Archive for June 17th, 2022

Buffalo Grove Fire Department news

Excerpts from the journal-topics.com:

After 32 years of service with Buffalo Grove, Deputy Fire Chief Bill Wagner will retire July 2 and be replaced by Larry Kane, who comes from the Glenview Fire Dept.

Wagner was appointed deputy chief in Buffalo Grove in 2015 and is currently the chairperson of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division 1 OPGS Committee, which has a regional influence on mutual aid operations in the fire service. 

Prior to his service to Buffalo Grove, Wagner worked for the Franklin Park and Pleasantview fire departments until he was hired by the village on Aug. 13, 1990.

After an application and assessment process, Kane has been chosen to be the next deputy chief in Buffalo Grove, effective June 20. Kane comes from the Glenview Fire Dept. where he served for 21 years, most recently as a battalion chief. His other previous professional experiences include two years as the fire chief for the Harvard Fire Protection District and 15 years of fire service instruction at McHenry Community College.

In addition, he served for three years as a police officer in Mount Prospect and six years in the United States Army. Kane holds a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Lewis University.

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Working fire in Mattoon, 6-15-22

Excerpts from jg-tc.com:

Two Mattoon firefighters were injured and eight residents were  displaced by an early Wednesday morning apartment fire.

Mattoon Fire Department Chief Jeff Hilligoss said crews responded to a report of a structure fire at 1312 Lafayette at 1:35 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find fire and smoke showing from the third floor windows of the three-story apartment building.

“Firefighters were met on the second floor with heavy smoke, crews then advanced to the third floor and began attacking the fire under heavy smoke, and high heat conditions,” he said.

The fire was contained to the third floor, and the room of origin. Firefighters had the fire under control within 15 minutes, then began checking for fire extension. The building had extensive fire damage to the third floor and smoke and water damage throughout six apartments.

No occupants were injured, but two firefighters received minor burns. One of the firefighters sought treatment as a precaution, and was released and returned to the fire scene.

Firefighters were assisted at the scene by Mattoon police, Coles-Moultrie 911, Mitchell-Jerdan Ambulance, the Charleston Fire Department, the American Red Cross, and Ameren Illinois.

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Illinois Fire Service news

Excerpts from illinoissenatedemocrats.com:

A measure sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz will allow Chicago firefighters to add MRSA to the list of occupational disease disability benefits if they contract the infection on duty.

The new law aligns Chicago firefighters with downstate firefighters by extending an occupational disease disability benefit to any active Chicago firefighter who has completed seven or more years of service and can’t perform their duties because of a contagious staph infection including MRSA.

Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 4435 on Friday, June 10. The law takes effect immediately.

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