Archive for January 14th, 2017

Of interest …

Jan 14

Posted by Admin in Reader submission | Comments off

Rockford Firefighter Luke Schneider has been operating Fire Department Coffee out of a store front on 20th Street for the last six months and they’re looking to expand.

Created after realizing how much coffee he and his fellow firefighters were drinking, Schneider wanted to offer hard working people a quality coffee at an affordable price.

A portion of the sales from Fire Department Coffee goes to firefighter and veterans assistance programs.

They are offering an opportunity to win a free year of coffee. Visit their website to sign up and to learn more about Fire Department Coffee.

thanks Dan

Tags: Fire Department Coffee, Rockford Firefighter Luke Schneider

Northfield Fire Rescue news

Jan 14

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

A former part-time firefighter who authorities say placed a video recorder in a shower at the Northfield fire station pleaded guilty to the charges, court records show.

Edward T. Panicko, 59, of Arlington Heights, was sentenced on Wednesday to one year conditional discharge and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service in exchange for pleading guilty to unlawful video recording.

He was also ordered to pay $484 in fines.

Panicko resigned from the Northfield Fire Department in July 2016 after a fellow firefighter made misconduct allegations against him.

thanks Dan

Tags: Edward T. Panicko Jr, firefighter misconduct, Northfield Fire Department, Northfield Fire Rescue

Highland Park Fire Department news

Jan 14

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, FIre Stations | Comments off

Excerpts from theChicagotribune.com:

Highland Park officials showed a conceptual plan for a new Ravinia Fire Station to replace the current cramped and antiquated station that dates to 1929.

The city is proposing to replace its current station at 692 Burton Avenue with a new two-story, 14,000-square-foot building. The plan suggested for the site could be enlarged by acquiring two homes near the northeast corner of Highland Place and Pleasant Avenue and making use of a portion of a city-owned parking lot.

Public parking spaces would be available on the Ravinia Fire Station site. Construction of the new Fire Station 32 would not begin until at least 2022.

City officials say space is so cramped at the nearly 90-year-old station that it’s difficult to maneuver equipment and apparatus in and out.

The city previously considered several other locations for an enlarged Ravinia Fire Station, including the northern portion of Brown Park on the south side of Roger Williams Avenue west of St. Johns Avenue.

Fire Chief Dan Pease said the architect raised concerns about constructing the station that close to the Ravinia train station and Metra tracks because a major accident could knock out the station and personnel.

thanks Dan