Posts Tagged Chicago Fire Department

Still and Box Alarm fire in Chicago, 3/12/19

Mar 17

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos, Fire Scene video | 6 Comments

This from Steve Redick:

Took this in around 2230 Tuesday night at 2258 S. Blue Island Avenue. It sounded promising. A metal clad warehouse butted up against another building. Interesting that the size-up was no exposure problem yet it seemed obvious that there was a high potential, in fact they reported some fire in the adjoining building on fireground. TL 5 with the new rig as well as 28 with a new pumper and I guess what must be a spare command van.

More photos HERE:

Steve

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Tags: Chicago FD Engine 18, Chicago FD Engine 28, Chicago FD Squad 1A, Chicago FD Tower Ladder 5, Chicago Fire Department, night fire scene photos, Steve Redick

Chicago Fire Department news (more)

Mar 16

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from nbchcicago.com:

In a dramatic and contentious meeting Wednesday, the Chicago City Council approved (38-8) a controversial plan to build a $95 million police and fire academy on the city’s West Side. City hall was crowded for hours with a large and raucous crowd of roughly 300 members of the public, mostly young activists opposed to the academy, and a police presence to match.

Proponents of the new state-of-the-art academy say it will better equip police to fight crime using 21st century tactics and technologies. But the academy’s opponents say it could further militarize the police force and that those millions of dollars should instead be used to reinvest in blighted communities.

The academy will be built on a vacant plot of land in West Garfield Park, located at 4301 W. Chicago Ave. Protestors in the upper viewing gallery could be heard chanting “Let us in!” through the early floor debate on the contract.

Mayoral candidate Toni Preckwinkle said that as mayor, she “will not proceed with this project until we have a real conversation about public safety” and she commends the activists for speaking out.

Mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot she doesn’t support the academy because communities weren’t consulted before drafting a proposal. She would support a bigger, more expensive facility that could attract all levels of law enforcement.

The city council awarded the building contract to multi-national engineering giant which has overseen a number of notable projects and who previously was forced to pay a $57.5 million settlement to the U.S. Department of Energy for using deficient materials in their building of a nuclear weapons facility in Washington, and a subsidiary was charged by federal prosecutors for fraudulently billing clients over 10 years.

Tags: Chicago announces plans for new training academy, Chicago Fire Department, chicagoareafire.com, Joint Public Safety Training Academy

Chicago Fire Department news

Mar 3

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 9 Comments

Excerpts from Chicago.cbslocal.com:

Last summer, the Chicago Fire Department hailed the addition of five new ambulances as a step to cutting chronically slow response times to emergency calls. According to an analysis of eight months of Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) data the fleet was up to 80 ambulances.

A comparison of ambulance response times for the four months before the new ambulances were added to the same four months after the addition revealed that the average response times improved just four seconds– from seven minutes, 22 seconds to seven minutes, 18 seconds. The state standard is six minutes.

Response times were supposed to be helped when the University of Chicago opened its trauma center last spring because ambulances wouldn’t have to travel as far for critical runs, but the data shows only an incremental improvement.

Further analysis showed most ambulances go on 10 runs in a 24-hour period, but the busiest ambulances can have up to 18 runs a day.

At the current fleet level of 80 ambulances, Chicago ranks last in number of ambulances per one thousand people when compared to other big cities. If Chicago added 20 more ambulances the rate jumps to 3.7 per 1,000 people — meeting national norms. A recent industry report said the Chicago Fire Department needs to bring its fleet up to 100 ambulances.

In 2015, the Chicago Inspector General issued a report criticizing the fire department for not properly tracking response times.

The fire department said the data analyzed from the OEMC is unreliable, as well as data used by the inspector general. The department also questions data used by the paramedics union calling for more ambulances. The fire department claims they will be issuing their own report on response times in the next couple of months and said it is now manually reviewing data to identify discrepancies, technical issues, or operating errors. Until that is done, it cannot verify the accuracy of response time data.

Here is the entire statement provided by the Chicago Fire Department:

“Ensuring Chicago has the highest quality emergency medical services and rapid ambulance response times is our top priority. Following last summer’s expansion of the department’s ambulance fleet, CFD announced it would conduct a comprehensive analysis on the impact of the five new ambulances to ensure it meets the needs of Chicago.

To ensure the accuracy of this intensive study, CFD is reviewing data manually to determine any discrepancies, technical issues, or operating errors; the department estimates it will need no less than 45 days to complete this review. While the department’s analysis is underway, we cannot verify the accuracy of raw data and information that has not undergone a comprehensive review by the Chicago Fire Department.”

thanks Martin

Tags: Chicago adds ALS ambulances, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago lags other cities in ambulances per one thousand people, EMS response times in Chicago

Chicago Fire Department news (more)

Feb 28

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from chicagoinfrastructure.org:

The Chicago Infrastructure Trust (CIT), in coordination with the City of Chicago and the Department of Fleet and Facility Management (2FM), is pleased to lead the Chicago Joint Public Safety Training Academy (JPSTA) Project procurement. Intended to consolidate and replace various Chicago Police Department and fire department training facilities to a new centralized campus, designed to provide all of Chicago’s ~~first responders~~ police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel with modern facilities for learning and practicing the latest techniques in emergency response. The multi-stage CIT procurement is structured to identify highly qualified Design-Build teams with the requisite experience, capacity, and capabilities to work with the city to design and ultimately deliver the comprehensive training academy campus at 4301 W. Chicago Avenue.

