Martin Nowak spotted this new delivery composite of a Type I Medtec ambulance for Chicago Heights on the Pierce Flickr site.
A new Type I ambulance by Medtec for Chicago Heights. Pierce photo
Archive for September, 2011
Residents throughout Lake, Cook, McHenry, and Dupage counties called area fire departments today reporting a smoke smell in their respective areas. Initially, many fire departments responded and could not determine the origin of the smell. It has been reported that wildfires in northern Minnesota are the culprit.
Wildfiretoday.com published the following:
The Associated Press is reporting 60,000 acres, a figure which apparently came from Minnesota Interagency Fire Center spokeswoman Jean Bergerson Tuesday morning.InciWeb, which at times has been having problems today, was updated at noon on Tuesday with this information:
Yesterday, a finger of the Pagami Creek Fire made an unprecedented 16 mile run to the east, reaching the edge of Polly Lake. The fire became a plume-driven event and reached in excess of 60,000 acres. Residents were evacuated from 36 addresses along the portion of the Cramer Road/Lake County Road 7 from Kawishiwi Lake south to the Wanless Road (Forest Road 172) and along the Wanless Road west from the junction with the Cramer Road to Homestead Lake. Winds are expected to be strong and out of the northwest and west again today with little or no precipitation expected.
The blowup was caused by 15-20 mph west and northwest winds on Monday that gusted up to 35 mph pushing the fire approximately 16 miles to the east. The National Weather Service is predicting strong northwest winds again on Tuesday of 18 mph gusting to 28 along with a relative humidity of 37%. But between 2 and 6 p.m. there is a 45 percent chance of showers. Tuesday’s high temperature will be 60 in Ely, but on Wednesday it will cool off quite a bit with a high of only 46, with winds of 14 mph gusting to 18.
The Pagami Creek fire is the largest in the state since the Ham Lake fire burned over 76,000 acres in Minnesota and Ontario in May 2007, destroying 163 structures near Gunflint Trail.
A very thorough article can be found HERE at Wildfire Today.
Chicago had a 2-11 Alarm for a fire at 3056 N. Milwaukee Avenue Monday morning. The Chicago Tribune reports:
The fire broke out at 9:24 a.m. in the building at 3056 North Milwaukee Avenue and when firefighters arrived, heavy smoke was billowing from the basement and the ceiling appeared to be involved in the fire, according to fire department spokesman Larry Langford.
No one was in the two story building, which housed the bakery on the first floor and apartments on the second, Langford said.
Tim Olk and Steve Redick were at the scene. Steve submitted a video and Tim submitted several images.
The fire which originated in the basement forced firefighters out of the building shortly after they arrived. The Mobile Ventilation Unit was called to the scene and deployed. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters use a hand line from the roof of a neighboring building. Tim Olk photo
The 13th Battalion goes to work removing roofing materials. Tim Olk photo
As one company applies water to the fire, another works on ventilation. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters climb the rear stairs as fire burns inside the second floor. Tim Olk photo
The complete Tribune article is HERE.
Tim Olk has more photos HERE.
new CFD trucks assigned
Sep 13
Chicago Trucks 56 and 62 were heard on the radio today going to the academy for training on their new apparatus.
After 10AM on Monday morning, the North Chicago Fire Department received reports of smoke coming from a building at the vacant Knights Inn Motel property, 2315 Greenbay Road. The first arriving companies entered and found two fires. After attempting an interior fire attack, the ceiling began to give way and they backed out of the building and initiated a defensive attack. A MABAS Box Alarm was struck followed shortly by a 2nd Alarm, a 3rd Alarm roughly an hour later, and eventually one special alarm for relief companies. Departments responding to assist North Chicago were Lake Forest, Gurnee, and Highland Park with trucks, Newport, Deerfield, and Libertyville with squads, Winthrop Harbor, Waukegan, Great Lakes, Knollwood, Lake Bluff, Beach Park, Mundelein, Countryside, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods, and Grayslake with engines.
Multiple colors of smoke can be seen here as the fire begins to burn through the roof. Jeff Rudolph photo
Heavy smoke and fire blows out the front of the building which most recently housed a night club. Scott Lasker photo
Four aerials with master streams went to work along with multiple hand lines and multi-versals.
A company from Lake Bluff works a hand line into a side door. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Chicago Tribune reported the following information:
North Chicago firefighters will have to find a new place to practice after vandals set a fire this morning that destroyed a vacant building earmarked for fire training.
The fire department had recently received permission to use the building for training. But firefighters were called there for a real emergency shortly after 10 a.m. following a report of smoke coming from the shuttered hotel and restaurant at 2315 N. Green Bay Road, said fire department shift commander Dell Urban.
The complete article can be found HERE.
Jeff Rudolph, Scott Lasker, and Tim Olk went to the fire and submitted images.
