Archive for October, 2014

Naperville to donate aerial ladder truck (more)

This from Fred McCahey:

The truck in question might be the one in the background of this pic

crash scene with fire trucks

Fred McCahey photo

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Firefighter and teacher retires after long career

The Daily Herald has an article about the retirement of a former firefighter and teacher.

Richard Keyworth made a promise. He vowed never to bring a real Christmas tree into his family’s home. At 71, the retired Elk Grove Village firefighter has stuck to his pledge, a way to cope with the memories of a fast-moving fire that killed a mother, father and their three children in a one-story home on Christmas morning.

All these years later, the details are hazy for Keyworth, who was pulling hoses at the scene of the early 1970s fire. The culprit was either a faulty plug or lights that sparked the dry needles on a real Christmas tree. But Keyworth does remember what wasn’t there: smoke detectors.

He would later dedicate the rest of his career to teaching hundreds of aspiring firefighters about the prevention side of the job. For 42 years Keyworth has navigated the highly technical world of building codes and inspections as an instructor in Harper College’s Fire Science program. He is stepping down from the position Nov. 1, though he still plans to keep lecturing and writing for trade publications.

Keyworth grew up in Itasca, and chalks up his career path to visiting a firehouse around the corner from his grandparents’ place in Chicago. He had breakfasts and lunches with the firefighters who “adopted” him, and their battalion chief gave the youngster a tour of other Chicago stations.

He studied at College of DuPage, briefly volunteered with the Itasca department and, in 1969, joined Elk Grove Village, where he would rise to lieutenant. He also was one of the investigators to link the 1982 deaths of seven people to Tylenol capsules tainted with cyanide — a notorious cold case in the suburbs.

Since joining Harper in 1972, Keyworth has managed to keep up with a demanding learning curve. In the early days, Keyworth’s fire protection manual stood less than 3 inches thick. Today, the handbook comes in a volume of books.

Keyworth began thinking about retirement two semesters ago when he taught the grandson of a former student.

thanks Dan

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CFD Chili Cook Off

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WHAT: Join Old Style and Mo Dailey’s for one hot Chili Cook-Off! Presented in partnership with the Chicago Fire Department’s Northside Fire Brigade and Gaelic Fire Brigade, this tasty event will take place at Mo Dailey’s Pub and Grille on Sunday, November 2.

Members of the Chicago Fire Department and cooks from around the city will gather to present their take on chili with guest judges ultimately determining who will take home the title of champion.  This year’s guest judges include Mark Konkol from DNA Info, Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, Chicago Fire Department Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago and Deputy Chief Mark Nielson. The panel will be rounded out with celebrity judges David Eigenberg, Joe Minoso, and Yuri Sardarov from NBC’s hit show, Chicago Fire.

This event also celebrates the Old Style Chicago Heroes Can, a commemorative can created by the iconic beer company to honor the bravery, lives and risks taken by Chicago’s Bravest. The sale of these cans throughout Chicagoland benefit’s the Ende, Menzer, Walsh and Quinn (EMWQ) Retirees’, Widows’ and Children’s Assistance Fund, a local organization which provides financial assistance annually to the neediest widows and orphans of members of the Chicago Fire Department. The can will be available throughout the event, with Mo Dailey’s generously donating $10 from every event ticket purchased to the organization.

Tickets for the Chili Cook-Off are available for $40, which includes beer, wine and rail drinks, as well as the chili tasting and outdoor BBQ items.  A live DJ will also be on-site and raffle tickets will be available for purchase, with a variety of prizes up for grabs, including Old Style memorabilia. Guests can purchase tickets at the door.

WHERE: Mo Dailey’s
6070 N. Northwest Hwy.
Chicago, IL 60631
P: 773-774-6121

WHEN: Sunday, November 2
1 to 5 p.m.

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Chicago Ridge to buy quint

The Reporteronline.net has an article about the new Chicago Ridge fire chief introducing a quint to Chicago Ridge as he did in Oak Lawn:

Chicago Ridge Fire Chief George Sheets promised to improve efficiencies when he took control of the department in July and he’s wasted little time working toward that goal. Sheets outlined a plan at Tuesday’s village board meeting designed to reduce by 50 percent the department’s vehicle maintenance budget by upgrading the fleet of trucks.

The department currently spends about $60,000 to maintain 11 vehicles … He maintains that figure is too high considering that the Oak Lawn Fire Department has a $50,000 maintenance budget for 18 vehicles. Sheets knows that first-hand because he also serves as fire chief in Oak Lawn.

Sheets called for Chicago Ridge officials to purchase a quintuple combination pumper, or quint, an apparatus that serves the dual purpose of an engine and ladder truck.

“It combines several vehicles into one,” said Sheets, who added that the truck features that latest technology tools used in firefighting.

The vehicle does not come cheap. Sheets estimated that a demo unit would cost the village about $650,000. But state or federal grants could help offset the cost, he said. The village board did not approve a purchase, as some trustees expressed a desire to see the quint up close. Sheets, however, was authorized to negotiate a deal for the truck with the manufacturer. The chief told the trustees that a 4 percent increase in the purchase price of a quint is expected soon. He added that demo models do not stay on the market for long because of the discounted price.

“We need to consolidate some of the apparatuses,” Sheets said. “It will make us more efficient. Vehicle maintenance costs can’t continue to escalate.” Specifically, Sheets proposed removing from the fleet an aerial truck and two pumper trucks, one that is badly rusted and requires significant repair. Sheets said he was offered $164,000 for the three trucks, but is holding out for more.

