This from Niko Stefani:
Lincolnshire Box Alarm 12/26/17
Fire in a 2 story home that was in the garage that had extended to the attic on arrival. Thanks.
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Niko Stefani photo
Larry Shapiro photo
This from Jeff Braun, Jr.:
Here are some photos of Berwyn’s Box Alarm house fire at around 21:00 hours on 12/26/17 at 3524 S Gunderson Ave. There was heavy fire showing from the Alpha and Delta sides on my arrival.
Thanks -Jeff Braun Jr. COUNTY-WIDE FIRE PHOTOGRAPHY
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo County-Wide Fire Photography
Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
Elgin Association of Firefighters Local 439 has filed a grievance with the city and a lawsuit in Kane County to stop the city from cutting staffing levels until an arbitrator makes a decision.
The firefighters union says decreasing staffing from 34 to 32 firefighters per shift — a move approved by the city council to save $700,000 in overtime costs starting in 2018 — would cause irreparable harm to firefighters and pose significant risk to residents.
City officials dispute that, saying the proposed cut is all about efficiency.
The union filed the grievance Dec. 21. As per its contract, grievances first are filed with an assistant fire chief. The union then can appeal a negative response to the fire chief, then to the city manager, and then take it to arbitration.
The union also filed a lawsuit and emergency motion for a temporary restraining order on Dec. 22 in Kane County seeking to maintain staffing levels until the issue is decided in arbitration. The city agreed Tuesday in court to wait until Jan. 3, when the matter will be heard by a judge.
The cut would reduce on-shift staffing to 33 firefighters and a battalion chief across seven fire stations, with no layoffs. Stations 1 and 2 would go from six to five firefighters per shift, with a change in how jump companies operate.
Crews at those two fire stations currently jump between an ambulance and ladder truck depending on the call. Under the change, two firefighters would staff an ambulance and three would jump into either an engine or truck.
That would increase by two the ambulances available full-time. The fire service has changed and roughly 75 percent of calls are for ambulance services, Fire Chief Dave Schmidt said earlier this month.
Union officials claim data shows firefighters’ injuries have increased since 2005, when the department switched to a high-overtime model. Data verified from the city’s risk management department shows that is not true, and that the discrepancy is due to methodology and will be addressed moving forward.
thanks Dan
some video and additional photos from the Box alarm fire in the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods FPD, 12-26-17
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Lincolnshire-Riverwoods (LRFPD) and neighboring firefighters were sent to 1505 Garden Court in unincorporated Lake County just before noon today (12/26/17) for a house fire. Units responding reported a header in the sky long before they arrived on the scene. LRFPD Battalion 51 found flames blowing out of the garage and attic upon arrival and requested the working fire upgrade.
Dan McInerney photo
Dan McInerney photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
It appeared that the house may have been unoccupied at the time of the fire and was undergoing renovation.
The first hydrant was found to be inoperable and as lines were pulled from LRFPD Squad 51, Buffalo Grove Engine 26 dropped a large line from the end of the block to establish a continuous water supply. Wheeling Tower 24 was setup in front of the house.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
An interior attack knocked down the fire on the second floor and attic as other lines hit fire in the garage. The alarm was upgraded to a MABAS Box Alarm bringing additional units to the scene.
Dan McInerney photo
An incomplete list of companies at the scene included: LRFPD Battalion 51, Squad 51, Ambulance, 51, Battalion 52, Ambulance 52, Engine 53, 5101 and 5100; Wheeling Tower 24, Engine 42, Ambulance 24, Battalion 24, and 2401; Buffalo Grove Engine 26 and Ambulance 26; Mt Prospect Ambulance 14; Northbrook Engine 10; Prospect Heights Tower 9, Des Plaines Engine 61; Highland Park Engine 34 Squad 33; Deerfield-Bannockburn Squad 19 and 2001; Gurnee Squad 1342 1352; Wauconda Tower 341; plus chief officers from Libertyville and Countryside.
Dan McInerney photo
more photos at Shapirophotography.net
This from Steve Redick:
Here’s a neat little treat for Christmas day. The original Snorkel, after years of hard use fell into disrepair and was almost lost. Figgie International bought it and spent a fortune restoring it. The photos were taken in of July 1988 at Engine 1’s house, the original place (water tower 4 as it was originally known) went in service. I was lucky enough to attend the grand unveiling and got these now classic images. If you look closely the boom says Snorkel 1 but the doors say Snorkel Squad 3. My dad was captain of SS3 and rode this very rig. Enjoy the history and appreciate the effort they put into saving this one of a kind rig.
Steve
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
This from Eric Haak:
A quick moving fire in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood awoke residents just before 6:30 Christmas morning. The fire at 104th Place and State Street quickly consumed the attic and second floor of the 2-story frame apartment building. Upon his arrival, the chief of the 22nd battalion reported that he had heavy fire on the second floor and requested a still and box. Companies were met with two frozen hydrants along State Street and had to work to secure a water source which prompted the 2-11. The building was occupied and all residents did escape the fire. The B-side exposure was heavily damaged as well.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Excerpts from an opinion piece at ChicagoTribune.com:
Elgin City Councilman Rich Dunne, a former fire marshall, earlier this month argued against a proposed cut of $700,000 from the fire department budget. While he lost that vote 7-2, the mayor agreed that more discussion is needed on how to fund the department.
The cut, which would not involve the layoff of any firefighters but would come from overtime, was necessary, the mayor said, and part of an effort to realign the staffing of our fire department to meet the current needs of the community, which show that over 80 percent of our calls for service are now for ambulances.
“The changes in staffing are consistent with the results of the recent community survey and the desire for prompt ambulance service. The residents should not see a significant reduction in service,” he said.
The city council’s decision to go with the reduction of overtime is in keeping with the need to cut expenses for the city. Yet, the mayor is asking for further discussion about fire department funding, saying the cut is not a good fix.
“We will continue to meet the needs of the community in the future by providing state of the art equipment, training and adequate staffing to make certain our residents receive the highest quality service available,’ the mayor said.
The concerns expressed by Dunne are valid. With the firefighters’ contract ending Dec. 31, there’s a need for more consideration of the issues.
It will be important for the city council to come up with a plan that will address all funding issues of the fire department that do not negatively affect the safety of residents. It is imperative that public discussions take place to insure the best possible fire protection services in Elgin.
thanks Dan
This from Eric Haak:
Here are a few quick images from an alley garage fire at 5955 S. Throop this morning (12/24). Engine 84 used their deck gun which knocked most of it out. A line was then stretched to mop up. Whole thing was done in minutes. Happy Holidays too all and especially to those who have to work the next couple of days away from family.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
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For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
