It’s official go in service tomorrow morning
thanks Scott
Archive for July, 2018
New ambulances for Chicago
Jul 31
Updated production photos of a new HD-107 Ferrara aerial on an Intruder chassis for Champaign so #H-6142
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
New ambulance for Posen
Jul 31
From the Foster Coach Sales Facebook page:
Medtec conversion on a used Ford F650 chassis.
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Updated production photos of the new Ferrara Igniter engine being built for Hoffman Estates
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Updated production photos of the new Ferrara Igniter pumper being built for Downers Grove
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
A request for assistance …
Jul 30
Hello:
I am writing this letter to find out whether anyone from your fire department was there after 9/11/2001 disaster.
I arrived at the trade center on 9/14/2001 and I worked with the Chicago Fire Department. I believe we were by the Verizon building; to the left of the Command Center. I showed up with two spackle buckets filled with fishing spikes I believe it was your captain who examined the spikes and said “What the hell are those”? I replied, I fish on steel pipes and I don’t slip.
His response was, “Can I walk up the side of F’n building with them”?.
I told him, “That probably would be a bad idea”. “He chuckled a little bit and said, “Strap me up”. So, I did. He went on one of his many rescue trips and when he returned he said, “Where the hell have you been”? Strap up my whole team up. That’s how it started.I don’t remember how many days and nights you guys were there before I arrived. You guys appeared exhausted as hell, but you all just kept going and going. You men were like machines. I could not believe how hard you all were working. My role in this was very small. I would tighten the boots up after each of your rescue missions as there were many.
After you men returned from one of these missions we were all sitting under a concrete overhand. I asked, “What more can I do”?
One of your men said, “Look at the bac-ho on the street dumping debris”.
You replied, “Listen up when you go down to where the FBI is going to ask you to look for certain papers”. You replied, “F them”.
You need to look for any kind of red hose or Brass, we need to track our boys.I am pretty sure you guys were not too fond of the FBI. When I got to the street, the FBI asked me, “If I was a fireman”. I replied, no.
I’m just a civilian helping out. They threw me down to the ground, face first and told me, “This is a restricted area”. They put me in hand cuffs. I had two FBI guys one on my left and one on the right.By the time I got to my feet I turned around and all you guys came charging down
the two FBI guys on my right and left had their faces in the mud like really quick. They had no idea what hit them. You said this to the FBI un cuff him he is with us.The FBI and police stood on one side of the street Firemen on the other side. We never talked much at all so many people died. I’m sorry for all your brothers’ you guys lost. I can’t explain the feeling I felt when you guys stood up for me. Thank You I believe you guys left on Saturday 9/15 I worked with some other carpenters building some ramps and doing whatever I could to help after you guys left
I was by the exit and they were letting us go in groups. They were prepping us on how the media is going to be all over us. I stayed and spoke to the guy in charge.
Allot of People died here, the little work I did in comparison to you guys was nothing. There is no way in hell I want see the media never mind speak to them. So, he took me out a back way.Now for the hard part. To ask for anything on a day when so many people died. I really feel like shit. I have been battling cancer for the last year. I had three major operations. I have not worked in over a year I just finished my chemo treatments. I owe quite a bit of money for medical bills. Pretty soon I get a cat scan to see if the chemo worked. I have no feeling in my hands or feet. I have two beautiful girls
That I supportI am a carpenter by trade I have trouble buttoning my shirt never mind picking up a nail. The doctors told me the nerves in my hand and feet may grow back and may not. I heard a add on the radio and realized I may qualify. I called and spoke to an attorney they told me I qualify for the world trade center Victim Compensation Fund. They told me if can prove I was there on 9/14 for four hours You guys are the only ones that can do this. The story above may not be perfect, my memory sucks but I tried to include enough information, so you would remember who I was. You may even have some of the spiked shoes in your basement. I know I was with you guys on the 9/14 for allot more than 4 hours. I just need a letter.
I have no idea where you guys are I am sending this out randomly if this is not the correct Fire department. Please let me know!! if you could kindly pass this on to any of your Brothers from the Chicago Fire Department that where at the trade center on 9/14 I would truly appreciate that
Thank You
Robert Duphiney
100 Seward ST apt B-12
Rockaway NJ 07866
973-727-4875
robertduphiney@gmail.com
click on the image for a downloadable copy
Peoria Fire Department news
Jul 30
Excerpts from the pjstar.com:
City Hall and the union that represents Peoria firefighters are at odds over an ordinance that could change the way public safety employees are compensated after an injury.
