Archive for February 22nd, 2020

Chicago Fire Department news

Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

Chicago firefighters responded shortly before 10:50 a.m. Thursday for a fire in a row house in the 900-block of South Lawndale Avenue in Homan Square. Firefighters arrived and found a man hurt on the ground after the he jumped from the second floor of the burning home. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious-to-critical condition after suffering from smoke inhalation. A woman in her 30s was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. The fire was extinguished just before it spread to another unit. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Palatine Fire Department news

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The Palatine Fire Department will host a brief ceremony Sunday morning to recognize the service and sacrifice of three Palatine volunteer firefighters who died in the line of duty fighting a fire 47 years earlier.

On Feb. 23, 1973, volunteer firefighters John Wilson, Richard Freeman and Warren Ahlgrim lost their lives fighting a fire in the Ben Franklin store in downtown Palatine. The early morning fire started in the basement of the store and quickly spread throughout the building. Wilson, Freeman, and Ahlgrim were on the first hose line and died while fighting the fire in the basement of the store.

The memorial ceremony will be held at the Palatine Firefighter’s Memorial at the corner of North Brockway and West Slade streets in the village’s downtown. The Palatine Fire Honor Guard will step off from Station 85 at 39 E. Colfax at about 8:45 a.m. and march to the memorial. The ceremony will begin at about 9 a.m. and include a wreath presentation and ringing of the ceremonial fire bell honoring the three firefighters that paid the ultimate sacrifice 47 years ago.

The ceremony is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

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Working fire in Northfield, 2-21-20

Northfield firefighters were called to 2132 Middlefork Rd on Friday for fire in a house being renovated. First arriving units had fire on the wood-shingle roof.

Pierce Arrow XT fire truck

Max Weingardt photo

Northfield Fire-Rescue Department

Max Weingardt photo

Norethfield Fire-Rescue Department

Max Weingardt photo

Norethfield Fire-Rescue Department

Max Weingardt photo

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Cherry Valley Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from rrstar.com:

The Cherry Valley Fire Protection District wants a proposed $2.25 million bond sale that will go before voters on the March 17 ballot. The owner of a $100,000 home will see a $22 annual increase in property taxes over the 10-year life of the bonds.

If voters approve the proposal, district officials will use the money to pay off debt related to construction of Station No. 2 at 4919 Blackhawk Road, $1.1 million; improvements to the district’s downtown administration building, $92,764; and purchases of two used firetrucks, $780,254; and a new ambulance, $300,000.  The district makes annual loan payments of $272,151 plus $77,163 per year in interest which prevent officials from being able to sock away money to pay for future firetrucks and building repairs.

The Cherry Valley Fire Protection District is a separate taxing body from the village of Cherry Valley. The district covers 30 square miles and serves a population of 31,000 people. Station No. 2 was built in 2001.

Like many fire departments around the nation, the Cherry Valley Fire Protection District found it difficult to attract and retain volunteer firefighters. To maintain an adequate level of protection for its 30-square-mile service area, in 2006 the district began to employ full-time firefighters but capital funding stopped. Two years later, the recession hit. The district’s two primary sources of revenue, property taxes and ambulance fees, have failed to keep pace with rising operating expenses.

The district’s operating budget has nearly doubled, from $2.3 million in the 2005-2006 fiscal year to $4.5 million this fiscal year. Of that amount, $2.3 million is budgeted for wages and benefits for the administrative staff, 15 full-time firefighters and 25 paid on-call firefighters. They have instituted several cost-saving measures which included streamlining the district’s fleet of vehicles by eliminating two rescue squads, one grass rig, one ambulance, one utility vehicle, and two trailers. The district’s remaining vehicles, however, are aging and often need costly repairs. Less than four years ago three fire trucks, purchased in 1988, 1997, and 2008, all broke down at the same time. Cherry Valley found itself leasing a reserve fire truck from Rockford at a rate of $500 a day until the trucks were repaired. Other cost-saving measures included elimination of two annual events — the vehicle extrication competition, which Cherry Valley firefighters hosted, and the district’s awards ceremony. The elimination of the two events saved the district about $30,000.

Public presentations about the referendum question are scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 27 and 2 p.m. Feb. 29

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