Posts Tagged Elk Grove Township Fire Protection District

Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District news (more)

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Talks could resume this week between Mount Prospect and the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District to resolve an impasse over fire and emergency medical service within the district’s service area.

Under a proposed agreement recently approved by Mount Prospect trustees, Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village, and Des Plaines would take over the duties of the fire district, which would dissolve and yield its fire station and equipment. Three new special taxing districts would provide the funding for the municipalities.

Mount Prospect officials say the fire district is running a structural deficit because of a shrinking tax base stemming from annexations, but the fire district has not signed off on the agreement. District officials take issue with the legality of the proposed dissolution, as well as the village’s cost-benefit analysis.

“We don’t believe at this moment that the (agreement) is fair enough to our constituents,” fire district board president Carlos Maldonado said. “However, we want to make sure that we can negotiate something, not just with Mount Prospect, but with the municipalities together.”

A fire protection district trustee accused Mount Prospect of trying to shove an agreement down the district’s throat that is going to take full advantage of them, and said that Mount Prospect still owes the fire district more than $260,000 from a previous agreement.

When asked about the money last week, the Mount Prospect village manager responded, “Why would we pay them, if we’re about to take over those services?”

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Elk Grove Township FPD news

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

The tiny Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District would be dissolved and its responsibilities taken over by the Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village, and Des Plaines fire departments, under a proposal the three municipalities are considering.

The plan calls for a shared services partnership between the three communities and a November 2022 referendum to formally authorize the fire district’s dissolution. Mount Prospect, Elk Grove, and Des Plaines would create a taxing district known as special service area to provide $1 million in initial funding. The money would be divided by the three communities based on expected call volumes to be handled by each.

After approval of the special service area, the fire protection district would stop levying a property tax and liquidate its assets. Under the proposal, the district’s fire station and tanker would be deeded to Mount Prospect.

Mount Prospect village trustees will discuss the proposal Tuesday and the fire district’s board is scheduled to vote on it Thursday. Des Plaines council members and Elk Grove trustees have not voted on the plan.

The fire district has been shrinking over the years as unincorporated areas in its jurisdiction have been annexed by surrounding municipalities. The district now covers only about one square mile, including three manufactured home communities, the Roppolo subdivision northeast of Elk Grove, and several manufacturing areas.

According to a Mount Prospect financial analysis, the fire district is underfunded and will run out of operating cash next year. The fire district recently extended its contract with American Fire and Rescue to provide fire and EMS services through June and then, on a monthly basis, through December.

thanks Keith

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Elk Grove Township FPD news

Excerpts from the journal-topics.com:

Officials from the Elk Grove Township Fire Protection District and Mount Prospect are working on an intergovernmental agreement outlining how the fire district would be compensated due to recent annexations by the village in unincorporated Elk Grove Township. More annexations are planned.

Financial compensation to the fire district is required by state statute. The village is looking at providing the fire district the same amount of money over a shorter period of time so it can remain sustainable without cutting fire staff and is also looking at setting up some type of long-term deal with the fire district so it can remain operational despite the lost tax revenue.

As part of any annexation, the village is required to pay the fire district a gradually-reduced percentage of property taxes which the district currently receives from the annexed properties over a five-year period starting with its full tax levy in year one, 80% in year two, 60% in year three, 40% in year four and 20% in year five.

According to Mount Prospect Village Manager Michael Cassady, the village is offering an accelerated agreement that would pay the district all of those funds for the properties annexed, plus properties that will be annexed, over a three-year period instead of five. The fire district recently responded with a drafted intergovernmental agreement requesting that money continue to be returned over the next 10 years. Also part of the draft agreement, the fire district states it would provide fire service for the next 10 years.

The village has concerns with a deal spanning a decade.

“We look at their financials and see structural deficit that will impair the ability to operate and we saw that structural deficit occurring even before we started annexing,”Cassady said.

Cassady said a three-year deal is a solid one since it allows for an adequate transition period. The village believes the fire district’s staffing will drop over that period of time.

The village is working on annexing a portion of the land owned by United Airlines in unincorporated Elk Grove Township, as well Birch Manor, a residential subdivision at the northwest corner of Linneman Road and Dempster Street. If a three-year agreement can be reached, Cassady said the fire district could contract with the village after that.

Fire district attorney Karl Ottosen said with the village’s annexation activities, the fire district, one year from now, will face serious financial problems to maintain the same level of service residents have grown accustom to.

“They (fire district) are losing almost 50% of their tax revenue,” Ottosen said. “We need to know who is going to provide fire protection and how it is going to be funded.”

Elk Grove Township Fire Protection District provides coverage for several industrial businesses in unincorporated Elk Grove, as well as mobile home parks along Elmhurst Road and Touhy Avenue.

If an agreement cannot be reached, Ottosen said the fire district would need to make significant reductions in levels of service.

