Archive for September 22nd, 2015

Interim fire chief named for Orland FPD, chief is on leave of absence

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Orland Fire Protection District Chief Ken Brucki has been placed on a paid leave of absence, with an interim chief having been appointed, a district spokesman confirmed Thursday. Brucki, the district’s chief since June 2012, asked for and was given a leave for an indefinite time for personal reasons, spokesman Ray Hanania said in an email.

The leave took effect Tuesday. He was selected from three finalists for the chief’s job following the retirement in 2011 of Bryant Krizik, who had been on administrative leave.

Prior to being hired by the Orland fire district, Brucki worked since 1994 for the Pleasantview Fire Protection District, which serves Countryside, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park and portions of Burr Ridge.

He began his career as a volunteer firefighter in Merrionette Park in 1988 and later was a part-time firefighter in Darien-Woodridge before taking a full-time position at Pleasantview.

Excerpts from a previous ChicagoTribune.com article:

Orland Fire Protection District Chief Ken Brucki is the focus of a wide-ranging administrative review into areas such as job performance and financial matters, according to an attorney for the district.

Brucki, chief since June 2012, took a paid personal leave of absence in late August, and the district did not explain the reason for the leave. A district spokesman at the time said only that the leave was for an indefinite time period.

The fire district is conducting “kind of an audit” of the chief, looking at Brucki’s “overall performance, conduct” and finances, attorney Burt Odelson said. His firm handles labor relations for the district and isn’t involved in the chief’s review, Odelson said .

“We (the district) are looking into different records,” he said. “For now, he’s on personal leave, and we are doing an audit.”

The revelation of the review comes after the Daily Southtown, under Illinois’ freedom of information law, requested financial records pertaining to Brucki as well as emails and other correspondence related to his leave. In turning down the request for certain records, Odelson’s office said releasing the information would obstruct “active administrative enforcement proceedings” being conducted by the district.

Battalion Chief Michael Schofield is serving as interim fire chief during Brucki’s absence. Schofield has been with the Orland district since 1978.

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Buffalo Grove Fire Department Open House highlights (more)

this from Niko Stefani:

On Saturday, 9/19/15, I attended the Buffalo Grove Fire Department Open House. They had many demonstrations to promote fire safety and to educate the public on what to do in the case of an emergency. Here are a few photos I took.
Buffalo Grove FD Battalion Chief Shawn Collins

Niko Stefani photo

Buffalo Grove Fire department headquarters

Niko Stefani photo

Ferrara fire engine in Buffalo Grove

Niko Stefani photo

Flight for Life helicopter

Niko Stefani photo

firefighter using hydraulic spreader on a car

Niko Stefani photo

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MVA in North Chicago with extrication, 9/21/15

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Firefighters needed more than an hour Monday afternoon to remove an injured woman from her SUV after a crash with a dump truck on northbound Route 41, south of 137 in North Chicago just before 1 p.m.

The woman was then airlifted by  Flight for Life.

“It was an extremely difficult extrication,” said Cmdr. Joshua Rickabaugh of the North Chicago Fire Department. “The way that the victim was pinned inside the car, it was difficult to remove the car around her.”

Libertyville, Knollwood, and Great Lakes fire departments assisted at the scene.

helicopter at scene of horrific crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

EMS personnel at crash site

Tim Olk photo

medevac leaving crash site with patient

Tim Olk photo

car after being cut apart by firefighters

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

firefighters work to free a driver after a crash

Tim Olk photo

More photos at firescenes.net

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