Posts Tagged East Dundee Fire Protection District

East Dundee FPD celebrates 125 years

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The East Dundee FPD is celebrating its 125th anniversary. [According to] Jason Parthun, the fire district’s assistant fire chief, many have heard stories that people back then put out their fires with the help of their neighbors.

“There were no sirens, pagers or 9-1-1. People saw something burning and shouted for help,” Parthun said. “A bucket brigade of volunteers handed pails of water to each other to throw on the fire.”

After enough of those fires, East Dundee residents, whose village was only 19 years old, decided they needed organization and formed an all-volunteer fire department. They brought a horse or two and a fire wagon, and they were in business. Unfortunately, no records of early calls or later purchases remain; only 1920-era photographs of volunteers standing next to a fire truck stand as proof that the department existed before fire district was formed in 1959.

There was an advantage to turning the department into a fire district. A district gave East Dundee fire trustees the authority to charge property taxes to pay for equipment and services. Even though the village and the district were still in their infancies, fire trustees still had to pay for gasoline to power the trucks. They also had to build a fire station to house the trucks.

“The first firehouse was on Third Street,” said Mark Guth, one of the oldest East Dundee residents still active with the fire district. “It had two (truck) bays and room on the second floor to store the hay for the horses.”

In 1959, the house was torn down and replaced with a brick building that still stands, but no longer serves as a firehouse. The village’s police department has taken the structure over because it needed more room. Within the last year, the fire department opened a station along Route 25.

Guth is president of the district’s board of trustees. He has also worked as a firefighter and was the district’s first paramedic in 1975.

“I started with the fire district in 1959, and firefighters were paid $2 for each call,” he said. “At the end of the year, the firefighters received IOUs from the district because it didn’t have the money to pay us.”

In his first year of services, firefighters responded to 25 calls. Their services covered hundreds of residents. Today, the fire district covers 10,000 residents from the Fox River to South Barrington [and]  has 30 full-and part-time firefighters and paramedics who responded to 1,350 calls last year.

Through its history, many East Dundee firefighters were related to each other and helped the department grow. Max Freeman was the district’s first fire chief. His brother, Earl, the only East Dundee firefighter to die in the line of duty, was a firefighter who died of a heart attack in 1958 after responding to a call.

Eugene Rakow served as fire chief until retiring in the 1980s. His son, Mark, took his place as chief.

Even Guth comes from a line of firefighters. His father, Marcus, served on the East Dundee Fire Department. His son, Mark Guth III, works for the West Dundee Fire Department.

A five-alarm blaze, the largest fire the department [battled was in] March 2007. Lightning struck and destroyed the abandoned Dundee Lumber Co. on Barrington Avenue.

thanks Dan

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New engine for the East Dundee FPD

From the Alexis web site:

fire engine being built

Alexis Fire Equipment photo

fire engine being built

Alexis Fire Equipment photo

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New area apparatus orders

This from Josh Boyajian:

East Dundee – Ordered a Spartan Metro Star pumper 1500/500 from Alexis

Pingree Grove & Countryside – A 2015 Ferrara rescue pumper on a Cinder cab & chassis 1500/750

Huntley FPD – A 2015 Pierce Enforcer pumper 1500/750

Itasca FPD – A 2015 Pierce Velocity pumper 1500/750

Palatine – A 2015 Ferrara  rescue pumper on an Igniter cab & chassis 1500/750

Rockford – (2) Pierce Saber PUC pumper 1500/750/30

Mount Prospect – A 2014 Pierce Quantum engine 1500/500

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Talks progress towards consolidating fire department services

The Courier-News has an article about the consolidation talks between the Carpentersville and West Dundee Fire Departments:

As talks continue on the possibility of Carpentersville and West Dundee consolidating fire services, local officials are eager to keep the momentum going.

To that end, West Dundee board members authorized village staff Monday to develop a request for proposal to determine the cost of an in-depth study on consolidation.

West Dundee Village President Chris Nelson said an outside entity can help officials “evaluate the prospect of the consolidation because it is a very complex issue.”

The scope of the possible consolidation has also broadened, with both East Dundee Fire District and Rutland-Dundee Township Fire Protection Districts showing an interest. Efforts are underway currently to take steps toward a more functional consolidation, where the fire department districts would remain separate but work together more in responding to incidents and purchasing equipment.

West Dundee Chief Randy Freise told village officials that Carpentersville has agreed to provide battalion chief coverage in West Dundee for all structure fires, vehicle accidents with extrication, and major incidents at Spring Hill Mall.

Freise also plans to meet with East Dundee Fire Chief Steve Schmitendorf and Carpentersville Deputy Chief John Skillman to discuss the possibility of sharing a training officer.

Nelson said having consistent training not only saves money but also makes sure firefighters are working together and operating as a team.

