This from Jimmy Bolf:
Grayslake Fire District BC Mike Higgins’ Funeral Procession 12/3/22
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Posts Tagged fire department funeral
Excerpts from Chicago.cbslocal.com:
A Chicago Fire Department diver drowned while on a rescue call on the Chicago River in 2018, caused by a lapse in air management and inability to maintain buoyancy in the water.
The report suggests that if Juan Bucio had an alarm to alert him that his main air tank was empty, he may have been able to switch to his reserve supply.
The 43-page report was completed in June, three years after Bucio disappeared under the waves of the river near 26th and Ashland while searching for a missing boater. Bucio was pronounced dead after he was pulled out several minutes later.
The report suggests more training and fundamental scuba skills for CFD divers. It concluded that a dive computer (which is not required) could have helped alert Bucio of low air rather than relying reading gauges in the dark murky river.
Bucio was found with an entire reserve air tank still full. The report found that when Bucio’s main tank was out of air, it appears he could not inflate his vest for positive buoyancy and control. His 24-pound lead weight belt was also still on, which was further hindering his buoyancy.
Fire Department dive teams responded to a call about a man who fell off a boat on the Chicago River near Canalport Riverwalk Park on Memorial Day of 2018. The body of that man, Alberto Lopez, was recovered from the River several days later.
A helicopter dropped Bucio and his partner into the river to search for the boater. The two had been in the water for some time when they began swimming to a Chicago Fire Department boat.
Bucio and his partner were face to face in the water next to the rocking boat when Bucio’s head went under the waves. His partner placed his hands on the side of the boat to keep his head above water.
From the NIOSH Report:
From Chicago FD Media on Twitter:
Services for Paramedic in Charge Robert Truevillian were held at (Russo Hillside Chapels – 4500 Roosevelt, Hillside, IL). Visitation was on Sunday 12/27 from 3pm to 8pm. Service was on Monday 12/28 @ 11am.
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From Tim Olk:
East Joliet Fire Chief Robert Scholtes funeral 12/30/2019
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John D. Schultz
September 15, 1970 ~ December 1, 2019 (age 49)
John D. “Buddha” “Schultzy” Schultz Jr, age 49, of Geneva, passed away Sunday, December 1, 2019 at Delnor Hospital with his loving family by his side.
He was born September 15, 1970 in St. Charles, the son of John Sr. and Nancy (DeVries) Schultz.
John was a firefighter for Downers Grove and Geneva. He was an avid pro and college football fan. He loved history, Star Wars, and watching METV. His favorite pastime was spending time with his family and he will be dearly missed.
He is survived by his children Mia, Ian, and Owen; his children’s mother Becky (Niemiec) Schultz; sister Barbara (Tim) Estes of Bristol; and niece Lindsey Wojcik of Earlville; and many other dear relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral Service; Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 11:00 am at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church.
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A GoFundMe has been set up to help John’s family cover the cost of funeral expenses.
Ret. Lt. John Schultz passed away at Delnor Hospital on Sunday, December 1st, leaving behind three children (a 14 year old daughter and 10 year old twin boys). John was only 49 years old and had been battling illness for many years. John’s family needs your help. Not only are they grieving the loss of their loving father, but they now share the financial hardship of laying John to rest.
John served as a Lieutenant for the Downers Grove Fire Department and was an active member with the Downers Grove Professional Firefighters Local 3234 from 2000-2013. John also served on the Union Executive Board, negotiations committee and was an Honor Guard member for the AFFI. During his time with Downers Grove, John was very accomplished in EMS and served as both the Designated Infection Control Offer and EMS Coordinator. He was passionate about the job and truly did everything he could to make the department better than when he started.
Prior to coming to Downers Grove, John worked for the Carol Stream Fire Protection District from 1994-2000, and served for 24 years with the Geneva Fire Department, which is where he started his fire service career. John was also an Instructor with the Downers Grove Fire Academy, Romeoville Fire Academy and previously taught at the College of DuPage.
From the Cary Fire Protection District:
The Cary Fire Protection District sadly announces the passing of retired Deputy Chief William “Bill” Gitzke. Bill, 76, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, November 15, 2019 surrounded by family.
He was born February 15, 1943 in his parents’ home on West Main Street in Cary.
His faith was of utmost importance to him. Bill was an active member of Cary’s St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, where he attended school and was an alter boy.
He attended Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin and went on to attend the electronics and technology program at DeVry University in Chicago. Bill was drafted into the United States Army in 1965 being stationed in Germany until he returned home in 1967.
After returning from the Army, Bill married the love of his life, Carol. Together they raised two children, a daughter, Shelly Van Anrooy and son William “Billy” Gitzke.
Bill owned and operated G Communications, where he installed and repaired communications systems for public safety agencies across Illinois. He was well known and respected throughout the county for his knowledge of communications equipment.
Bill followed in his father’s footsteps becoming a paid-on-call member of the Cary Fire Protection District in 1961. After completing firefighter and emergency medical technician training, he was promoted to lieutenant, then captain, then assistant chief, and finally deputy chief, the department’s second in command.
Being a firefighter was not just a career to him, it was a life long passion. Bill always went above and beyond the call of duty. After serving 51 years, Bill retired from the Cary Fire Protection District in February 2013, becoming the longest serving member in the department’s history. Bill’s love of the fire service continued to be a family tradition when his son Billy, became the third generation of Gitzke’s to serve the Cary Fire Protection District. Father and son worked side by side for 15 years.
Bill is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol, daughter Shelly Van Anrooy, son William Gitzke, grandchildren Brenna and Chase Van Anrooy, Katelyn, Samantha, Grace, Billy, and Joey Gitzke, his sister Linda Verdung, and many relatives on both sides of the family.
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Sandwich FPD news (more)
Aug 3
Photos from Tim Olk of the funeral for former Sandwich FPD Fire Chief Jason Pruski
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Excerpts from CBSchicago.com:
Chicago Fire Department diver Juan Bucio suffered from a rare heart condition that contributed to his death while he was trying to rescue a boater in the Chicago River on Memorial Day.
Bucio vanished in the river near 26th and Ashland around 8 p.m. He was pronounced dead after being pulled out several minutes later.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s report said Bucio had a rare heart condition that led to his death. The official cause of death as ruled by the medical examiner is asphyxia with depletion of air from his diving tank due to cardiac arrhythmia. Lymphocytic myocarditis is an inflammatory reaction in heart muscle – it usually happens after a viral infection as the heart tries to fight a virus, according to Dr. Kousik Krishnan, a Rush University Medical Center cardiologist.
That response can weaken heart muscle, give signs of heart failure, and also make someone at risk of dangerous rhythm problems, Krishnan said. The rare condition, combined with an irregular heartbeat, could prove fatal.
“While the Scuba equipment functioned properly, the decedent likely exhausted his primary air supply at some point during the dive. This in turn caused him to not be able to activate other safety equipment that would have kept him afloat, and thus he sank below the surface,” stated the Cook County Medical Examiner.
The Chicago Fire Department is continuing its own investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bucio’s death and will examine whether protocols were followed.