The North Chicago tower ladder gets ready to go to work as firefighters hope to burn off some of the roof to allow access to the fire inside the building. Jeff Rudolph photo
Jeff Rudolph had the following description:
Companies responded to a smell of smoke in a vacant building. Companies found a small rubbish fire inside the rear portion of a vacant night club about 100′ x100′. Crews came back in with extingushers, but found a heavier body of fire on the other side of a wall and backed out to grab a hand line. The fire was fueled by foam and other highly combustible materials used in the nightclub, and when crews reentered they where forced out as the ceiling collapsed. Command requested a box that would go up to a third with a special for manpower. Most of the fire was knocked by elevated master streams provided by North Chicago,Lake Forest, Gurnee, and Highland Park. Plywood covered the inside of the front windows . Once the main body of the fire was knocked an excavator was brought in to tear down the structure .
The Lake Forest tower ladder stands ready on Greenbay Road. Scott Lasker photo
Great Lakes Engine 1912 supplied master streams and hand lines from Greenbay Road. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters work from the bucket of North Chicago Tower 9. Tim Olk photo
Lake Bluff Engine 519 was also pumping. Jeff Rudolph photo
Gurnee's tower ladder was one of four aerials using elevated masters streams. Tim Olk photo
Newport Squad 1455 sits staged down the street. Jeff Rudolph photo
Waukegan responded with two engines, one was Engine 3 with their new KME. Jeff Rudolph photo
After the bulk of the fire has been extinguished, the Lake Forest and North Chicago tower ladders brought their buckets to street level and directed the streams in through the front windows. Tim Olk photo
After the fire was out, this view from a tower ladder basket shows the roof of the building and just how much remained intact. Multiple HVAC units remain precariously supported in place. Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk has a gallery of images HERE.
Jeff Rudolph has a gallery of images HERE.
The North Maine Fire Protection District received a section of steel from the World Trade Center wreckage and unveiled it on Sunday at a memorial service commemorating the 10th anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks to date on US soil. The artifact was incorporated into an existing 9/11 memorial in the Ridgewood Cemetery on Milwaukee Avenue.
Tim Olk attended the event and submitted these images.
Members of the North maine FPD honor guard stand by the department's 9/11 memorial which was unveiled at a ceremony on Sunday. Tim Olk photo
The 9/11 memorial which features a section of steel from the World Trade Center collapse was incorporated into an existing 9/11 memorial that features granite benches along a lake providing an area for quiet reflection. Tim Olk photo
A gallery with more images can be viewed HERE.
The Lake Forest Fire Department and the Lake Forest Police Department held a special remembrance ceremony on Sunday to remember the deaths of 2977 people including the 343 uniformed members of the FDNY, 23 members of the NYPD, and the 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department.
The event was held at the Market Square in downtown Lake Forest. Aerials from Lake Forest and Knollwood were crossed over the square and supported an American flag. The ceremony featured several speakers and a bell ringing ceremony.
Tim Olk was at the ceremony and submitted several images.
Knollwood and Lake Forest aerials were extended and crossed over the Market Square in Lake Forest where a ceremony took place to mark the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Tim Olk photo
An honor guard made up of Lake Forest police officers and firefighters march the colors into the ceremony. Tim Olk photo
The honor guard prepares to post the colors as uniformed members of the police and fire departments stand on either side of the fountain. Tim Olk photo
Uniformed members from Lake Forest and Knollwood stand in formation during the ceremony. Tim Olk photo
Lake Forest Fire Chief Jeffrey Howell addressed the assembled firefighters and guests. Tim Olk photo
Local residents attended the ceremony and this young man took the opportunity to show his patriotism. Tim Olk photo
The ceremony was attended by several retired Lake Forest firefighters. Tim Olk photo
A traditional bell ringing ceremony was part of the program. Tim Olk photo
The Lake Forest mayor is the owner of this refurbished 1977 Seagrave P-series engine that formerly saw service in McCook. The engine was on display at the 9/11 remembrance ceremony. Tim Olk photo
The engine owned by the Lake Forest mayor used to be painted yellow as seen here when it belonged to McCook. Bill Friedrich photo
A gallery with many images can be viewed HERE.
The Village of Buffalo Grove, the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band, and the Buffalo Grove Arts Commission had a public concert to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the devastating attacks that occurred on 9/11/01 in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. They invited several guest speakers and asked the Buffalo Grove Fire and Police Department Honor Guard to take part in the event. In between songs played by the band, there was mention of the attacks by Congressman Robert Dold and a US Army General who began his remarks saying that the events of 9/11 were a tragic accident.
Fortunately, the honor guard was present along with a bagpiper to remind those in attendance of the sacrifice and significance of the first responders and those that were killed. The fire department also incorporated a bell ringing ceremony which included Amazing Grace played by a member of the Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band and Drum Band.
