Archive for March 20th, 2017

Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from Mysuburbanlife.com:

To be proactive in training for [live-shooter] situations, about 150 members of the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District and the Algonquin and Lake in the Hills police departments participated in rescue task force training throughout the past week.  It was the first time the three agencies from bordering communities trained together on such a large scale.

The training sessions took place over three days at the former Duralife building in Algonquin, and included classroom activities as well as practical training on equipment use, moving through the building where a threat has been located, and carrying wounded victims to safety. Owners donated the use of the building for training.

The relatively new technique practiced is called rapid deployment, where small groups of police officers and firefighters will enter an active scene, such as a school shooting, before the scene has been completely secured.

“Typically a fire department would stage, wait a bit away from the scene, until police were able to secure it and make it 100 percent safe for firefighter personnel,” Lake in the Hills Police Sgt. Lloyd Howen said. “Well, people are dying. People that can survive … need medical care right away.”

“Our whole mission of the rescue task force is to save as many lives as possible and get medical treatment to innocent victims as quickly as we can,” Howen said.

Typically, a rescue task force includes about two police officers and two firefighter/paramedics entering an active violence scene together. Police officers provide security while paramedics take care of the injured.

But working in groups requires the agencies to share their language and expertise with each other, which is where the training is important.

The fire department received a grant to help buy four ballistic vests and helmets for firefighters and police invested in medical equipment including portable transport units to carry wounded people from a scene.

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Great Lakes Fire Department update

Thanks to Steve Redick for submitting some photos of apparatus located at Station 2 for the Great Lakes Fire Department taken Sunday prior to the Fire Buffs of Illinois monthly meeting. The images have been used to add the station onto the updated chicagoareafire.com site. There is another ambulance that was missing along with all the photos from Station 1.

 

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New ambulances for Chicago Heights

From the Fire Service, Inc. Facebook page:

Congratulations to Chicago Heights Fire Department on the delivery of their two, 2016 Wheeled Coach Type I ambulances. We thank you for your business and look forward to working with you again.

Chicago Heights Ambulance 687

Chicago Heights Ambulance 687. Fire Service, Inc. photo

rear of new ambulance

Fire Service, Inc. photo

two new ambulances for the Chicago Heights Fire Department

Fire Service, Inc. photo

Fire Service, Inc. photo

two new ambulances for the Chicago Heights Fire Department

Fire Service, Inc. photo

Chicago Heights Ambulance 687

Fire Service, Inc. photo

lighting package on new ambulance

Fire Service, Inc. photo

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Still & Box Alarm fire in Chicago, 3-19-17

Photos from Steve Redick of the Still & Box Alarm fire at 5348 W. Devon Avenue Sunday night (3/19/17) that involved a grease chute in a restaurant. The building had a truss roof.

Chicago FD Truck 55

Steve Redick photo

smoke from truss roof building

Steve Redick photo

smoke from truss roof building

Steve Redick photo

Firefighters on truss roof with smoke

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 2A

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Squad 2A

Steve Redick photo

Firefighters on truss roof with smoke

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Engine 79

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Engine 119

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Tower Ladder 23

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD eying at work

Steve Redick photo

Chicago FD Engine 89

Steve Redick photo

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