Excerpts from the Dailyherald.com:
When now-former Elgin Fire Chief Dave Schmidt started his career in Elgin in 1989, he was like a kid in a candy store whose only goal was to make a difference. Thirty years later, during his retirement ceremony Friday afternoon, he said he was honored to have worked for what he called the best fire department in the country.
Family members, residents, and colleagues showed up to say goodbye during the open house and retirement flag ceremony held at Fire Station 1.
Schmidt starts Monday as fire chief in Carrboro, North Carolina, which will allow his family to be closer to his son who lives in Tennessee.
After the ceremony, the city manager announced that Assistant Chief Robert Cagann will serve as interim fire chief, effective immediately.
#1 by Jim on January 8, 2020 - 6:22 PM
Is Elgin’s minimum staffing still 34? Does this include the battalion chief?
#2 by Mike C on January 8, 2020 - 6:05 PM
Elgin eliminated jump companies so now Quint 1 and Truck 2 are full-time trucks. For awhile Engine 1 and Truck 1 were jump companies as well as Engine 2 and Truck 2. It was causing confusion and inefficiency. All rigs are ALS so they still manage to run a pretty solid department with good coverage. The city council is okay settling with ISO 2.
#3 by Sebastian on January 8, 2020 - 5:09 PM
Mike, i live in Elgin.. i was curious when i saw quint 7 at station 1, but my curiosity got the best of me when they took engine 2 out of service. They were the second busiest engine company next to engine 5. Now they have truck 1, old engine 2/ engine 3 2009 kme im reserve as well! I thought that the kme would replace reserve engine 42 which is an old seagrave that looks like its had better days! I just don’t understand what elgin is doing with the fire department?? They seem to be playing musical apparatus and now think its smart having a 1. Something million dollar truck in quint 2 chasing ambos on calls? Maybe i am wrong.. but not sure!!i just don’t get all the changes
#4 by Mike C on January 8, 2020 - 1:56 PM
HA! Harry, where are you?
Supposedly the new quint will go to Quint 1 and Quint 7 will go back to Station 7. If you didn’t know Quint 7 is currently housed at Station 1 and Station 7 is using one of the 2009 KME’s.
#5 by Sebastian on January 8, 2020 - 10:45 AM
Mike C.. do you know which company will get the new quint?? also Maybe we should ask Harry that question since he knows everything ?
#6 by Mike C on January 8, 2020 - 7:15 AM
Sebastian – Very unlikely that it will happen. They have a new quint coming later this year. Hard to justify the quint then go back to jump companies.
#7 by Sebastian on January 8, 2020 - 3:30 AM
Lets hope now that they recommission engines 2 and 1
#8 by harry on January 7, 2020 - 5:51 PM
congrats fire chief Schmidt for your 30 years with elgin il fd
#9 by Mike C on January 7, 2020 - 4:32 PM
Chief Schmidt is a very fine gentleman.
I hope the City of Elgin considers looking external for a replacement…