“Not just for the village of West Dundee but for the other departments and taxpayers,” Nelson said. “Our ultimate goal is to enhance the service level in an affordable way. It’s great we’re able to move the ball on this.”

thanks Dan

Previous posts are HERE and HERE.

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New fire station for East Dundee FPD (more)

This from Tyler Tobolt:

East Dundee’s new fire station at 401 Route 25 just north of Route 72 . Home of Engine 41, Ambulance 41, Tanker 41, the reserve ambulance, maz-mat / dive trailer, all chief buggies.

 

new fire station

New fire station for the East Dundee Fire Protection District. Tyler Tobolt photo

 

inside of fire station

Tyler Tobolt photo

 

new fire station

Tyler Tobolt photo

 

inside of fire station

Tyler Tobolt photo

 

new fire station

Tyler Tobolt photo

 

 

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New fire station for East Dundee FPD (more)

The Courier-News has an article on the new fire station for the East Dundee FPD:

A year after construction began on East Dundee’s new fire station, officials moved this past week into their new digs along Route 25.

“It’s been great,” said Fire Chief Steve Schmitendorf. “And the biggest thing we’ve noticed — which is what we thought would happen — is that our response time is much better out of this building. Especially anything in the eastern end of our district. Obviously, going back by the old station will take a little longer, but it is downhill and we don’t navigate those narrow streets anymore.”

A $5.5 million referendum approved by taxpayers in November 2012 made possible the new fire station, located near Routes 25 and 72. Fire officials said the area is more centrally located to serve their entire district, which extends as far east as Higgins Road and Interstate 90. The district serves the villages of East Dundee, South Barrington and Barrington Hills, and unincorporated Kane and Cook counties.

The move also means more room for the East Dundee Police Department, which will expand into the fire department’s old building on Third Street.

The land the new fire station is built on is owned by the village. Both fire and village officials agreed to swap the land for the current fire department building. To make the exchange more equitable, since the village was receiving three acres of land with a complete building, East Dundee officials said they would donate $100,000 per year to the East Dundee Fire Protection District — a separate taxing body — for the 20-year life of the loan to build the station to offset payment of the bonds.

A community open house is planned for the fall, to coincide with Fire Prevention Week.

thanks Dan

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New Fire Station for East Dundee FPD (more)

This from Tyler Tobolt:

Here is an updated photo of the new East Dundee Fire Station on Rt 25 North of Rt 72.
fire station under construction

Current photo of the new fire station being built for the East Dundee FPD. Tyler Tobolt photo

Previous posts with progress are HERE and HERE

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New fire station for East Dundee FPD

This from Tyler Tobolt:

New East Dundee FPD fire station update. Current photos of what the station looks like now.
Thanks Tyler Tobolt.
fire station being built

Construction update for the new fire station in East Dundee. Tyler Tobolt photo

fire station being built

Construction update for the new fire station in East Dundee. Tyler Tobolt photo

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QuadCom renumbering fire departments

This from Henry Gruba:

This document outlines the renumbering of the apparatus and stations of the West Dundee, East Dundee, Rutland Dundee, and Carpentersville Fire Department.  I hope it is of interest.  Henry Gruba
Quadcom renumbers fire stations in Illinois Quadcom renumbers fire stations in Illinois

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An excellent article describing the use of auto-aid

The Courier-News has an article which discusses the physical growth of the City of Elgin and describes how, through automatic-aid agreements the fire department provides service to all areas of their district.

If you live or travel at the edges of Elgin’s boundaries and you’re involved in an accident, need an ambulance or have a fire at your home, there’s a chance the Elgin Fire Department might not be the first responder on the scene.

And there are good public safety reasons for that.

The Elgin department has a number of agreements with other departments and fire protection districts to help ensure that the response to the emergency in question is as prompt as possible.

Elgin Fire Chief John Fahy explained that automatic-aid agreements are approved by the city council and allow for the closest unit, regardless of jurisdiction, to be dispatched to calls for services involving the fire departments or fire districts in question, along with the units from the area of jurisdiction.

Some automatic agreements have been long-standing, such as one between Elgin and the South Elgin & Countryside Fire Protection District. Elgin’s need for them grew as the city and other local towns expanded their boundaries farther out and in sometimes geometrically odd shapes.

That left public safety and public works departments with new areas to cover that could be a good distance from existing stations or headquarters.

In Elgin’s case, the city spread west in patches, as far north as Randall Road and Route 72 between West Dundee and Gilberts; as far south as Silver Glen Road near South Elgin and St. Charles; and northwest toward Pingree Grove. At the same time, to its east, new subdivisions in Bartlett and Hoffman Estates were built closer to Elgin.

As such, Fahy said, “We can’t cover things the way we used to do.” Automatic-aid agreements “are the future of meeting such community needs.”

Elgin now has automatic-aid agreements that are reciprocal in nature with no fewer than six other fire protection agencies, some Elgin has sought, some other entities have initiated.