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Truck fire in Schaumburg, 6-8-16 (more)

Video from Larry Shapiro of the Truck fire in Schaumburg, 6-8-16

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Truck fire in Schaumburg, 6-8-16

Schaumburg companies were sent to the SB IL Route 53 local lanes just past I90 just after midnight on Wednesday (6/8/16) for fire in a semi-trailer. They encountered fire in a 40′ trailer that was almost fully-loaded with commercial uniforms. Battalion 5 requested a tanker from Long Grove and the Elk Grove Township to supply Engine 52 with two lines off. Schaumburg Engines 51 and 54 plus Squad 55 were all on the scene and had used their tank water.

Rolling Meadows Engine 16 and Hoffman Estates Engine 21 were also on the scene assisting with manpower during the almost two-hour process to remove the smoldering contents of the truck. Also at the scene were Schaumburg Trucks 52 and 53, and Schaumburg Ambulances 53 and 54.

Long Grove fire department tender nursing an engine

Larry Shapiro photo

Schaumburg FD Truck 53

Larry Shapiro photo

firemen in tower ladder bucket use saw on truck trailer

Larry Shapiro photo

truck trailer fire on the highway

Larry Shapiro photo

firefighter uses saw at night with sparks

Larry Shapiro photo

fireman empties truck contents after fire

Larry Shapiro photo

fire department tender nursing an engine

Larry Shapiro photo

Elk Grove Township FD Tanker 11

Larry Shapiro photo

Schaumburg FD Engine 51

Larry Shapiro photo

firemen empty truck contents after fire

Larry Shapiro photo

Schaumburg FD Squad 55

Larry Shapiro photo

More photos can be viewed at shapirophotography.net

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German modeler builds local replicas

Daniel Möller from Obernkirchen, Germany is a model builder and has built several replicas of units from our area.

Here are a few of his models

ambulance model made by hand

Arlington Heights ambulance model. Daniel Möller model builder

ambulance model made by hand

Big Rock ambulance model. Daniel Möller model builder

ambulance model made by hand

Elk Grove Township ambulance model. Daniel Möller model builder

fire truck model made by hand

Elk Grove Township engine model. Daniel Möller model builder

fire truck model made by hand

Schaumburg FD E-ONE truck model. Daniel Möller model builder

fire truck model made by hand

Schaumburg FD E-ONE engine model. Daniel Möller model builder

pickup truck model

Schaumburg FD pickup truck model. Daniel Möller model builder

fire truck model made by hand

Schaumburg FD Pierce engine model. Daniel Möller model builder

This link will take you to a forum with more images of these models

He is currently beginning a project to build a replica of the Hinsdale Spartan/Rosenbauer America/Metz tower ladder.

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Where are they now … Bridgeview

This from Martin Nowak:

Elk Grove Township Engine 310, a 1981 Mack MC started its life as a Bridgeview Fire Department Engine 405 out of Station 2. Here’s a story a firefighter told me at my recent visit to the fire house. It was either 1993 to 1995 when a generator on top of Engine 405 started leaking as so this leak reached some batteries below. This caused sparks and so the whole fire truck engulfed in flames is sitting in the bay with firefighters sleeping. They wake up to someone pounding on the door. A police officer is standing at the door and says your fire truck is on fire. Here’s where the purchase of a new engine comes in. The department was looking for a truck and stumbled across what is currently 1993 Pierce Dash as Engine 425 (Picture taken by me recently). This truck was a Pierce demo with the specs the department liked or best fit them. Elk Grove Township purchased the burned up engine and had it repaired. Changes can be seen between the old photo (thanks to Bill Friedrich for allowing me me to use it) to the current picture on the site.

 

Bridgeview FD Mack MC engine

Bridgeview Engine 405. Bill Friedrich photo

 

Elk Grove Township FPD Mack engine

Elk Grove Township FPD 1981 Mack engine with a 1,250-GPM pump, 1,100 gallons of water and 300 gallons of foam. Larry Shapiro photo

 

Bridgeview FD Pierce engine

Martin Nowak photo

Also, Kevin G found this link to  X-Bridgeview Ambulance 406 that is being offered for sale

Bridgeview Fire Department Ambulance for sale

Penske photo

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Website department updates

Several long overdue updates to various department pages have been completed as follows:

thanks Karl, Hank, Jim, Nick, Larry, Drew, and Jeff

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Arlington Heights Box Alarm 4-18-12

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Heavy smoke pushes out from all sides of the house at 1142 Fernandez in Arlington Heights shortly after companies backed out. Larry Shapiro photo

A homeowner at 1142 S. Fernandez Avenue in Arlington Heights was reportedly refinishing the basement floor with a flammable solvent which somehow ignited. The fire department received calls reporting white smoke escaping from multiple areas of the home around 5PM on Wednesday. When police arrived and confirmed the reports, Arlington Heights Battalion 1 upgraded the response to a working fire before companies arrived on the scene. The homeowner fled the house then ran back inside before the fire department arrived. He then escaped with 1st degree burns to his face after taking in smoke as well. Responding at this point were two engines from Arlington Heights plus their tower, a squad, two ambulances, and several chief officers. A truck from Des Plaines, a Rolling Meadows engine, an engine from Elk Grove Township, a Rolling Meadows ambulance, and a Mount Prospect engine were the mutual aid companies.

