chicagoareafire.com

Keeping track of Chicago area fire departments

Posts Tagged Dixon City Fire Department

Dixon City Fire Department news

Jun 7

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | 4 Comments

Excerpts from shawlocal.com:

During the Dixon City Council’s regular meeting Monday, June 4;

  • the council approved a memorandum of understanding between the city of Dixon and Dixon Firefighters Association Local 1943 to temporarily modify firefighters’ regular work hours. The agreement states that beginning July 22, 2024, Dixon City firefighters will work a schedule of 48 hours on followed by 96 hours off until July 22, 2025. Firefighters are currently on a schedule of 24 hours on followed by 48 hours off and are looking to see if this change in schedule would be beneficial to them because they would have a greater amount of consecutive time off to relax and spend time with their families, McCoy said while presenting the agenda item. In June 2025, the council will vote to make the 48/96 schedule permanent or return to the 24/48 schedule.

Tags: , , ,

Dixon City Fire Department news

Jun 6

Posted by Admin in Fire Department News | Comments off

Excerpts from shawlocal.com:

Deputy Fire Chief David Lohse of the Dixon City Fire Department was honored for his fire services career during the Dixon City Council’s regular meeting Monday, June 4.

Lohse retired May 10 after 26 years of service with the department and 32 years of working in emergency services. He began in the fire service as a volunteer firefighter in the Franklin Grove Fire Protection District. He was hired onto the Dixon City Fire Department on May 2, 1998. He was promoted to lieutenant in May 2008, captain in November 2009, and deputy chief in June 2019.

Lohse has served as an instructor at the Illinois Fire Service Institute; implemented MABAS Division 38 of Lee County and served as president for eight years; built a county hazmat team and acquired funding from grants to provide equipment and training; developed the department’s drone program; and previously served as president of the Dixon Firefighters Association Local 1943.

Tags: , , ,

Dixon City Fire Department news

Oct 25

Posted by Admin in Fire Department Funeral, Fire Department History | Comments off

Excerpts from wrex.com:

The Dixon City Fire Department is celebrating 125 years of service to the community throughout October. The department was established as a paid department in 1898. It is the 3rd oldest in the state of Illinois, and they transitioned to their current building in 2006, leaving behind the original, which had been in operation for 100 years.

Although the department has grown greatly since its establishment and original three staff members, they still face challenges experienced by others as well, saying that staffing concerns remain ongoing.

“Recruitment and retention, that’s not just an issue in the public sector, it’s an issue in the private sector. It seems here in Dixon that it’s kind of a rollercoaster, good years, bad years. Right now, we’ve already exhausted our list,” Deputy Fire Chief, Dave Lohse said. He has celebrated both the 100th and now 125th anniversaries with the department. 

Ryan Buskohl is the Fire Chief for the Dixon City Fire Department. After spending 18 years on the job, he shares how one of the big changes in the department’s history influences how their job has come to be done daily.

“Going from the firefighters actually pulling carts themselves to transitioning to horses pulling steam engines and then now, you obviously look at what modern apparatuses looks like. Just huge changes,” Buskohl said.

To commemorate the anniversary, Dixon CityfFirefighters will be wearing special shirts throughout the month. 

Tags: , ,