Posts Tagged Fire Chief Mark Baines

3-Alarm brush fire in Pembroke Township, 2-20-17 (more)

Feb 24

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

A drone hovered in the air Monday as about 100 firefighters from Kankakee, Iroquois, and Will counties battled a brush fire in Pembroke Township.

William Neumann, the director of communications for the Orland Park Fire Protection District, lived streamed video footage from his drone to other departments through his personal Facebook page. It helped them track the fire, protect structures and, above all else, assure nobody got injured.

It was the first time the Pembroke Fire Protection District, a small department of nine volunteers, had an aerial view to assist them. Chief Mark Baines already has talked to village trustees about purchasing one, considering the department battles more than 100 brush fires per year and had a truck damaged in a brush fire last year.

“We were able to see exactly where the fire was going,” Baines said. “Our four guys who were out there felt safer and more confident knowing a drone was watching out for them. I’m all for getting one. They are beneficial.”

Orland Park’s department has three drones, and Neumann, who has his certificate of authorization, is training the department’s battalion chiefs. He said a drone typically costs between $1,000 and $6,000.

thanks Dan

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, drone surveys fire scene, drone used by fire department, Fire Chief Mark Baines, Pembroke Fire Protection District, William Neumann

Pembroke Fire Protection District news

Oct 3

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from the Daily-Journal.com:

On Tuesday, the 12-man Pembroke Fire Protection District learned it received $346,159 in federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. It was one of eight Illinois fire departments, including Kankakee, to received federal funding totaling $2.6 million.

Pembroke received two separate grants. A SAFER grant will be used to certify volunteers and add 16 firefighters during the next four years. It also pays for stipends, turnout gear, insurance, health physicals, and certificates for higher learning.

“We want to get more community members involved in our fire department,” Fire Chief Mark Baines said. “We are excited. This will help us certify our guys and add more to our staff. It will prepare them if they ever want to pursue a full-time job as firefighters.”

The other grant will purchase a new $91,000 brush truck. It will be the first new brush truck the department has ever had.

Earlier this year, one of the department’s brush trucks got destroyed in a fire. Neighboring departments have since assisted the department in rebuilding its 25-year-old brush truck, which blew out an engine a few years ago.

“We’ve been trying to get a new brush truck for four years,” Deputy Chief John Sokol said. “We’ve been fighting brush fires with equipment that’s 10 to 25 years old. This will be big for us. Once we get that old truck back, we’ll have two trucks to deploy.”

Tags: Assistance to Firefighters Grant, Deputy Chief John Sokol, Fire Chief Mark Baines, Pembroke Fire Protection District, Pembroke FPD receives grant, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

Pembroke FPD brush truck destroyed in fire

Apr 4

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 2 Comments

Excerpts from the DailyJournal.com:

Brush fires have taken their toll on a thin Pembroke Township volunteer fire department throughout the years, but an illegal burn last weekend has left it without a valuable piece of equipment.

The department’s brush truck got stuck and burned, while firefighters tried to prevent the fire from reaching houses on South Dickerson Street and East Russell Drive. Nobody was injured, but the $20,000 truck has been totaled.

“We’re already down in manpower and now we’ve lost a truck,” said Fire Chief Mark Baines. “It’s devastating. Now we have to wait for Momence or St. Anne to come bail us out, and every second counts when you’re fighting a fire.”

Baines said his 12-person department battles about 100 brush fires per year. It has responded to at least 15 so far this year, including a Sunday brush fire that burned up to a resident’s pool fence. Last year, a brush fire completely destroyed a mobile home.

“It’s careless burning,” Baines said. “People are illegally burning garbage and not paying attention. A lot of these are caused by repeat offenders. I don’t understand how you can’t pay $15 a month for garbage pick up.”

Kankakee County ordinances prohibit the open burning of hazardous materials determined by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Open burning also isn’t allowed on windy days.

Now, without a brush truck, Baines had a simple message for Pembroke Township residents. “Don’t burn,” he said. “Just don’t burn.”

This from Brad Steinweg:

Hello,

While scrolling through Facebook last week, I came across some pictures on the page for Pembroke Fire Protection District. While fighting a brush fire last week, their brush truck became involved. I do not have the exact details but from what I have read so far, it sounds like the truck became stuck in the mud and the flames caught up to it.

-Brad S.