At the crux of a lawsuit filed this week in Peoria County Circuit Court by the International Association of Firefighters Local 50 is the definition of a catastrophic injury. The city, in a June 12 ordinance, sought to define the term to cut down on abuse, according to a document issued to the council.
“While the General Assembly did not define ‘catastrophic injury’ in the legislation, they do allow cities to establish a procedure for reviewing these types of claims and providing some definition to catastrophic injury,” said City Manager Patrick Urich.“This ordinance provides that procedure for Peoria. The city believes catastrophic injury means being severely injured to the point of never being able to work again, in any field.”
The union, however, doesn’t see it that way and believes the city’s action is unlawful and blatantly wrong.
“The issue is, what the city of Peoria is doing is against the law. Every citizen should be concerned when a municipality decides they are going to ignore the rule of law and create their own law,” said the union’s attorney, Jerry Marzullo.
Under the Illinois Public Safety Employees Benefit Act, a firefighter or a police officer who is injured so severely that they can’t continue could have a change in their benefits if they are awarded a line of duty disability benefit from a pension board. Such a benefit covers health care costs and other issues.
Harvey Fire Department news
Jul 29
Excerpts the ChicagoTribune.com:
The Harvey City Council unanimously approved a repayment agreement Monday with its police and fire pension funds, effectively resolving a months-long dispute over withheld state tax revenues that Harvey claimed had placed it on the brink of financial collapse and forced it to lay off 40 public safety workers.
The agreement, which apportions previously withheld and future tax revenues between the involved parties until the city’s debts are paid in full, resembles an interim pact reached last month as Harvey scrambled to make payroll and pay for essential services.
The Illinois Comptroller has withheld approximately $3.3 million in sales, income, local use, transportation, motor fuel, replacement and excise tax revenues from Harvey since February at the request of its police and fire pension funds. The funds, which claim the city is more than $23 million delinquent in combined pension payments to them, took advantage of a never-before-utilized state law that requires the comptroller to seize a municipality’s state tax revenues when it’s been certified delinquent in making required pension payments.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the release of the withheld funds would enable Harvey to bring back any of the employees it let go in April. Multiple police sources said they had yet to hear anything from the city about it bringing back workers as a result of its pension funding agreement and expressed skepticism that it would happen.
According to the comptroller’s office, Harvey will receive about $1.65 million of the $3.3 million that had been withheld since February, with the remainder split between the police pension fund, the firefighters pension fund and a trustee for city bondholders. The trustee is further directed to pay a portion of the funds it receives to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and both public safety pension funds, according to the deal.
Going forward, the comptroller will distribute 35 percent of state tax revenues earmarked for Harvey to the police and fire pension funds until the debts owed to both funds are paid in full. It would take about six years before the city pays down the full $9 million owed to the police pension fund and even longer before it satisfies the firefighters’ $14.2 million claim, but expressed hope that the funds would eventually be made whole.
The deal also makes the pension funds responsible for appointing an actuary to ensure the tax levies used to fund them are set appropriately, because the city had under-levied previously.
Excerpts from the Dailyherald.com:
Mundelein trustees have approved a plan to reserve land that one day could be the site of a new fire station in a heavily wooded area on the southeast side of the University of St. Mary of the Lake campus, just inside the main entrance on Route 176 and east of the Hawley Street split.
The village board on Monday approved a letter of intent to lease the land from the Archdiocese of Chicago. The letter doesn’t commit the village to a lease or to building a new fire station. According to a joint statement from the university and the archdiocese, the university values its relationship with Mundelein and was glad to be able to accommodate the new fire station.
Both of Mundelein’s fire stations — the headquarters at 1000 N. Midlothian Road and a small station at 1300 S. Lake St. — are west of the Canadian National tracks that divide much of the town. Officials long have discussed building a fire station east of the tracks to be closer to residents and businesses in that part of town.
Other possible sites for a third station that were discussed but rejected include the old village hall on Hawley Street and a former fire station on Seymour Avenue that’s now a public works facility.
The lease won’t cost the village anything right now. The deal gives Mundelein 30 rent-free months to examine the town’s fire safety needs, to ensure the location is the best spot for a station and to do financial analysis for the project.
If the village eventually builds a fire station on the property, rent will begin at $100,000 annually, according to the agreement. The rent may increase or decrease up to 5 percent annually based in inflation or deflation, the deal states.
