Oct 14
From Decatur Fire Department Facebook:
Old Boston Rescue 1 up and running for the DFD. It carries Technical Rescue/Haz-Mat and SCUBA equipment. Our firefighters did a great job cleaning it and installing the lettering and graphics. Total investment was less than $50,000. Should serve Decatur for the next 10 years.
Decatur Fire Department photo
Here’s a photo of the unit when it was in service with Boston Rescue 1
Larry Shapiro photo
Feb 18
This from Mitch Hartman:
I know this isn’t Chicago Fire Dept news but Decatur FD took delivery of Boston’s Rescue 1 former Pierce Quantum heavy rescue for use as their special ops rig to replace the old IH/ Hackney hazmat truck and special ops trailer. Hopefully they keep the twin Mars 888’s. Here is the link to their FB post.
Our new (used) Special Operations vehicle arrived last night from Boston, Massachusetts. This will replace our old squad and our haz mat trailer. The vehicle was previously Rescue 1 for the Boston Fire Department. Our special operations members will spend a couple of weeks mounting equipment before it is ready for service in Decatur.
Decatur FD photo
Decatur FD photo
Excerpts from wandtv.com:
Members of Decatur Firefighters Local 505 shopped with local kids for the annual Shop with a Fireman effort. The firefighter’s union shopped with 19 Decatur kids at Walmart North on Wednesday night.
Last year, members weren’t able to shop with kids because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers said they were happy to be able to shop with the kids once again.
The money used to shop for the kids comes from Local 505 members.
Oct 26
Excerpts from the Herald-Review.com:
On Monday, the doors of Fire Station 3, the oldest working station in Decatur, were closed as firefighters and their equipment were moved around the corner to the new Fire Station 6 in Fairview Plaza.
The building is nearly 100 years old, with additions being made throughout the years. The station was built in 1927, originally labeled Station 6. It was a mirror-image of another station on the corner of Clay and 22nd streets, which closed years ago. The day room, kitchen and training room were in one small room on the main level with a dorm room for sleeping located in the upstairs area.
The new station has modern facilities, with individual rooms for firefighters and more space for equipment and living areas.
For Deputy Chief Jim Ohl, the move is bittersweet. He spent more than 18 years of his career at the old station working with the same group of firefighters for nearly 10 years.
Plans for another new building, Station 7, are in the works at Chestnut and 36th streets. The fate of the old Station 3 is unknown at this time.
Found at Govdeals.com:
1994 Pierce Lance platform aerial
Auction Ends 6/10/21 8:00 PM ET Remaining 9 Days 9 Hrs Refresh Bid & Time Reserve Not Met Admin Fee: 7.50% Starting Bid $100.00 Bids 7 High Bidder a********1 Current Bid $3,600.00 Bid Increment $50.00 Minimum Bid $3,650.00 Ladder was inspected and passed in August of 2020. 8933 hours on engine and 1715 hours on the aerial. Vehicle is in Fair condition. All books and manuals are in the truck.
**Hose, ground ladders and equipment are not included**
Inspected and serviced every 400 hours.
Decatur FD photo
Decatur FD photo
thanks Martin
A big Thank You to the Bloomington Fire Department, and the City of Bloomington, for loaning us a ladder truck to use while ours is out-of-service following the traffic accident last Sunday. Don’t be alarmed when you see the Bloomington ladder truck responding to calls in Decatur the next couple of months.
Aug 12
Excerpts from wandtv.com:
The Decatur Fire Department is down a ladder truck after someone crashed into the rig over the weekend. Truck 1 was headed west on Grand Avenue early Sunday morning when a car traveling on Monroe Street crashed into the rear of the passenger side.
The department has four ladder trucks, but only one is in service, and it is also damaged after a woman turned in front of it back in January. The loss of a ladder truck comes at a busy time for the department. Last year by this date, the department had responded to 100 fires. As of Monday, they’ve responded to 155.
The crash caused the department to rearrange rigs. Truck 3, which was housed at Station 2, has moved to Station 1 and now Truck 2 is working out of a reserve engine. This loss of a ladder truck is detrimental to the city.
Oct 11
Excerpts from wandtv.com:
Decatur firefighters were sent Tuesday to a boarded-up, three story commercial structure at 1891 N. Water St. where flames had started at an area along the back of the structure at the roof line. Firefighters
respondershad the fire under control in about 20 minutes. While on scene, a car hit the fire truck which was mostly unscathed, but firefightersresponderssaid the car sustained heavy damage. The driver, a 50-year-old man, received at least one citation.
Oct 31
Excerpts from the Herald-Review.com:
Karla L. Dillon died at 8:44 a.m. in a fire in the 1700 block of North 33rd St. in Decatur. The Decatur Fire Department said it was called just before 7 a.m. Saturday and a neighbor told firefighters that someone was inside the house. Smoke and fire were evident from the outside when firefighters arrived on the scene. They extinguished the fire in the living room and searched the house, finding the occupant in a hallway.
One dog also died, and another was revived with a PET mask. Three cats had hidden in a crawl space and also survived.
Jul 25
Excerpts from wandtv.com:
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Firefighter Tom Brauer, a 27-year veteran of the Decatur Fire Department, who passed away while off-duty in his home.
A visitation will be held Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at #1 Bachrach Ct. in Decatur. Firefighter lineup will begin at 11:30 for a walk-through at noon.
A memorial service will immediately follow the visitation.
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