Larry Shapiro attended the event had submitted several images.
Members of the Buffalo Grove Fire and Police Department Honor Guard are joined by local Boy Scouts as they prepare to post the colors at the concert. Larry Shapiro photo
The American and State of Illinois flags cross prior to the colors being posted. Larry Shapiro photo
Members of the Buffalo Grove Fire Department Honor Guard perform a bell ringing ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
A bagpiper played Amazing Grace in conjunction with the bell ringing ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
Audience members that have served in any branch of the US military were acknowledged and thanked for service to their country. Larry Shapiro photo
The second half of the assembled honor guard and Boy Scouts prepares to retrieve the colors at the end of the concert. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery with more images can be viewed HERE.
Chicago 2-11 Alarm 9-11-11
Sep 12
Chicago had a commercial fire Sunday morning at 5614 W. Grand Avenue.
Steve Redick and Dan McInerney both took in the fire and submitted images.
Heavy fire burns through the auto body shop on Grand Avenue. Steve Redick photo
Firefighters use street level deluge guns in a defensive mode to fight the fire Sunday morning. Steve Redick photo
Steve provided the following information:
This morning about 0600 a 2-11 alarm at 5614 Grand ave. A 1 sty commercial attached to a truss roof auto repair garage. I arrived a few minutes after the 2-11 was pulled…and some of the box alarm companies were still going to work. Squad 2 had no snorkel and both tower ladders (14 and 23) were in spares too. The fire was through the roof just before the first images and 2 separate collapses occurred while I was there…I didn’t get them on video or stills but notice just the roof came in..no other outward collapses of the parapets or bearing walls seem to have occurred. I wonder if there were fire cuts on the truss ends. Also got some shots of 43 stretching up a ground ladder to the roof of exposure 2 for a point of vantage operation. All in all an interesting fire…shift change was taking place at the same time so that’s why you see members in various states of dress. I am enclosing a link to a short video with radio traffic I shot as well…
Two tower ladders worked in addition to multiple hand lines and multi-versals. Steve Redick photo
Engine 68 was the first due engine and had a deck gun and several hand lines flowing. Steve Redick photo
This image from later in the incident shows the tremendous amount of water that was used to hit the fire. Dan McInerney photo
Dan had the following comments:
This was a one story truss roof auto body shop. It looked 75×100, fire throughout. Exposure in sector 2 was a one story 25×100 with fire throughout as well.These are of E117 and T35. E117 had 2 lines off I believe to the roof of the building driectly to the west of the exposure building operating from a point of vantage. T35 had their main to that roof as well.
Shot from the rear shows heavy fire burning through the roof. Steve Redick photo
Firefighters from Engine 117 hoist a hose up a ground ladder to use the roof of a building in Sector 2 to hit the fire. Steve Redick photo
The 2-story house to the west had two 2-1/2s operating on the roof plus a 2-1/2 and a 1-3/4 out the second floor windows. Dan McInerney photo
Video links, photo galleries and more images will be posted in a follow-up article.
The Park Ridge Fire and Police Departments had a memorial ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Sunday, September 11, 2011. The event took place at Maine West High School on the corner of Dempster and Potter. There were several speakers on the agenda as well as the arrival of an artifact from the World Trade Center that was given to the city. The Chicago Highlanders Pipe and Drum Band along with the police and fire department honor guard escorted the steel beam into the ceremony. The artifact was in the bed of Park Ridge Engine 35 covered with an American flag and was treated in a manner to honor those who were killed that day. The honor guard carried the flag draped beam to the stage and kept a constant watch throughout the day to allow visitors to view the artifact.
Larry Shapiro attended the ceremony and submitted several images.
Members of the fire and police honor guard drape the steel beam with an American flag as they make final preparations before the 9/11 anniversary ceremony begins. Larry Shapiro photo
The Chicago Highlanders Pipe and Drum Band leads a somber processional down Potter Road as they escort the World Trade Center steel to the ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
Following the pipe and drum band is the combined police/fire honor guard, a squad car, and an engine serving as a caisson with the steel beam. Larry Shapiro photo
Members of the honor guard walk on each side of the engine as it approaches the assembled visitors and dignitaries. Larry Shapiro photo
The engine carrying the steel with members of the honor guard. Larry Shapiro photo
The flag draped steel is carried to the front steps of the high school where it will rest during the ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
The ceremony included a 21-gun salute from the Park Ridge VFW color guard. Larry Shapiro photo
A bell ringing ceremony recognized the first responders that were killed. Larry Shapiro photo
A local resident performed taps to complete the bell ringing ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
The honor guard stands watch over the beam during ceremony. Larry Shapiro photo
As the ceremony concluded, the honor guard folded the flag which was used to cover the 9/11 artifact. Larry Shapiro photo
More images can be viewed HERE.
