Archive for September 10th, 2019

East Peoria Fire Department news

Excerpts from the pjstar.com:

East Peoria Fire Chief John Knapp expertly pitched the need for a new fire truck at this week’s city council meeting. What he got in return was not the familiar response the fire department is more accustomed to. The council said no.

The council voted 3-2 to deny the request to spend $340,000 for a new demo fire truck, rather than pay upward of $200,000 to repair two old ones. Commissioners Mark Hill and Mike Sutherland voted against the purchase. Commissioner Seth Mingus, who’s role on the council is to oversee the operations of the fire department, and Dan Decker who is both a commissioner and an assistant chief on the East Peoria Fire Department, supported the purchase of the fire truck. The mayor expressed his doubts before casting the deciding vote.

A budgeted and approved plan to repair the prematurely rusted frames of two front line trucks changed recently when a new option to buy a discounted fire truck was offered by Pierce Manufacturing. Instead of repairing two old trucks — a 2000 and a 1996 —to be used as necessary back-ups, Pierce offered a 2019 demo at a cost of $380,000, paid over two years. Fire trucks typically cost around $550,000. And while the new truck would solve the problem of repairing the old ones at a cost of around $200,000 and fill all front-line and back-up slots in the department’s fleet with reliable vehicles, it would cost the city more than the old solution.

The ensuing debate was illuminating. Simplified, the disagreement narrowed to a fight between between the fiscally responsible and the staunch advocates for public safety. It went south from there. One commissioner tied his potential support of the demo fire truck to the result of on-going contract negotiations with the city’s firefighter union. Linking the contract to the purchase of a fire truck rankled another.

 

 

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Area fire department receive grants

Excerpts from the journalreview.com:

Calumet City, Flossmoor, Crete Township, and South Holland fire departments have received a combined total of $610,000 in grant money to improve their stations and get equipment that will increase firefighter safety.

The Calumet City Fire Department was awarded a $142,000 grant, which will go toward updating two of its fire station’s ventilation systems to air out toxic vehicle exhaust fumes. The department will also use the funds to buy 15 sets of turnout gear and 38 helmets.

They previously had been awarded multiple grants through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which provided the department with a mobile training simulator, specialized training props, personal protective equipment and a special response vehicle.

In 2018, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program made $315 million directly available to fire department, state fire training academies, and emergency medical service organizations to buy equipment, emergency vehicles and fund training.

The Flossmoor Fire Department received $222,345 and will buy emergency breathing equipment, replacing equipment that was nearly 20 years old.

The Crete Township Fire Protection District was awarded $52,380 and plans to install fire station vehicle exhaust systems. South Holland Fire Department was given $193,409 to buy new air packs.

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2-Alarm fire in Griffith, IN 9-7-19

Photos from Tim Olk of a 2-Alarm fire at 438 N Colfax in Griffith, IN 9/7/19.

firefighters battle a car fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighters battle a car fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighters battle a car fire

Tim Olk photo

firefighters battle a car fire

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of a house fire

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of burned out cars

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of burned out cars

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of burned out cars

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of house fire

Tim Olk photo

aftermath of a burned out house

Tim Olk photo

firefighter extinguishes a car fire

Tim Olk photo

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