Archive for August, 2019

Chicago Fire Department at O’Hare history

This from Drew Smith for #TBT:

It’s years old but I’ve never seen it before.

 

Air Rescue Fire Station No. 2

Client: Care Plus O’Hare
Architect: Ghafari Associates
Location: O’Hare Airport Chicago, IL
Year: 2009
O’Hare’s ARFF Station No. 2 is designed to maximize user performance by means of optimized spatial organization. Composed as a series of zones, the spaces are strategically layered in modes of extracurricular activity, sleeping-quarters, and rescue dispatch. These defined zones respond to one another by shifting to create privacy, sound barriers, and daylight opportunities.
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2
 
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2
 
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2
 
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2
 
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2
 
O'Hare Airport Fire Rescue Station #2

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MABAS Division 27 Snorkel history

This from Wayne Stuart for #TBT:

Mabas Division 27 departments operated a few Snorkels over the years. The South Chicago Heights rig is the X- Louisville Kentucky Truck Co.2.

wayne stuart 

classic Chicago Heights FD 85' Snorkel

Wayne Stuart photo

75' Snorkel fire truck

Wayne Stuart photo

Ward LaFrance H-Ranger Snorkel

Wayne Stuart photo

vintage 85' Snorkel from Matteson IL

Wayne Stuart photo

classic FWD 55' Snorkel from the Steger FD

Wayne Stuart photo

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St Charles Fire Department news

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

St Charles Fire Department Lt. David Chmelar and firefighter/paramedics Chad Tinsley, Mike Pyzyna, and Brandon Paus were honored at a city council meeting for heroic actions on June 30. The group received the city’s Unit Citation Award, given to members of a fire or medic unit for their exceptional performance or coordinated group action.

Crews typically respond to a few water rescues a year, but Chmelar said he had never experienced anything as dangerously close to the dam. When the call came in at 1:21 p.m., firefighters knew time would be of the essence based on the location of the disabled boat, just north of the Carroll Tower apartment building. The motor failed, the anchor wasn’t holding, and the boat was drifting toward the dam.

By the time they reached the stranded boat, a storm had picked up and winds had gotten stronger. They tied off quickly, helped the three passengers into their boat, and started back up the river, leaving the disabled boat behind. Roughly 40 seconds later, it tumbled over the dam and capsized.

Forty seconds. That’s how much time elapsed between the rescue and the moment their disabled vessel plunged over the dam. The firefighters safely transported a couple and their teenage son to shore amid the downpour and heavy winds.

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Box Alarm house fire in Des Plaines, 8-16-19 (more)

Two-part video from Larry Shapiro of the Box Alarm house fire in Des Plaines, 8-16-19

 

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Norwood Park Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

Dave Blondell, a longtime member of the Norwood Park Fire Protection District, was sworn in as the new chief Monday in a ceremony at the firehouse in Harwood Heights. He has been serving as acting chief of the department, which serves Norridge, Harwood Heights, and Norwood Park, since former chief Terrance Vavara resigned in May. Blondell will earn an annual salary of $130,000.

He his 7-year-old son Bodie pinned his new badge alongside his wife, Erin, and 12-year-old daughter, Sydney.

Blondell joined the department in 1993 as a paramedic student, became a paramedic assigned to an ambulance the next year, and served as a firefighter and paramedic from 1996 to 2006. In 2006, he became a lieutenant, a role he served in until 2011 when he moved to commander. From 2017 until May of this year he served as deputy chief. He has also served as the department’s public information officer and as president of Norwood Park Fireman’s Association IAFF Local 4210.

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Lemont Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from lemontfire.com:

Lemont Fire Protection District Chief George Rimbo has submitted a letter of retirement from the district effective August 30, 2019. The Board of Trustees accepted the letter with gratitude and appreciation for his time and dedication during a 31 year career with the district.

Chief Rimbo began with the Lemont Fire District on April 8, 1988 as a paid-on-call firefighter and was hired full-time on August 21, 1989. During this time, he continued his education and was promoted to lieutenant on November 1, 1994, battalion chief on October 5, 2009 and  fire chief on July 18, 2013. He has seen the district grow from one station and 1,000 calls a year with a paid-on-call response, to 4,100 calls from four stations with 54 full-time firefighter/paramedics plus a support staff of seventeen. As fire chief, working together with the present Board of Trustees and the district employees, the fire district has achieved financial stability, created new administrative positions, maintained positive labor management relations, and began the process of becoming an accredited agency with the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Chief Rimbo compliments the hard work and dedication of all district employees who together make up a team providing outstanding service to the public. 

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Huntley FPD news

Excerpts from the NWHerald.com:

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Waukegan Fire Department news

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

Waukegan firefighters rescued 15 people from Lake Michigan Saturday in two separate incidents that occurred at the same time. The fire department received reports that 14 people had fallen off their boat and into the water about 6:30 p.m. As firefighters were arriving to that incident, someone in a private vessel rode up and told them that a man had fallen off a nearby jet ski and gone under the water.

The crews pulled a man out from under the water after an unknown amount of time. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

After the jet skier was recovered, the firefighters focused on assisting the U.S. Coast Guard with removing the other 14 people, none of which were injured and the situation was concluded about 9:30 p.m.

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Fatal fire near Urbana

Excerpts from the news-gazette.com:

An autopsy has been set for Tuesday to find the cause of death for a man found Monday in a burned mobile home in northeast Urbana. John Wagner, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:35 a.m. Monday.

Carroll Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Ron Vlach said firefighters were called to the home in the 0-100 block of Cedric Drive just before 4:40 a.m. and found smoke rolling out from underneath the structure when they arrived. They then found flames on the interior of the south side. The mobile home is a total loss, and the cause remains under investigation.

The Edge-Scott, Eastern Prairie, St. Joseph-Stanton, and Savoy fire departments all provided mutual aid, as did Arrow Ambulance.

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2-Alarm fire in Riverdale, 8-26-19

Dispatch and fireground audio from the 2-Alarm fire in Riverdale, 8-26-19 from Steve Redick

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