Archive for June, 2021

Milwaukee Fire Department news

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Equipment was stolen from a Milwaukee fire truck while at a fire Tuesday, June 29 on the city’s south side. Fire crews had to call for backup when they realized someone was running away with a piece of equipment as firefighters searched for people who were reported stranded in a house fire.

Firefighters found no one was in the house, but one firefighter was treated for minor injuries at the hospital. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It is still unknown exactly what was stolen from that fire truck. Fire officials said they are working with police to do inventory on the truck.

thanks Asher

Tags: Milwaukee Fire Department, thieves steal from fire truck at fire scene

New Chicago Fire Department replica model

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Collectors of fire memorabilia | Comments off

From Fire Replicas:

Just announced: Chicago Pierce Truck 26

Fire Replicas model of Chicago FD Truck 26 Pierce Dash

Tags: Fire Replicas, Fire Replicas fire truck model, Fire Replicas model of Chicago FD Truck 26 Pierce Dash, New Chicago Fire Department replica model of Chicago FD Truck 26

Interdivisional industrial fire in Morris, 6-29-21

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from Chicago.cbslocal.com:

Emergency crews are still working to clear an an industrial fire involving lithium ion batteries in Morris, Illinois Wednesday.

People living in parts of Morris had to evacuate Tuesday because of the fire, and the evacuation has been deemed mandatory for 24 hours. The evacuation was prompted by lithium batteries catching fire, which produces smoke with dangerous particulates.

At 11:42 a.m. Tuesday, the Morris Fire Department was called to the 900 block of East Benton Street for a fire at the old Federal Paper Board building, which was being used to store a large quantity of lithium batteries.

The company now at the building called Superior Battery said there were about 80 to 100 tons of batteries on the premises.

Because of the health risk, officials have evacuated the southeast side of Morris – from Washington Street as far east as Evergreen Cemetery (Cemetery Road) to the east to Route 47 to the west, and from the railroad tracks on the north to the river on the south.

Because it is a lithium fire, crews cannot battle the flames with water. Lithium explodes when it comes into contact with water, so they need to smother the flames.

The fire department said the only option is to let the fire burn. Firefighters will be on the scene throughout the night to maintain public safety.

“The building is doing very good. It’s keeping the explosions inside. So explosions are not coming outside the building. It’s keeping it contained,” said Chief Tracey Steffes of the Morris Fire Department.

About 130 total fire personnel were on the scene and about 30 fire units.

A spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker said the Illinois National Guard had been called to assist.

The Illinois National Guard is sending 12 service members, five trucks and three trailers with chemical assessment and monitoring equipment from the 5th Civil Support Team based in Bartonville.

The mission would be to monitor air quality and do environmental assessment to see when it is safe for residents to return to their homes under the direction of the civilian incident commander.

American Red Cross volunteers headed to Morris to support the firefighters, providing food and water to more than 300 emergency personnel.

Tags: industrial fire involving lithium ion batteries in Morris IL, Superior Battery

Northbrook Fire Department news

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | Comments off

Excerpts from nbcchicago.com:

A 4-year-old boy died in an apparent drowning after being pulled out of a retention pond in Northbrook Monday evening after ~~First responders~~ police and firefighters were called to the pond in the 1700 block of Provenance Way at approximately 7 p.m. According to neighbors, a nurse who lives on the street performed CPR before firefighters arrived at the scene.

Tags: 4-year-old boy died in an apparent drowning in Northbrook

Interdivisional Box Alarms for the industrial fire in Rockton, 6-14-21 (more)

Jun 30

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 1 Comment

Excerpts from abc7chicago.com:

An explosion and massive fire at a chemical plant in northern Illinois that filled the sky with black smoke and forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes for days was started accidentally during maintenance work, a senior fire official said.

Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson said in a press release Friday that the June 13 fire at the Chemtool plant near Rockton started when contractors were replacing insulation on an elevated heat transfer piping network. The system heats vessels used in the manufacture of lubricating greases. He did not say what ignited the oil. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

“At the present time, the most credible scenario is that the scissor lift struck a valve or other piece of piping with sufficient mechanical force to cause the release of mineral oil,” Wilson said. “Chemtool operators promptly detected the release and shut down the boiler. They were in the process of placing containment booms, as well as de-pressuring the heat transfer piping network, when the fire ignited.”

The explosions and resulting fires that burned for several days prompted officials to evacuate an estimated 1,000 residents who lived near the plant and they urged all who live within 3 miles of the plant to wear masks due to the threat posed by airborne impurities. Nobody at the plant or in the surrounding community, located near the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, was injured. Evacuated residents were able to return to their homes after four days.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Chicagoareafire.com/blog, Lubrizol Inc., Massive fire at Chemtool in Rockton IL, Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson

New tower ladder for Joliet FD

Jun 29

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, New Apparatus Order | 11 Comments

From Fire Service, Inc. on Facebook:

Congratulations to Chief Greg Blaskey and the members of the Joliet Fire Department on the recent order of their second E-ONE Cyclone 95′ Rear Mount Platform/Quint.
This new unit will come with the following options:

E-ONE Cyclone raised roof cab with 67” CA.
Cummins X12 500 HP engine
Allison 4000 Series automatic transmission
95’ extruded aluminum ladder
Extruded aluminum body with side access hose bed for easier loading of hose
Hale QMAX 1500-GPM pump
500-gallon water tank
Smart Power 10kw Hydraulic Generator
Federal Signal products warning lights

As always, we appreciate the continued business from this long time Fire Service Inc. customer. This unit will be another fine addition to their E-ONE fleet of emergency vehicles.

drawing of new E-ONE HP95 tower ladder for the Joliet Fire Department

click to download

thanks Keith and Danny

Tags: drawing of new E-ONE HP95 tower ladder, E-ONE Cyclone 95' Rear Mount Platform/Quint, New tower ladder for Joliet FD

Fire Service News

Jun 29

Posted by Admin in CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19), Fire Service News | Comments off

Excerpts from wevv.com:

In Illinois, fire departments impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are now eligible to receive $1 million in funding.

Governor JB Pritzker and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal say the grant is meant to help volunteer/combination departments make up for lost revenues due to the lack of fundraising events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to be eligible for the assistance grant the applying fire department must:

Be an Illinois combination or volunteer fire department;

Operate within a jurisdiction with a population at or less than 7,500 people;

Have an approved annual budget at or less than $150,000;

Have an OSFM Fire Department Identification Number (FDID); and

Be current with their National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) reports at the time of application.

You can find an application for the grant and more information on illinois.gov.

Tags: grants for Illinois fire departments, Illinois offers funding to fire departments impacted by Covid-19, Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal