Posts Tagged Wheeling Fire Department

Crash with entrapment in Wheeling, 8-9-20

Aug 9

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Crash scene photos | No Comments

Wheeling police and firefighters were sent to 189 South Milwaukee Avenue around 4:15PM on Sunday (8/9/20) for a reported motor vehicle accident with entrapment. The location was within blocks of Wheeling Station 24 and the battalion chief was on the scene quickly. He reported a one-car MVA with extensive damage and entrapment after the car had apparently crossed two lanes of traffic before striking a retaining wall at 189 S Milwaukee and then completely sheered off the front porch of a building at 213 S. Milwaukee before coming to a stop in the adjacent parking lot. Wheeling companies were assisted at the scene by Prospect Heights Ambulance 39 and Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD Engine 52.

A passenger in the car signed a medical release at the scene and the driver was transported to an area hospital after being extricated from the wreck.

Larry Shapiro photo

Larry Shapiro photo

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Wheeling Fire Department news

Jul 12

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | No Comments

From the Village of Wheeling Facebook page:

Congratulations to these esteemed Wheeling Fire Department employees who were recently promoted!

From the desk of Fire Chief Mike McGreal:

It is with great enthusiasm that I announce Lieutenant Steve Mella is promoted to the rank of deputy fire chief. Steve is a 25 year veteran of the Wheeling Fire Department, with 14 years at the rank of lieutenant. Steve has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin, Stout and has been a paramedic since 1994. Steve has collaborated with the public, local EMS systems and hospitals, neighboring fire departments, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) elected officials, and local agencies. He was deployed to the Gulf Region in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as part of the Illinois MABAS response. Steve also was recently deployed to North Carolina for Hurricane Florence with Illinois Task Force 1, as a swift water technician.

With equal enthusiasm I announce that Firefighter Paramedic Dan Murdock is promoted to lieutenant. Dan has 20 years with the department and also served with the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District for 2 years. He was recently given the responsibility of team leader for the hazardous materials rescue/mitigation team. Dan is also certified in fire investigation and is a member of the department’s fire investigation team.

And saving the best for last, Management Analyst Ileen Bryer has been promoted to executive officer. Ileen spent 2 years with the Wheeling Police Department before coming over to the fire department for the last 5 years. She handles the day to day administrative functions of the department as well as all facets of the medical billing program, manages and participates in the Cook County Pharmaceutical Dispensing plan, manages/updates the Cook County Hazard Mitigation Plan, manages the departments records management system Imagetrend™ and Aladtec™ scheduling system, and chairs the village’s Threat Hazard Identification Risk Analysis (THIRA).

Wheeling photo

Tags: Wheeling FD Deputy Chief Steve Mella, Wheeling FD Lieutenant Dan Murdock, Wheeling Fire Department, Wheeling Fire Department Executive Officer Ileen Bryer

Box Alarm fire in Wheeling, 7-10-20 (more

Jul 11

Posted by Admin in Fire Scene video | No Comments

Brief video from Larry Shapiro of the Box Alarm fire in Wheeling, 7-10-20

Tags: #larryshapiro, chicagoareafire.com, child with lighter ignites fire that destroys three homes, fire scene photos, fire scene video, Firefighters battle fire in a mobile home, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, mobile homes destroyed by fire in the Whippletree Village, shapirophotography.net, ShapPhoto on YouTube, Wheeling Fire Department

Box Alarm fire in Wheeling, 7-10-20

Jul 10

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Scene photos, Fire Scene video | No Comments

Wheeling firefighters and neighboring auto-aid companies were dispatched for a confirmed fire at 15 Brougham Drive shortly before 4PM on Friday (7/10/20). Police officers were confirming a fire and the header was visible for miles from a burning mobile home in the Whippletree Village mobile home community off of McHenry Road in Wheeling. First arriving companies found a mobile home trailer completely engulfed by fire with flames communicating to neighboring units on either side. Initial reports which proved to be inaccurate were that two children might have been trapped inside. The first engine company on the scene initiated a defensive attack. Both Wheeling engines had lines off and all auto aid and mutual aid companies provided manpower support.

Crews attacked fire in three mobile homes and dealt with high ambient temperatures. The original fire building was destroyed and the adjacent units suffered extensive damage to the point of becoming uninhabitable.

Wheeling firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Prospect Heights, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, Long Grove, Schaumburg, Palatine, Palatine Rural, Rolling Meadows, Lake Forest, and Lake Zurich.

Larry Shapiro photo

Firefighters use a 2 1/2" hand line to battle trailer fire

Larry Shapiro photo

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Tags: #larryshapiro, child with lighter ignites fire that destroys three homes, fire scene photos, fire scene video, Firefighters battle fire in a mobile home, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, mobile homes destroyed by fire in the Whippletree Village, shapirophotography.net, Wheeling Fire Department

Technical rescue in Wheeling, 6-12-20

Jun 13

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Two workers who were sandblasting and painting the inside of a Wheeling water tower Friday are in critical condition after a cable holding up their scaffolding snapped and caused them to fall. One of the workers fell 60 to 80 feet, while the other had facial injuries but was mobile, after the scaffolding swung and smashed into the side of the tank. The preliminary investigation points toward equipment failure.

As many as 40 technical rescue firefighters from a dozen towns arrived at the village-owned water tank at 702 Wolf Court just after 9 a.m. Firefighters used ropes and harnesses to help both victims in what was described as a very involved and technical rescue. It took them about 12 minutes to ascend to the top of the tank, reach the injured workers, and give them emergency medical treatment. Both injured men were then put in harnesses, and ropes were used to lift and lower them some 100 feet to safety.

“There are a series of manhole-size openings, so they actually had to lift the patients up to lower the patients (to the ground), so it was a pretty tricky technical rescue” Wheeling Fire Chief Mike McGreal said.

A spokesman for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed Friday afternoon that the federal agency has opened an investigation. The contractor, D & M Painting Corp., based in Washington, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $482,840 contract by Wheeling in April to re-coat the tank which holds potable drinking water for residents and businesses. A $41,100 contract went to Dixon Engineering to perform the initial analysis.

Village tanks are drained and inspected every five years to analyze coatings for any corrosion, while a full-scale stripping of coatings followed by re-coatings takes place every 17 to 24 years.

Tags: technical rescue in Wheeling, Wheeling Fire Department, workers injured at water tower in Wheeling

Wheeling Fire Department news

May 5

Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Wheeling Fire Department Fire Chief Mike McGreal. Larry Shapiro photo

Mike McGreal was sworn in Monday as Wheeling’s new fire chief, minus the public ceremony that typically occurs for such milestones in a village hall packed with supportive friends, family, and colleagues. Due to the need for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, McGreal was sworn in by Wheeling’s clerk near the flagpole outside village hall. McGreal, 57, replaces Keith MacIsaac, who retired last week after 30 years as Wheeling’s fire chief.

McGreal previously was with the Wilmette Fire Department, retiring as chief there in 2017 before joining Wheeling later that year. He was Wheeling’s deputy fire chief before his elevation to the top post Monday. He came to Wheeling in 2017 to assist MacIsaac in a succession plan.

McGreal’s credentials include certification as a chief fire officer by the National Fire Academy, the Illinois state fire marshal, and the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Mike spent 29 years with Wilmette, working his way up to deputy fire chief and then chief for 3½ years before deciding the time was right to retire and hand the department to new leadership. A second-generation firefighter, McGreal’s father served with the Chicago Fire Department for 36 years.

McGreal is an avid sailor who has made four solo crossings of Lake Michigan.

Wheeling has had only three fire chiefs since 1969. That’s when Bernie Koeppen became the village’s first full-time fire chief, followed by MacIsaac 30 years ago, and now McGreal.

Tags: #larryshapiro, Bernie Koeppen, Keith MacIsaac, Larry Shapiro, new fire chief in Wheeling IL, shapirophotography.net, Village of Wheeling names 3rd fire chief, Wheeling FD Fire Chief Michael McGreal, Wheeling Fire Department

New fire station for Wheeling

May 2

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, FIre Stations | 9 Comments

Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:

A rendering of the proposed new Station 23 in Wheeling. Courtesy of the Village of Wheeling.

Plans to knock down and reconstruct Fire Station 23 in Wheeling kicked off Monday (Feb. 3) when village trustees approved site plans and a special use permit.

