From the Rockford FD Twitter page:
Rockford Fire (@RockfordFire) October 24, 2020
RockfordFire is on scene of a structure fire at North Main Street and Ford Avenue.
Rockford FD photo
Posts Tagged Rockford Fire Department
Excerpts from WIFR.com:
One of Rockford’s oldest churches, the former Metro Christian Center Church, was destroyed Wednesday night. The building had been condemned for several years and many doors and windows had been boarded up. There was no electricity inside the building. The Rockford Fire Department is opening an arson investigation. The church was a downtown staple for many years.
Heavy clouds of smoke covered downtown as the church was engulfed in fire and dozens of trucks surrounded the structure as parts of it fell to the street. Fire crews say the fire spread very quickly because the structure is made of wood and firefighters didn’t go into the building because the rooftop has asbestos. The damages are estimated at $300,000.
Photos from Tim Olk of the 3-Alarm fire in Rockford, 9-2-20
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Excerpts from wrex.com:
Thirty firefighters, five Rockford fire engines, and three ladders responded to a nearly 150-year-old abandoned church fire Wednesday night at 607 Walnut St., at 6:24 p.m., and quickly spread because of the wooden structure. The church has been abandoned for several years. Rockford Fire Chief Derek Bergsten said he anticipates Kishwaukee and Walnut streets to be closed until morning.
A cause of the fire is still unknown. There was no power to the church, which rules out an electrical issue. Investigators interviewed neighbors and ask the public for any information on how the fire started.
According to inscriptions on the church, it was formerly the Rockford Masonic Cathedral. The year 1869 was etched into one of its walls. At one point it became the Metro Christian Center.
Excerpts from the rrstar.com:
Five people were rescued from their burning home early Wednesday morning on Rockford’s south side after firefighters responded at about 1 a.m. to 1724 Lyran Ave. Firefighters rescued a 49-year-old woman who was unable to evacuate. She was transported with serious injuries.
A man who lives at the home grabbed a ladder from the garage and rescued his wife and three children from the burning home before firefighters arrived. The woman and three children were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.
More from the wifr.com:
According to the Rockford Fire Department Donovin G. Fluaitt, 29, faces five counts of aggravated arson, a Class X Felony stemming from a house fire in his own home.
At 1 a.m. February 26 the Rockford Fire Department went to a home on 1725 Lyran Avenue for a fire. Several people were trapped inside. Initial reports were that Fluaitt grabbed a ladder and rescued his family members trapped on the second floor. Another person inside needed to be rescued by firefighters
Investigators determined the fire was intentionally started.
Excerpts from rrstar.com:
The Rockford Fire Department will hold a promotional swearing-in ceremony at 2 p.m. Dec. 5 in the University of Illinois college of medicine auditorium, 1601 Parkview Ave.
The ceremony will be for the following personnel: Captains Luis Duran, William Hyde, and Slade Berry to district chief; Lieutenants Trent Bass, Matthew Lawrence, and Rodriguez George to captain; Firefighter/paramedic Brian Park to emergency medical services coordinator; drivers/engineers Kevin Mottor and Curt Beilfuss and Firefighter/paramedic Rebecca Tyo to lieutenant; and inspector Sonny Chanthaphone, fire prevention coordinator Timothy Morris, and firefighters/paramedics James Eichenberger, Andrew Bolhous, Brett Beaman, Jody Bausic, and Miguel Holland to driver/engineer.
Recognition also will be given to eight recruit firefighters including Jacob Aldrich, Andrea Capriotti, Mario Duran, Jacob Ellenby, Nicholas Gazouski, Sergio Martinez, Michael McCracken, and Kayla Schram. Jacob Hendrickson of the Belvidere Fire Department and Brady Franks of the Rock Falls Fire Department also will be recognized.
Excerpts from wifr.com:
At the second to last Rockford City Council meeting of 2019, aldermen approved a number of proposals, including the lease of three new fire engines and one ladder truck.
