May 9
From Michael Kavallierakis:
Here are some photos and a video of Elgin’s new Ambulance 2. It’s been in service for around 6ish months now. It’s a 2024 or 2025 Ford F450 XLT
Michael Kavallieraki photo
Michael Kavallieraki photo
Michael Kavallieraki photo
Nov 15
Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
At an Elgin City Council budget review session Wednesday, Fire Chief Robb Cagann said that the Elgin Fire Department needs a sixth ambulance and nine new firefighter/paramedics to handle the 40% increase in emergency calls they’ve seen in the last 12 years.
The staffing request is not just because of the big jump in calls but because the department is requesting mutual aid from other towns far too frequently when they get multiple simultaneous emergency calls. They had to request assistance from neighboring communities 628 times in 2023 but were only asked to provide aid 48 times in that same time period. There have been times when Elgin has anywhere from seven to nine simultaneous calls and had no choice but to seek help from other departments.
If approved, the fire department’s 2025 budget would increase to $38,188,670 million — $2.2 million or 6.1% more than this year.
Elgin added a sixth ambulance in 2005 but it was put out of service in 2012 because it wasn’t truly necessary at that moment. The number of emergency calls in 2012 was 10,700, or about 29 per day. Eleven years later, the department’s call volume was 15,000 — an average of 41 per day, 77% of which are for emergency medical services.
If the new hires are approved, the sixth ambulance would be placed at Fire Station 3, 2455 Royal Blvd.
Six firefighters/paramedics are needed to cover three daily ambulance shifts, but he is requesting nine to ensure the department has enough relief staff to reduce what they pay in overtime.
Overtime costs have been the topic of conversation for 20 years. Initially, the thinking was it would be less expensive to pay overtime than to pay salaries with benefits, but the only way to rein in overtime is to have enough employees to cover for days off, sick time or periods when someone needs extended time off.
A councilman asked whether the city could create partnerships and contract with private ambulance companies, but the chief said there are potential issues with that idea, mainly that city paramedics provide a higher level of care and that private ambulances may not be available during an emergency.
No decision was made on the request. The council is scheduled to vote on the budget in mid-December.
thanks Rob
Found at govdeals.com:
2001 Chevrolet Express extended sports van for sale
$200.00 USD (1 Bids)Closes: 21h 13m (Nov 12, 2024 07:43 AM CST)$10.00 USD Bid Increment
2001 Chevrolet Express EXTENDED SPORTS VAN, 5.7L V8 OHV 16V.
This vehicle does not start and must be towed. Cranks with a jump but won’t fire.
It was driven in for a transmission slipping problem and parked for several months now it won’t start. The vehicle was maintained every 3,000 miles by the City of Elgin’s Fleet Division. The vehicle was removed from service in May 2024 and is now ready for auction.
The vehicle is red and does not have any cracked glass. The vehicle does have RUST (as seen in pictures), dents, scratches, and dings. The tires are in good condition.
The vehicle has a grey vinyl interior and is in poor condition (as seen in pictures). The seats, dash, and floor all have wear/damage. The sliding side door does not open and the door panel is removed but still in the van. The vehicle has a stock AM/FM radio. Light bar is missing the controller. The AC condition is unknown.
as seen in better days …
Bill Friedrich photo
thanks Martin
Excerpts from wgntv.com:
Firefighters battled a large fire at an Elgin commercial building Tuesday afternoon in the 1000 block of St. Charles Street at Welch Brothers construction supply.
The company is well known and has been in business in Elgin for 50 years, supplying government agencies and even a plumbing company next door, whose employees saw the fire and the response.
Elgin firefighters were able to contain the fire to one building on the property. Multiple people were inside the building at the time the fire started. They called 911 when they heard explosions and saw smoke.
Most of the Elgin Fire Department plus nine neighboring agencies responded to the scene.
The fire was put out at around 2:30 p.m. No injuries were reported.
Jan 26
Excerpts from fox32chicago.com:
A house fire in the 200 block of Hamilton Ave. just before 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Elgin left one firefighter hospitalized and a home heavily damaged.
On arrival, smoke was seen coming from the attic, and crews attacked the fire from the inside and found flames coming from the attic, first floor, and the basement.
The fire was contained in about 20 minutes.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital with a minor injury, but no other injuries were reported. No one was inside at the time of the fire.
Damages from the fire are estimated at over $175,000.
Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Retired Elgin Fire Chief John “Jack” Henrici is being remembered as a leader who helped fellow firefighters develop the skills needed to grow in their careers.
Henrici died May 31 at age 84 in Florida, where he had been living since 2017. He joined the Elgin Fire Department in 1986 and retired as chief for the first time in 2003.
During his break from Elgin, Henrici served as interim fire department director for cities throughout the state. He returned to Elgin in 2007 to work as interim chief for 90 days and ended up being lured back to the job by a search committee. He retired for good in late 2010, and continued to work for a time as a consultant.
Henrici spent 50 years working as a firefighter. He started his career in 1960 with the fire department in Skokie, the town where he was born and raised. He was hired by the Elk Grove Village Fire Department in 1966, where he became chief in 1976.
He was the incident commander for the May 1979 crash of American Airlines Flight 191 near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. He took a job with the National Fire Administration/FEMA in 1981 before being hired by Elgin five years later. He also was involved with the Great Lakes Fire Chiefs Association.
Henrici is survived by his wife, Maryileen, seven children, 13 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Monday, June 26, at Laird Funeral Home, 310 S. State St., Elgin. Members of the fire department will provide a silent guard during the wake, and fire service members from various departments will do a walk-through procession at 7 p.m., Cagann said.
The final viewing will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, at Laird, followed by a procession from the funeral home to St. Thomas More Church, 215 Thomas More Drive, Elgin, where a funeral mass will start at 11 a.m. Burial will be at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine.
Feb 8
From Macqueeneq.com:
Elgin FD
Job: #38184 | Illinois | Enforcer 107 PUC
Macqueen Emergency photo
Macqueen Emergency photo
Macqueen Emergency photo
Macqueen Emergency photo
Macqueen Emergency photo
Aug 16
From the Fire Service, Inc. Facebook page:
Thank you Elgin Fire Department and Chief Rob Cagann for your recent order. The newest member of the fleet will feature:• E-ONE Cyclone 100” wide cab• Cummins L9 450 HP engine• Allison EVS3000 transmission• Extruded aluminum body with low hose bed• 530-gallon booster tank• Waterous CSU 1500-GPM pump• Whelen Emergency warning lights• Federal Signal Corporation EQ2B siren and PA300 electronic siren
click to download
click to download
click to download
click to download
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
