Archive for November, 2019

New Command and Communications Van for Chicago

This from Danny Nelms:

Contract has been signed with pierce to build a replacement for 2-7-9 mobile communication van.
Chicago FD orders new Mobile Communications Van from Pierce

click for download

Chicago FD orders new Mobile Communications Van from Pierce

click for download

Chicago FD orders new Mobile Communications Van from Pierce

click for download

Chicago FD orders new Mobile Communications Van from Pierce

click for download

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New home for Schaumburg ladder truck

This from Danny Nelms:

From Public Service Vehicles Facebook Page:

West Warwick Ladder 1 – 2000 E-One Hurricane 110′ RMA (former Schaumburg, IL Truck 52 & Reserve Truck) (Purchased 2019)

new home for Schaumburg fire truck

From Public Service Vehicles Facebook Page

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Carol Stream Fire District news

new fire chief for Carol Stream FPD

click to download larger file

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Fire service history … Peter Pirsch & Sons (more)

This for #TBT from Mike Summa:

For TBT – Part 2, Pirsch aerials, I am sure everyone has a story about Pirsch aerials.  Enjoy and comment.
Mike Summa
classic Pirsch fire truck aerial literature

click to download a larger file

classic Pirsch fire truck aerial literature

click to download a larger file

classic Pirsch fire truck aerial literature

click to download a larger file

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Of interest … Illinois’ oldest volunteer fire department

Excerpts from kmov.com:

The story begins in 1736, when Benjamin Franklin founded the Union Fire company. By 1871, a Union Fire Company was launched in Centreville, Illinois with 32 members.

This is where the story gets a bit confusing, because the town 10 miles south of Centreville also named themselves Centreville.

Incredibly, this went on for about 50 years before the southern Centreville realized they had a problem, so in 1890 they changed their name to Millstadt, and the Centreville Fire Department eventually evolved into the Millstadt Union Fire Company.

Millstadt is a proud, historic town of German ancestry. As other fire departments came and went, Millstadt stayed the course.

Today, the Union Fire Company of Millstadt is the oldest continuous volunteer fire department in Illinois.

Operations began with hand-operated pumps, which the men pulled to fires, with hose reels on wheels and leather fire buckets. And they responded to much more than fire calls.

Millstadt Fire Chief Kurt Pellman oversees 32 active volunteer members, including his son. Technology has provided pagers now to alert his force in case of a fire. But back in the day, technology was a bit different.

“We would blow the town sirens three times if we had a fire,” Pellman recalled. “If it blew a fourth time, everybody came in.”

Among the Millstadt volunteers is Ralph Schaefer, whose great grandfather immigrated in the 1870s. Robert Stumpf’s family came from Germany in the 1840s. He has served with the unit since 1956, including time as fire chief. Butch Hettenhausen’s family arrived in the mid-1800s, and has spent his life volunteering.

“Old trucks used to have boots in them,” Pellman said. “You had to hope you got the final pair. Our only protection were raincoats. Nobody ever heard of a breathing apparatus.”

“We had two boots and three coats,” remembered Stumpf. “We pretty much went in without any protection.”

The Union Fire Department covers 96 square miles, a large swath of southern Illinois rural land. They rely on and have received tremendous support from the community over the years. Millstadt has remained a tight-knit town.

Through all the years, the fires, and the volunteers, what stands the test of time is the men who braved it all. Firefighters who didn’t show up for community events back in the day were fined 50 cents. Don’t even consider missing a funeral procession.

Click on the link above for photos and the full article.

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North Riverside Fire Department news

Excerpts from the rblandmark.com:

On Nov. 18, even though the company’s proposal was the more expensive option, a majority of the North Riverside village board said they would vote in favor of extending a contract for another five years for paramedic services with Paramedic Services of Illinois (PSI), which has provided paramedic services for the village for more than three decades.

But that extension was conditioned on the village administration pledging to explore the North Riverside Firefighters Union Local 2714 proposal to hire full-time and part-time paramedics in order to wean the village from its reliance on a private company.

Two of the paramedic proposals submitted to the village on Aug. 16 were from private firms, PSI and Metro Paramedic Services. Each submitted a proposal for a five-year contract, with Metro’s price coming in at $2,415,441, compared to PSI’s $2,530,200.

North Riverside Firefighters Union 2714 also submitted a proposal to staff the village ambulances with part-time paramedics, but the proposal didn’t meet the requirements of the village’s request.