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez Pierce Quantum

Arlington Heights Engine 3 was the first engine on-scene. Four lines were working off this engine, both pre-connects and two skid loads. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights Engine 3 took a line into the house and encountered fire and high heat as they descended the basement stairs. A second line followed very quickly, and though companies made progress, the basement became untenable and they had to withdraw.

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez Pierce tower ladder

Arlington Heights Tower 1 was in front of the building and preparing to go up with firefighters to vent the roof. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Schaumburg firefighters went to the roof to ventilate. Larry Shapiro photo

Realizing that the fire was burning unchecked, the alarm was upgraded again to a MABAS Box Alarm. This added Prospect Heights Squad 9, Palatine Rural Engine 36, the third Arlington Heights engine, Elk Grove Village Engine 9, Elk Grove Township Ambulance 11, and Schaumburg Truck 52.

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez Pierce Quantum

At one point in time there were six Pierce Quantum engines at the scene. Engine 3 was the still alarm engine with multiple lines off. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Another hose line is stretched to the front of the building. There would eventually be seven lines on the fireground. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Heavy smoke continues to vent from the house. Larry Shapiro photo

A total of seven lines were used throughout the three-hour battle to contain the fire. Smoke pushed out of all sides and firefighters put two cellar nozzles to work attempting to hit the basement fire. Roughly 20 minutes into the fire, command was informed that a portion of the first floor had burned through and all companies were ordered to remain outside in a defensive posture. One firefighter from Arlington Heights was taken to the hospital after being knocked onto his back while exiting the house early in the operation.

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez injured firefighter

An Arlington Heights firefighter receives assistance after being pulled out of the house. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez injured firefighter

Heavy smoke envelopes the injured firefighter and the medics as they head toward the ambulance. Larry Shapiro photo

The basement was reportedly filled with water to the window level after several hours of flowing multiple lines through the window wells, the first floor, and a hole that was breached in the front of the house.

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Working on the 'D' side of the house, a hose line is directed into the basement through a window well. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

Smoke vents on the 'B' side of the house from the first floor. Larry Shapiro photo

Arlington Heights house fire basement fire 4-18-12 1142 Fernandez

A front corner wall was breached to allow a line to reach another section of the basement between the floor joists. Larry Shapiro photo

The fire was struck out near 8PM.

Larry Shapiro submitted several images and has a rather large gallery HERE.

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Wood Dale commercial fire 3-29-12

Wood Dale companies responded to a commercial fire Thursday evening at an auto repair shop at 370 E.  Irving Park Road.

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

The fire originated in the body shop. The roof was deemed unsafe after the fire was knocked down and a demolition company was brought in to consult with fire officials. Larry Shapiro photo

They found heavy fire with flames through the roof on arrival in a one-story brick building with buildings on either side. Engines from Itasca and Bensenville were on the initial alarm with Bensenville Battalion 17 and an Addison truck.

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

Itasca Engine 823 was on the still alarm and took a hydrant across Irving Park Road from the fire building. Larry Shapiro photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road Pierce Quantum

Wood Dale Engine 1222, a 2004 Pierce Quantum, was on a hydrant off the alley on Ash Avenue. Larry Shapiro photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

Companies in the rear of the building use hand lines to hit the remaining fire from a defensive position as the structural integrity of the roof was compromised. Steve Redick photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

The adjoining building to the west of the fire building housed stacks of tires. Larry Shapiro photo

A Box Alarm was requested immediately which brought additional companies from Elk Grove Village, Roselle, and Elmhurst. Roughly a half hour into the fire a 2nd Alarm was requested bringing additional units from Schaumburg, Hanover Park, Elk Grove Township, and Bloomingdale.

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road Elk Grove Township Fire Department

Elk Grove Township Engine 11, a 2011 Spartan Metro Star/Marion, went in service two weeks ago and is seen here at it's maiden fire. Larry Shapiro photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

Roselle Squad 541 was also providing scene lighting from Irving Park Road. Larry Shapiro photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road

Bensenville Battalion 17 had the rear sector along with Bensenville and Elk Grove Village firefighters. Larry Shapiro photo

Wood Dale Fire Department commercial fire 3-29-12 at 370 E. Irving Park Road DuComm

For roughly the past year, DuComm has had this used command van and an SUV as mobile command units that respond to fires in Division 12. They are staffed by DuComm personnel. Larry Shapiro photo

More photos can be seen HERE.

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