussed on this site. If you read everything, talk to people who live there, then you will understand why everyone hates the department so much.
#8 by Jim N on August 14, 2019 - 2:43 PM
Buy brand new rigs when they tell the tax payers they are broke great move. This department is built up on lies from the board members to the yahoos that run it. They lie about money, then purchase new rigs and paint the cans of ones for no reason. They don’t even staff safely. There have been non firefighters on fire rigs. Very unsafe
#9 by harry on August 14, 2019 - 1:50 PM
so was 1853 the e series
#10 by rich s. on August 14, 2019 - 1:20 PM
Why does everyone hate this department so much? I know guy that work there , they are just as dedicated to serving the public as any other place. I just don’t get it. No one wanted this district before, so they started, bumps in the road are inevitable , every place has issues. they are trying to do the best they can as far as I see. I just don’t get it.
#11 by harry on August 14, 2019 - 12:58 PM
rich didn’t u know when a dept says there broke and yet they buy new rigs how can they be broke
#12 by Rich on August 14, 2019 - 11:43 AM
I thought they where broke? Or dived up by now. Or do I have the wrong department?