The current fire station at 780 Wheeling Rd. is 42 years old and in need of extensive repairs and upgrades in order to continue meeting the community’s needs. Wheeling’s fire department serves up to 75,000 local residents in a 10 sq. mi. area.

Deputy Fire Chief Michael McGreal said the station was built for only one rig. Due to high estimates for renovation work, village staff decided a total reconstruction project would be the best way to update the station.

When complete, the new station is expected to be a 11,203 sq. ft. building rendered in cement and situated on the north end of the village-owned property near Echo Lake just north of Hintz Roadz Road. The design features stone veneer, siding, and accent panels made of fiber cement in shades of gray, white, brown, and red. The site plan also includes a seam roof, front canopy entry, parking lot on the south side of the property, and street-facing landscaping.

To construct the new station, trustees approved a special use permit to allow for a new fire station in the I-1 zoning district. Most fire stations are in business districts. When it was built in the 1970s, it did not require a special use permit.

In addition to site plan and special use approval, the village board approved requests to allow a variation from the required setback for the property along Wheeling Road from 35 feet to 30 feet and a variation of the permitted height from 30 feet to 33 feet.

After the new station is completed, the department plans to use the same design to update Station 42 on Dundee Road.

Tags: Deputy Fire Chief Michael McGreal, drawing of new fire station, new fire station for Wheeling, Wheeling Fire Department, Wheeling Fire Station 23, Wheeling to build new fire station

Wheeling Fire Department news

May 1

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac. Larry Shapiro photo

Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac will end his 30-year tenure leading the department and head into retirement Friday. Deputy Fire Chief Mike McGreal is scheduled to be sworn in as MacIsaac’s replacement Monday. McGreal previously spent 29 years with the Wilmette Fire Department, retiring as chief there in 2017 before joining Wheeling later that year.

Officials thanked MacIsaac for his many contributions, in particular his leadership in fire prevention. He’s credited with Wheeling becoming one of the first towns in Illinois to require the installation of fire sprinklers in all new homes.

Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac. Larry Shapiro photo

MacIsaac worked for fire departments in Lake Zurich, Mount Prospect, and Buffalo Grove before joining Wheeling. He also spent time as a safety specialist and fire chief/fire protection engineer for Monsanto Co. in Missouri and Louisiana.

In 2011, MacIsaac’s insistence on fire safety drew complaints from the Wheeling High School student council. Village board members supported MacIsaac at a meeting when students complained about how he ordered the removal of gossamer paper homecoming decorations after spotting them on a ceiling too close to hot lights while he attended a coronation assembly. Although the students claimed the decorations were fire retardant, MacIsaac lit a bit of the paper on fire to show the danger before administrators removed them from the ceiling.

Tags: #larryshapiro, Larry Shapiro, shapirophotography.net, Wheeling Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac, Wheeling fire chief retires after 30 years, Wheeling Fire Department

Fatal crash in Wheeling, 4-25-20

Apr 27

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

A crash occurred about 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning in Wheeling when a vehicle traveling northbound on Wolf Road struck and crossed the raised concrete median. The vehicle entered the southbound lanes, left the road, and struck a parked unoccupied vehicle and tree in the 600 block of North Wolf Road. At some point after the impact, the vehicle ignited and became fully engulfed in flames. A single occupant was located in the left front seat who was unresponsive on scene and later transported to the Cook County Medical Examiner and pronounced dead.

Nobody else was injured and the investigation is ongoing.

Tags: fatal crash in Wheeling IL, Wheeling Fire Department

Small plane slides off the runway at Chicago Executive Airport 4-2-20

Apr 3

Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Crash scene photos, plane crash | Comments off

Wheeling and Prospect Heights firefighters and police were dispatched for a reported plane crash just before 7PM Thursday evening (4/2/20) at the Chicago Executive Airport. Units were advised by the tower that a small plane with one soul on board had landed but was resting in roughly two feet of water in a drainage ditch alongside the runway. Wheeling Battalion 24 found the pilot in good condition inside the plane and no hazards. Only units from the still district were held at the scene and all others were held up. The pilot self extricated from the plane and signs a medical release form at the scene. One fire company remained on the scene as a wrecker arrived to remove the plane, a Cessna Skyhawk, from the ditch.