Nov 25
This from Josh Boyajian:
Pete Romero & Bobby Herrera’s last day on Wednesday @ Engine 109 & Truck 32. 66 Combined years of service to the CFD and City of Chicago.
CFD Firefighter Pete Romero on his retirement. Josh Boyajian photo
CFD Firefighter CFD Firefighter Bobby Herrera on his retirement. Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Excerpts from the daily-journal.com:
Kankakee Fire Chief Ron Young — the third longest-serving fire chief in Kankakee’s history — will be leaving the 50-person department. His last day will be Nov. 30.
The Illinois Fire Chiefs Association will coordinate the search to replace Young. Assistant Fire Chief Phil Perkins will serve as interim chief.
Young, 55, has spent his entire career as a member of the fire department. He was hired at the age of 22, on Feb. 7, 1984, and spent about 33 years with the department. He worked his way through the department and served as assistant chief for eight years before taking the department’s top spot upon the resignation of then-Chief Richard Kamerad.
Young’s 12-year stint as chief is the city’s third longest, behind that of Roy Marquart’s 18-year tenure [1935-53] and John Marquart’s 14-year stint [1961-75].
updated production photos of the E-ONE quint for Buffalo Grove so#140631
E-ONE photo
E-ONE photo
E-ONE photo
Buffalo Grove quint so #140631. E-ONE photo
Nov 23
Excerpts from the Chicagotribune.com:
Two area fire departments are taking a positive step forward in their pursuit of a functional consolidation.
At Monday’s meeting, West Dundee trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement allowing the village to share the services of its fire prevention officer, Rick Paul, with the East Dundee and Countryside Fire Protection District. He will work three days a week in West Dundee and twice a week in East Dundee.
Per the agreement, he will remain an employee of West Dundee. The village will charge East Dundee $35 per hour to cover expenses such as insurance and vacation time. East Dundee will provide office space and a vehicle for the days Paul works in that village.
Paul served the Carpentersville Fire Department for more than 35 years will begin his new role Jan. 1.
The approval follows on the heels of an intergovernmental agreement reached in August which will have West Dundee Fire Chief Randy Freise taking the helm of both departments beginning Jan. 1.
“It is an effort to use our resources in the most cost-effective method while raising the bar for both departments,” he said. “West Dundee is offering the skills of an experienced fire inspector and East Dundee has some technological advances that would benefit West Dundee.”
This from Daniel Hynd:
I found this in the DuComm call log … a send off for Hinsdale Fire Chief Ronovsky
Excerpts from NBCChicago.com:
Smoke and falling glass were reported in an extra-alarm fire at the Old Chicago Main Post Office building Tuesday morning that ultimately blocked the Eisenhower Expressway. Fire officials reported a blaze on multiple floors at 404 W. Harrison St. .
This marks the second fire in as many years at the vacant building, which also caught fire in November 2014. That blaze was believed to have been caused by trains running under the structure.
The United States Postal Service vacated the building in 1997 for a newer facility.
From CFD Media:
Alert. A 2 11 alarm fire. fire on multiple floors of old post office. This is NOT a drill
2-11 on Harrison update, all companies working, secondary search underway. No injuries at this time. 4-1-11
2-11 update: all companies working making progress, ventilation underway. No injuries at this time.
2-11 on Harrison: Seat of fire being attacked progress being made, companies being rotated, No injuries at this time.
The 2 11 alarm for fire in the old post office has been struck o ,ut. The associated plan one has been secured. There are no injuries
CFD Media photo
CFD Media photo
This from Larry Shapiro:
One patient was transported to the hospital after a two-car crash at Dundee and Buffalo Grove Roads in Buffalo Grove Tuesday night (11/22/16).
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo[
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Lake Zurich officials are preparing for substantial increases to cover police and fire pension obligations, as they deal with low investment returns and the fact that officers and firefighters are living longer.
But Lake Zurich homeowners shouldn’t see a direct effect when they go to pay their property tax bills, although money for other village services could be constrained to cover pension costs, said Finance Director Jodie Hartman.
Other Illinois municipalities are dealing with a similar dynamic. Lake Zurich trustees recently heard from fire and police pension board members about proposed increases of 17.6 percent and 14.4 percent to their fire and police pension levies, respectively.
“Being that we are a non-home rule community, the required levy amounts will be absorbed within our capped levy,” Hartman said. “The only impact to taxpayers is indirect, as it will reduce funding available for other services provided by the village.”
Village board members are expected to approve their overall annual property tax levy, the requested amount Lake Zurich wants to collect in property taxes, during a meeting Dec. 5. State law caps Lake County taxing bodies’ annual levy requests to 5 percent, or the rate of inflation — whichever is less, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Even with a proposed 14.4 percent increase to fund police pension obligations, village expenses in the fund only will be 43.1 percent funded, a decrease from last year when pension expenses were 44 percent funded. Lake Zurich is required by law to fund at least 90 percent of both pensions by 2044.
Fire Pension Board Secretary Eric Ryan also appeared before trustees to request a $2.1 million increase, up 17.6 percent from last year’s actual levy of $1.8 million, Ryan said. Expenses in the fire pension fund will be 60.6 percent funded under the proposal, up from 58.4 percent funded.
Lake Zurich was able to increase funding for the fire pension — and not the police pension — because of various factors, including different laws for calculating police and firefighter fund requirements.
Each fund also covers a different composition of members who are active or retired, Hartman said. Each fund also has its own board, which makes its own investment decisions that can affect returns, she said.
Municipalities face various challenges with funding pensions, including substantially low investment returns since the Great Recession and increases in mortality among retirees, said Village Manager Ray Keller.
Nov 22
Excerpts from ABC7Chicago.com:
Two Chicago firefighters were injured while responding to a fire in Chinatown Monday morning.
Firefighters began battling the blaze at a two-story townhouse in the 200-block of W. 25th Place around 10:30 a.m. The fire was put out around 11:30 a.m.
The Chicago Fire Department said one firefighter was rushed to the hospital in fair-to-serious condition. A second firefighter was transported with an undisclosed injury to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
This from Steve Redick:
I took a few shots of squad 7 and engine 9 conducting training on the new squad apparatus. It is very unusual to see engine 9 off the field, not to mention seeing them hooked up to a city hydrant. This took place at a vacant school about 40th & Federal. All the images and a short video can be seen here:Steve
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
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