Examples of automatic-aid agreements initiated by other departments with Elgin include one with the East Dundee Fire Protection District to cover the area north of Interstate 90 and off Route 25. That includes Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation and the Milk Pail Restaurant that are in fire district’s boundaries and Elgin’s area that includes the Lexington Inn and business sites off Brandt Drive.

Another is with the South Elgin district, in part so that a pocket of the district near Elgin Community College that is closer for Elgin to handle has faster initial responses.

Farther west, “Crawford and McDonald roads coverage is with South Elgin, as they have a station on McDonald,” Fahy said.

In recent years, Elgin has initiated automatic-aid agreements with the village of West Dundee and its fire department to handle the area north of Interstate 90 along Route 31. It includes hotels and an apartment complex that are in West Dundee, and a gas station and industrial and office space near St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin.

An automatic-aid agreement with Rutland-Dundee Fire Protection District is set up in part to cover north of I-90 off Randall Road. The area includes The Grove business area with its numerous restaurants and the Northwest Corporate Park behind it in Elgin. The village of Sleepy Hollow is just across Randall to the east, and the busy intersection of Route 72 and Randall Road is on the north end.

“We respond to Rutland-Dundee in Sleepy Hollow as well as to the Gilberts subdivision off of Big Timber in return for their 72 and Randall coverage,” Fahy said.

“Our automatic-aid agreement with the Pingree Grove & Countryside Fire Protection District is strictly west on Highland Avenue to cover Highland Woods and along Plank Road where the city annexed the Jack Cook Park.”

An agreement with the Huntley Fire Protection District “is exclusively for response on the tollway during construction. With the inability to cross over or the loss of exit entrance ramps, we respond westbound into Huntley’s district, and they respond eastbound into Elgin’s district. The construction is a two- to three-year project, so we will revisit that agreement once the job is complete,” Fahy said.

Fahy said another automatic-aid agreement may be in the works with the Bartlett Fire Protection District for the area around Bartlett and Spaulding roads, where there are industrial sites in Elgin and subdivisions in Bartlett.

On top of all that, local fire departments and districts also have mutual-aid agreements. Those involve major incidents in which extra units are needed. There is a predetermined set of responses, and such aid has to be requested as the emergency situation is happening, Fahy said.

The formal agreements have been set up since the late 1960s through the statewide Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). Elgin is part of Illinois MABAS Division 2 (www.mabas2.org), which includes 15 fire departments or districts.

A prime example of MABAS in practice was the September fire caused by lightning at Village Pizza and Pub in Carpentersville, where at least eight fire departments or districts wound up assisting.

All this also points toward the difference between departments and districts.

Fire departments are part of a city or village government and are funded through municipality budgets. Fire districts levy their own taxes to pay for their operations and cover not only municipalities but also surrounding land that most often is unincorporated and/or undeveloped.

Complicating the issue are “paper districts,” Fahy said. Those exist only on paper and contract out for services, most typically from an adjacent body that has a fire department. They also are independent taxing bodies, with that money going to pay for the services provided. An example would be areas near West Dundee served by the village of West Dundee Fire Department.

In recent years, some paper districts have moved to become actual brick-and-mortar districts with their own staff and buildings. Those include areas that had been served by departments in Palatine and St. Charles that are now independent, Fahy said, noting that on Jan. 1, the Barrington and Countryside Fire Protection District began operating in an area that had been served by the Barrington’s village department.

Who gets paid

Either way, for someone who winds up in an ambulance, Fahy said, “Regardless of where the incident is, the department that transports the patient is the one who gets paid.”

In 2011, Elgin updated city ordinances, raising the rates for various fire services, including ambulance charges. It was the first change for the ordinances in 10 years.

“Prior to the 2011 ordinance change, the rates were adjusted annually as Medicare rates changed,” Fahy said.

For those transported who have third-party insurance, charges not covered by that insurance remain the responsibility of the patient. People who are covered under Medicare and Medicaid are not responsible for the unpaid balance, with the difference “written down,” Fahy said.

In 2010, revenue collected for Elgin Fire Department ambulance service was $1.4 million; in 2011, $1.431 million; and in 2012, $1.854 million. The estimate for 2013 is $1.85 million.

The charge for basic life support transport rose from $355 to $442.74 for Elgin residents and from $444 to $692.75 for nonresidents. Advanced life support Level 1 went from $422 to $525.75 for Elginites and from $528 to $900 for outsiders. Advanced life support Level 2 went from $611 to $760 for Elgin residents and from $764 to $1,135 for nonresidents.

The city also began to charge for ambulance mileage, measured from the location of the emergency to the hospital, at a rate of $10 per mile for anyone transported. Any such charges not covered by insurance remain the responsibility of the patient, as it had been in the 2001 ordinance.

Fahy noted that Naperville conducts an extensive survey each year comparing area ambulance service rates.

“Our resident rates are well below the average, and our nonresident rates are slightly above the average. This was by design,” Fahy said.

thanks Dan

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