In September … after learning that the firefighters responded to 86 [false alarms] in 2013 [he] called for stiffer penalties and increasing fines 300 percent. He said that a village ordinance lacked the teeth to reduce false alarms. The ordinance required business owners to pay $25 for each false alarm beginning with the seventh call. The fee is now $100 beginning with the second false alarm, Sheets said.

Sheets also recommended an increase in the ambulance rate after realizing that the village’s rate was one of the lowest in the region. The fee had not been increased in six years.

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Voters to select fire district (more)

Kanecountyconnects.com has an open letter from the Elburn & Countryside FPD chief about the upcoming ballot initiative regarding fire district coverage for some residents.

  • Editor’s Note: The following is a guest essay from Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District Fire Chief Kelly P. Callaghan.

Elburn Fire Chief Callahan

Dear Editor:

Because of the Nov. 4, 2014, referendum, the recently formed Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District has been spending a lot of time defending their fire district in the press. In one of their letters, they stated that “Change tends to bring out strong emotion.” They are correct; change can be quite emotional, especially when that change affects your tax dollars.

Drew Frasz, our Kane County Board representative, stated in a Letter to the Editor, “Many government bodies have struggled with down revenues over the last few years, but hostile takeovers of areas that have been well-served by fiscally responsible agencies is not something I support.” We couldn’t agree more.

Fox River needs to acquire more rooftops to pay off their $4.4 million debt to continue to operate. This disconnection is about money, not public safety. If this were about public safety, as Fox River claims, they wouldn’t have repeatedly tried to stop the Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District from opening a station in Lily Lake to better serve the district. If this were about public safety, they wouldn’t have repeatedly tried to stop the villages of Elburn and Lily Lake from opposing and speaking out against the disconnection and supporting the Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District, which has served and protected their citizens for more than 132 years.

Are you willing to take on Fox River’s $4.4 million in debt? If you choose to disconnect from Elburn Fire, this is exactly what the referendum covers: You are taking on their debt. Eventually you and your hard-earned tax dollars will be called upon to retire that $4.4 million in debt, as well as pay for all the extra equipment and personnel they will need to serve you and your family.

While Fox River continues to acquire more debt and has done so since their inception, Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District has no debt, no hidden costs, and no new taxes. Fox River’s math just doesn’t add up.

Let the facts speak for themselves, and let your voices be heard.

PLEASE VOTE NO on Nov. 4!

Kelly P. Callaghan
Fire Chief, Elburn & Countryside Fire Protection District

thanks Dan

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Chicago Still and Box Alarm fire, 10-28-14

WGNTV has a brief article with video segments of a fire at 81st and Vincennes

Chicago firefighters rescued a woman from a burning house [yesterday] morning. The fire broke out in a home on 81st and Vincennes on the city’s South Side.

A woman told WGN that her aunt woke her up when she smelled smoke. The fire spread quickly, and trapped the woman’s aunt in the home. Firefighters arrived and got her out. She was taken to the hospital in good condition.

thanks Dan

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North Palos FPD ambulance updates

This from martin Nowak:

North Palos had Osage rechassis Ambulance 8R2 (2003 Ford) onto a new Chevy Express chassis. Former 822 was put into reserve status as 8R2. All are my photos expect the of Former 8R2. That is an Osage photo.

Ambulance 822 – 2014 Chevy Express 4500/2003 Osage.

Ambulance 8R2 – 2002 Ford E-450/McCoy Miller
Former 822 now 8R2
Former 8R2 (Osage photo)
Type III ambulance photo

Martin Nowak photo

Type III ambulance photo

Martin Nowak photo

Type III ambulance photo

Martin Nowak photo

Type III ambulance photo

Martin Nowak photo

Type III ambulance photo

Osage Ambulance photo

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Naperville to donate aerial ladder truck

The Chicago Tribune has an article about the Naperville Fire Department donating a truck to a fire department in Mexico:

The City of Naperville’s City Council voted unanimously in favor of donating a retired fire department ladder truck to the City of Cancún, México, during their meeting on October 21, 2014. The donation comes after officials from the resort city approached the Naperville Fire Department.

The ladder truck, designated 321T, is a 23-year-old vehicle that was retired from service in Naperville in 2012. Since that time, the city had attempted and failed to sell the vehicle through brokerage and auction services. At the same time, Cancún officials approached the city requesting a donation of the truck for use in the city’s Hotel Zone, which is populated with high-rise hotels.

“The overall value of donating this vehicle to a country that could use it immediately to keep citizens and tourists safe far outweighs any small monetary receipt,” Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis said. “This decision also aligns with the goals and efforts of our Sister Cities delegation and will carry on the City of Naperville’s legacy of assisting others in need.”

The ladder truck will leave Naperville via truck bound to Miami where it will board a cargo ship for the Mexican resort city. All transportation expenses are being covered by the City of Cancún and the Municipality of Benito Juarez of the State of Quintana Roo, México.

thanks Dan

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Merrionette Park orders new aerial

This from Kevin Griffin:

The Merrionette Park Fire Department ordered a new 2015 Pierce Dash CF PUC ladder

Merrionette Park FPD buys new fire truck Merrionette Park FPD buys new fire truck

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New area apparatus orders

From the Fire Service, Inc. FaceBook page:

Congratulations and Thank You to North Palos Fire Protection District in Palos Hills, IL for the purchase of a E-ONE Cyclone 2 pumper. Delivery in 280 days.

Congratulations and Thank You to Hometown Fire Protection District in Hometown, IL for the purchase of a E-ONE Typhoon pumper. Delivery in 280 days.

thanks Martin

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