Archive for December 1st, 2020

Our Lady of the Angels anniversary

Excerpts from the ChicagoSunTimes.com:

An oversized, multicolored quilt, deemed the “Quilt of the Angels,” was draped over the altar at the Church of the Holy Family in Little Italy for Sunday’s 5 p.m. Mass. The names and ages of all 95 victims from the Our Lady of Angels School fire in 1958 are stitched on each patch.

Tuesday marks the 62nd anniversary of the Our Lady of Angels School fire that killed 92 elementary-school students and three nuns. On Sunday, about 50 people gathered for Mass at the Church of the Holy Family to remember the lives lost, the families of the victims, the survivors and the first responders.

During the ceremony, Larry Furio and his lifelong friend and fellow survivor, Frank Giglio, read off the names of each victim. The pain of that day still lingers. The event rocked the West Side and resulted in many grief-stricken families moving away.

This year’s memorial service almost didn’t happen because of the coronavirus, but organizers worked to ensure proper safety protocols were in place. Every other row of pews was roped off with brown-and-gold ribbon to ensure proper social distancing, and everyone in attendance wore masks.

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Springfield Fire Department news (more)

Excerpts from sj-r.com:

Brandon Blough has been appointed as the new Springfield fire chief. Three candidates from within the department were interviewed for the position

Blough was a member of the senior command staff, serving as deputy division chief of operations. He was promoted to the position in 2018. Prior to that he was a captain, driver engineer, and firefighter. He was also a member of the dive team. He currently sits on the board of directors of the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association, a group that represents the more than 600 police and fire pension funds in Illinois. He served on the Springfield Firefighters’ Pension Board from 2009 to 2018, first as a trustee and later president. Prior to joining the SFD, Blough was a legal sergeant with the Illinois Army National Guard from 1989 to 1995.

The city’s fire pension systems is currently about 42% funded. Nearly $270 million in additional funds will be needed above what the city is expected to collect in property tax revenue in order to meet the state law requiring that local pension systems be 90 percent funded by 2040, according to a city presentation from 2019. The city’s annual contribution to its fire and police pension systems has exceeded the property tax levy for the past several years.

Blough will be tasked with maintaining the department’s Class 1 rating, which it regained in 2018 after being downgraded in 2003. The ratings system looks at a city’s fire suppression capabilities by grading the fire department, the emergency communications system, the city’s water supply and efforts toward community risk reduction.

His annual salary as chief will be $137,000.

Blough’s father, William “Billy” Blough, was on the fire department from 1972 to 1999. He retired as a driver-engineer.

Fire Marshal Ed Canny, a 23-year department veteran who is also the chief of the department’s fire safety division, will continue to be the point person for the COVID-19 response. 

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Chicago Special Ops ATV for sale

Found at publicsurplus.com: – This was used as a special events small ambulance.

Auction #2671853 – 2007 CUB CADET BIG COUNTRY ATV (USED)

Year:  2007  2004
Make:  CUB CADET BIG COUNTRY  
Model:  TRANSPORT PRO  
Mileage:  948  
VIN:  5VCDC6JF4AH210069  
Running Condition:  MAY START WITH A JUMP  
Current Price. $1,325.00
Time Left.   1 day 4 hours
High Bidder. frank7337
# of Bids.  12 
First Offer.  $100.00
Auction Started.  Nov 25, 2020 8:34:32 AM MST
Auction Ends.      Dec 2, 2020 2:30:00 PM MST
Chicago FD EMS ATV for sale
 
Chicago FD EMS ATV for sale
 
Chicago FD EMS ATV for sale

thanks Dennis

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