A quick calculation performed by the village’s fire chief, but not submitted to the administration prior to Nov. 18, indicated such a proposal could cost an estimated $2.1 million over five years, but the finance director said she couldn’t vouch for the figures.

The union’s proposal was inspired by the Village of Bensenville’s solution for paramedic staffing, employing in-house full- and part-time paramedics. Two trustees said that option was worth exploring after visiting the Bensenville Fire Department to get more information.

With only three paramedics assigned full time by PSI to North Riverside, and with PSI’s contract extension twisting in the wind, Fire Chief John Kiser said it was becoming difficult to convince contract paramedics to commit to being assigned permanently to North Riverside. While the village’s ambulance is fully staffed each shift, the turnover in personnel on those shifts is enormous. He also suggested extending PSI’s contract at this time to avoid a change that could result in an all-new crew of paramedics being assigned to North Riverside.

Two trustees opposed extending PSI’s contract, with one proposing to throw out the proposals the village accepted in August and seek new ones, even though PSI’s latest proposal represents a decrease in the fee the village now pays. He said that by rejecting the proposals and seeking new ones, the companies would get the message that they need to be more competitive. In fiscal year 2019-20, North Riverside budgeted $523,000 for paramedic services. Over five years, such a fee would equate to $2,615,000.

The village board will formally vote to extend the contract with PSI at its meeting on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. in the council chamber of the Village Commons, 2401 Desplaines Ave.

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Chicago Fire Department news

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is investigating an incident involving a stroke victim’s call to 911.

If you need an address you can more than likely find it on your smartphone in the time it takes for you to read this paragraph. But NBC 5 has learned that emergency dispatchers in Chicago do not have ready access to smart phones or other basic map resources if someone calling from a cell phone is unable to provide a numerical address.

The OEMC is currently investigating an October 2nd incident involving a stroke victim’s calls to 911 in which two dispatchers told him they could not send an ambulance without an address, even though the man repeatedly provided the name of his hotel.

Duane Raible of Pennsylvania called 911 from his cell phone and told the dispatchers that his face was numb, he was dizzy and that he was at the Thompson Chicago Hotel. But the dispatchers insisted that he provide an address He could not reach the hotel room phone, but eventually used Siri on his smart phone to locate the address and relay it to a 911 dispatcher. It took nearly ten minutes from the time he first called 911 to the time an ambulance was sent.

Paramedics eventually arrived and took him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a major stroke in his brain stem.

NBC 5 asked OEMC if dispatchers can use a cellphone to look up an address. OEMC’s answer: “No.”

NBC 5 also asked OEMC if it has access to internet-based map systems, a city directory, a hotel directory, or the Yellow pages. “We are looking at additional ways to provide additional sources in which to obtain locations from callers,” the agency said.

OEMC said it does have internet-accessible computers in their offices – just not on dispatchers’ desks.

A spokesperson said OEMC is committed to providing the best possible service to 911 callers and is working on ways in which to do so, including updating procedures, protocols and technology.

thanks Ron

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Des Plaines Fire Department news

new fire chief in Des Plaines IL

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thanks Minas

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Chicago Fire Department news

Excerpts from Fox32Chicago.com:

Five people, including four firefighters, were hospitalized Sunday when the brakes failed on a Chicago Fire Department fire truck, sending it into a vehicle at an intersection in Chatham on the South Side.

Engine 122 out of 101 E. 79th St., was traveling north on King Drive with its emergency lights activated about 7 a.m. when its brakes failed as it passed through the intersection at 75th Street. The pumper hit an eastbound vehicle, injuring a woman in the driver’s seat who was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. Chicago fire officials have since said that she has been stabilized.

Four firefighters were also injured in the crash. Three have already been released from the hospital and the fourth was expected to be released later Sunday.

From CFDMedia on Twitter:

Shortly after 7am, E122 was involved in an accident with a vehicle containing one passenger at 75th & King Drive. 3 CFD members have been discharged and a 4th CFD member is expected to be released later today. Civilian passenger is stable at U of C. Incident under investigation.

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New tower ladder for Chicago

This from Danny Nelms:

Photos from the last week or so at the  emergency one plant in Ocala Florida. New unit is believed to be going to tower Ladder 10.

Up close photo is from Josh Slagel
The photo with people in it is from the emergency one official Facebook page from their Family Day open house.
new E-ONE tower ladder

Josh Slagel photo

new E-ONE tower ladder

E-ONE photo

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