The JPSTA Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued on October 11, 2017. Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) in response to the RFQ were received on November 20, 2017 (click here for list of respondents). On December 21, 2017 five RFQ Respondents were selected as eligible to respond to the JPSTA Request for Proposals (RFP). A list of the five JPSTA Shortlisted Respondents can be found here.

The JPSTA RFP was issued on May 31, 2018, soliciting proposals from five pre-qualified JPSTA Shortlisted Respondents. The JPSTA RFP is comprised of three volumes, which can be accessed through the links below and the documents tab of this webpage:

Volume I: Instructions to Respondents
Volume II: Contract Template
Volume III: JPSTA Reference Documents

thanks Dennis

Tags: Chicago announces plans for new training academy, Chicago Fire Department, chicagoareafire.com, Joint Public Safety Training Academy

Chicago Fire Department news (more)

Feb 27

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, FIre Stations | 32 Comments

Rendering of what will be the city’s second largest fire station in West Pullman (DLR Group)

Excerpts from chicagoconstructionnews.com:

The city is preparing to build its second largest fire station for $30 million in the West Pullman Neighborhood. The structure at 11900 S. Morgan Dr. for Engine Company 115 has been designed by DLR Groupand will be developed by the Public Building Commission.

The new building will be the second-largest fire station in the city, housing a Chicago Fire Department (CFD) District Office, an Office of Emergency Management, and Communications (OEMC) radio communication tower, and three ambulances.

The new 25,000 sq. ft. single-story fire station will include an indoor physical training space, full-size living quarters, and a workout facility for approximately 20 firefighters/EMTs/paramedics and eight officers. The facility will also feature a state-of-the-art emergency communication hub, watchtower, open office spaces, and a 4-bay apparatus room with a hose drying tower.

The city plans to build the fire station on vacant land at 119th Street and Morgan Street, replacing the existing Engine Company 115 located at 11940 South Peoria St. The anticipated opening is summer 2020.

Tags: Chicago Fire Department, chicagoareafire.com, conceptual drawings of new Chicago fire house, new Chicago fire station, new firehouse for Chicago Engine 115, Rendering of new Chicago Fire Station

2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 2-24-19 (more)

Feb 26

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos, Fire Scene video | Comments off

flames and smoke from commercial building fire

Mike Fox photo

Chicago FD Engine 72 with deck gun deployed

Mike Fox photo

Mike Fox photo

Tags: 2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago 2-24-19, Chicago FD Squad 5A, Chicago Fire Department, chicagoareafire.com, fire scene photos, fire scene video, Mike Fox, Steve Redick

2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 2-24-19

Feb 26

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | 3 Comments

This from Eric Haak:

Here is my effort from Sunday’s 2-11 on Commercial. Sunday (2/24) was an intensely windy day in the Chicago area which made for difficult firefighting conditions. The second 2-11 alarm for Chicago on this day was at 88th Street and Commercial Avenue and started in a pizza parlor that had occupied that address since the 1950’s. The fire was reported to have started in the rear of the structure and heavy winds blowing across from the west quickly escalated the incident. Most of my images were taken from the B/C corner. Kind of a cool image of the new and old tower ladder baskets working side by side. Hope you enjoy.

heavy smoke and flames from commercial building fire

Eric Haak photo

Eric Haak photo

Chicago Firefighters prepare to deploy Squad 5A

Eric Haak photo

Chicago FD Engine 72 with deck gun flowing

Eric Haak photo

Eric Haak photo

Tags: 2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago 2-24-19, Chicago FD Engine 72, Chicago FD Squad 5A, Chicago Fire Department, Eric Haak, fire scene photos

New dive rescue unit for Chicago

Feb 25

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire truck being built | 5 Comments

Production photos of a new truck being built for the CFD Scuba Team 687 at E-ONE so#142284

E-ONE so#142284 dive squad for the Chicago FD

E-ONE photo

Tags: Chicago Fire Department, E-ONE so#142284 dive squad being built for the Chicago FD, fire truck being built, new truck for the Chicago FD Scuba Team 687

2-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, 2-24-19

Feb 25

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | 2 Comments

This from Chi-Town Fire Photos:

2-24-19

Ambulance 77 reported smoke from the roof of a 3-sty building Sunday afternoon at 1838 S. St. Louis. The MFAO filled it out and gave the 14th Battalion a working fire right away. Engine 38 arrived and had heavy fire showing from a 3-sty brick, three-flat in the rear, extending to the exposure to the south. Battalion 14 boxed it shortly after his arrival. Chicago was experiencing very high winds gusting upwards of 50MPH. After trying to make the 3rd floor, the chief pulled all companies out of the building to regroup. Multiple handlines were dropped from 38 and 109. I believe that the 2-11 was requested for manpower.

A full gallery can be found here

heavy fire from 3rd floor of 3-flat building

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Firefighters move hose in street at fire scene

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Chi-Town Fire Photos

Tags: 2-11 alarm fire in Chicago, chi-town fire photos, Chicago FD Engine 38, Chicago FD Truck 48, Chicago Fire Department, fire scene photos

3-11 Alarm fire and Haz Mat Level 1 in Chicago, 2-21-19 (more)

Feb 22

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos | Comments off

This from Steve Redick:

Took this in about 0515 Thursday. Very tough to get any decent images, the L tracks and heavy smoke covered the front. The one view of the rear and upwind was decent but badly arcing wires kept me from getting too close. It was a plating company so haz mat protocols were in place with some local evacuations. Nice to see the new TL5 working. TL10 had an old HME spare and operated very sparingly.

All the images can be seen here:

Steve