“Our firefighters live and work out of the fire stations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and they’re always there. These little things make a big difference and we hope to continue that, we hope to continue to provide better facilities, better services that we can provide and ultimately, that translates to better services for the citizens,” said Rockford Fire Department Division Chief Matthew Knott.
Excerpts from rrstar.com:
City officials say opening the Rockford Fire Department vehicle repair shop on Falcon Drive to other fire departments is paying dividends by covering the cost of an extra mechanic and producing a modest profit for the department. Not only does the program raise revenue, but it also gives the department an extra set of hands to repair and return Rockford fire equipment to service quickly after a breakdown. Now the department is trying to spread the word to other departments that it can repair their fire trucks fast and at good price.
Rockford piloted the program this year. Through October, the program had generated $102,863 by performing fire truck and equipment repairs for area fire departments and districts that might otherwise have to travel into the Chicago suburbs to find a qualified repair shop. The Rockford shop is ASE Blue Ribbon Certified and staffed by fire equipment specialists who are emergency vehicle technician and automotive service excellence certified.
Rockford is now hiring a permanent fourth mechanic to expand the shop’s repair capacity.
When at full capacity, the hope is to bring in $150,000 in revenue, which would cover the cost of a fourth mechanic’s salary and benefits and bring $72,700 a year into city coffers.
The program is the result of work by a 2018 resident-run financial task force in consultation with the National Resource Network. A report from the consultants told Rockford officials they had to change the way they did business in order to avoid severe future deficits as the cost of pensions continues to escalate.
thanks Dennis
Excerpts from mystateline.com:
Rockford’s oldest firefighter, Max Kirschbaum, passed away over the weekend. He became a Rockford firefighter in 1948, serving on the rescue squad at Fire Station 3.
One of his biggest feats was saving a little boy who fell 75 feet down a well. Once he retired from the fire department, he stopped back in to visit with friends. In 2015 he went to the open house for the new Fire Station 3.
He is survived by two daughters, a son, and seven great grand children who grew up hearing stories about Max playing chess in the fire house.
Funeral arrangements can be found HERE.
Excerpts from mystateline.com:
On Monday, the Rockford Finance and Personnel Committee approved changes to ambulance service fees. The new policy would only charge insurance companies and eliminate costs to Rockford residents. Non-residents would still have to pay the outstanding balance.City officials hope the move will give forest city residents some financial relief in the future. The change would also increase the transport fee to $1,500. Currently the fee for residents is $600 to $800 and about $1,400 for non-residents. The changes will not affect patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Early projections show the new flat fee will help the city’s bottom line.The changes will be up for vote at the next full city council on Monday, April 29th.
Excerpts from mystateline.com:
The Winnebago County Coroner says a 56-year-old woman was killed in a fire Friday morning in the 800 block of 18th Street, not far from Churchill Park and Keith Creek just before 3 a.m.
Rockford fire officials say after arriving, they could see smoke and flames coming from the outside. Five minutes after arriving, they went inside, where they found the victim. She was taken to the hospital, where she later died. Three dogs also died in the blaze.
Rockford Fire Chief Derek Bergsten says there’s an easy way to prevent these kinds of tragedies. “One thing we would like to emphasize is make sure you have working smoke alarms. That’s imperative so that you can get early notification that you do have a fire in your house so you can exit in a safe manner. This is our second fire fatality this week and we want to make sure everyone has working smoke alarms.”
Bergsten says the fire only took 30 minutes to extinguish, and that the cause is still under investigation.
Excerpts from mystateline.com:
Rockford firefighters discovered smoke upon arrival around 1:30 a.m. coming from a home in the 1000 block of North Court Street. They discovered a 27 year old man inside, on the second floor. Despite efforts from
first respondersfirefighters and hospital personnel to revive the victim, he later died at Rockford Memorial Hospital.A firefighter was also injured, but is expected to be okay. The estimated loss is around $10,000 dollars, and the fire is still under investigation.
Rockford Fire Department photo
