Archive for September, 2016

LaSalle Fire Department news

Excerpts from the newstrib.com:

La Salle wants to place its 88-year-old antique fire truck in a new display building across from the fire station. The truck is already on public display behind large windows in the public works garage.

The city wants to build a better display building for the old engine on a city lot at the southwest corner of Fifth Street (U.S. 6) and Sterling Street, across from the fire station. To pay for this project, the city is raising money and in-kind donations. Monetary donations will be recognized on a plaque on the exterior.

The city purchased the truck for $15,250 on June 2, 1928. It was made by American-LaFrance & Foamite Co. of Elmira. N.Y. Foamite is a fire extinguishing chemical. It was replaced and retired in 1976.

The truck features a 65-foot extendable wooden ladder, manually deployed by firemen. First, the spring-loaded ladder was released, said Fire Chief Andy Bacidore. Then, firemen would turn hand cranks to extend the ladder.

The front wheels are steel but the rear wheels have wooden spokes. The tires are solid rubber. The truck is gasoline-powered and the front wheels are chain-driven.

In 1975, a film crew recorded the truck with Fire Chief Jim Flower and firemen Don Pittman, Ray Perez, and Nick LaCosta for a Mr. Coffee television commercial. It is one of many Mr. Coffee commercials from the 1970s featuring retired baseball great Joe DiMaggio, although DiMaggio did not film his part in La Salle.

The old truck was placed in the public works building in the late 1990s. Bacidore remembers moving it in there.

“That was the last time it actually ran,” Bacidore said. “My father knew how to work on it. He drove it and ran it.”

Once the fire truck was inside, they built walls around it. The public works garage also once housed a second old fire truck, a 1926 engine on loan. But the family asked for it back when an estate was settled.

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Miller Woods Fire Protection District history

This from Mike Summa:

Hello,
This was part of the Miller Woods Fire Protection District near Steger, Illinois.  I believe it to be a mid-1960s GMC van.  I know that it’s not a fire truck, but I just think that it’s neat looking.  Unique.  I hope that others will enjoy,
Thank you,
Mike S.
Miller Woods Volunteer Fire Department

From the Miller Woods Volunteer Fire Department. Mike Summa photo

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Waukegan Fire Department news

This from Tim Olk:

Waukegan firefighters were given a house for training from the park district who will be building on the site. Waukegan and Newport Township firefighters trained and then burned the house down 9-16-20

firefighters training in vacant house

Tim Olk photo

firefighters pulling hose

Tim Olk photo

firefighter pulling ceiling

Tim Olk photo

firefighter at training site

Tim Olk photo

closeup of Waukegan firefighter

Tim Olk photo

firefighter in full PPE

Tim Olk photo

firefighter in full PPE

Tim Olk photo

firefighters pose with burning building

Tim Olk photo

heavy smoke and flames from house fire

Tim Olk photo

house fully engulfed in fire

Tim Olk photo

house fully engulfed in fire

Tim Olk photo

house fully engulfed in fire

Tim Olk photo

more photos at firescenes.net

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New ambulance for Forest Park

This from the Fire Service, Inc. Facebook page:

Congratulations to the Village of Forest Park, Forest Park, IL on their recent delivery of a 2016 Road Rescue Type III ambulance. Thank you and we look forward to working with you again.

Road Rescue Type III ambulance

2016 Ford/Road Rescue Type III ambulance for Forest Park. Fire Service, Inc. photo

Road Rescue Type III ambulance

Fire Service, Inc. photo

Road Rescue Type III ambulance

Fire Service, Inc. photo

rear chevron striping on ambulance

Fire Service, Inc. photo

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Tri-State FPD news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

The Tri-State Fire Protection District Board swore in Daniel Niemeyer, a 19-year member of the fire protection district, as its new fire chief Monday.

The application process was open to candidates in and outside the Tri-State fire district, and after reviewing the applications, the board decided to choose the next fire chief from among the district’s firefighters.

In addition to working as a lieutenant with the Tri-State district, Niemeyer’s 33 years as a firefighter include working as a lieutenant with the Clarendon Heights Fire Protection District, before Tri-State annexed it in 1995, and as a firefighter with the Clarendon Hills Fire Department and the Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District.

He is enrolled in the chief fire officer series at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy.

Niemeyer also is licensed to practice law. He earned his law degree from DePaul University College of Law and was a partner with the law firm Gallagher, Niemeyer, and Abrams, LLC.

Patrick Brenn was named deputy fire chief. Brenn, who was battalion chief when Jack Mancione resigned as fire chief last November, has been serving as acting chief since then.

The Tri-State district has 44 firefighters providing fire protection services to parts of Burr Ridge, Darien, Willowbrook, Willow Springs, and sections of unincorporated DuPage County.

thanks Dan

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Working fire in Chicago, 9-24-16

This from Tim Olk:

Chicago working fire,  3933 W Flournoy, two-story ordinary, fire in the basement,  two lines off (9/24/16)

firefighters making entry through smoke

Tim Olk photo

firefighter climbs aerial ladder

Tim Olk photo

firefighter at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

battalion chief at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

firefighter at fire scene

Tim Olk photo

Chicago FD Engine 95

Tim Olk photo

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Fire Museum of Greater Chicago presents …

facebook_1475079425512

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Palatine Memorial Ceremony

Microsoft Word - Press Release New Media Advisory - October 01.d

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Evanston Fire Department news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Evanston firefighters have raised concerns about an interim arrangement placing the department under the city’s police chief rather than naming someone from the department until a full-time fire chief is selected.

With the retirement of Fire Chief Greg Klaiber effective Sept. 14, the city manager announced that the city would conduct its own nationwide recruitment process for the position.

In the meantime, Police Chief Richard Eddington was asked to supervise on an interim basis the fire department’s deputy and division chiefs, he wrote in a memo that went to all city staff.

“Operation of the Fire Department will continue as usual under this arrangement until the new fire chief begins work,” he wrote.

The move is a departure from past interim situations, union members said, where fire or police personnel ran their departments during the search for a permanent chief. Representatives of Local 742 recently met with the city manager to state such concerns, said Matt Smith, president of Evanston Firefighters Local 742.

Firefighters had expected Deputy Chief Brian Scott on an interim basis to run the department that is comprised of more than 100 firefighters.

Klaiber had elevated Scott to deputy chief of operations and fire prevention in September of last year. He singled out Scott for high praise in his retirement speech at the Sept. 16 city council meeting.

Smith said firefighters believe Scott working with Klaiber over the past few years had contributed to building a fantastic department. He also singled out the department’s community outreach programs (including a first-time citizens fire academy), and excellent labor-management relations.

Not bringing him into the spot and placing the police chief in charge “has left us a little bit uncertain and a little bit anxious what’s going to happen over the short-term,” Smith said.

 

thanks Dan

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New dive van for the Palatine FD (more)

This from Tyler Tobolt:

Photo of the new Palatine Dive Truck 84
Thanks Tyler Tobolt

Palatine FD Dive Unit 84

Tyler Tobolt photo

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