Posts Tagged Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District

Mt Prospect chief to take job in Lake Zurich (more)

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

The [Lake Zurich] Village Board voted unanimously Sept. 21 to approve the appointment of Mt. Prospect Fire Chief John Malcolm,   to become Lake Zurich’s new fire chief starting Oct. 19.

Malcolm served 29 years in Mt. Prospect including 12 years as a firefighter and lieutenant, as chief for five years and deputy chief for 12 years. He was selected as part of a process that interviewed 43 candidates.

As head of the Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department, Malcolm will oversee four fire stations serving the village comprising seven square miles and the Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, which spans 18 square miles across four neighboring communities and unincorporated Lake County. The district also serves Deer Park and North Barrington, and has 59 full-time employees and a 2016 budget of $11 million.

Malcolm plans to review a 2015 study of the Lake Zurich department by the International City/County Management Association Center for Public Safety Management and to work with the village staff to determine whether any changes are needed.

Malcolm replaces embattled former Fire Chief David Wheelock, who retired in May.

 

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Mt Prospect chief to take job in Lake Zurich

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Mount Prospect’s fire chief likely will retire from so he can shift into the chief’s job in Lake Zurich.

Lake Zurich Mayor Thomas Poynton and interim Village Manager Steven Husak are recommending John Malcolm be hired as fire chief. Village trustees are expected to vote on Malcolm’s hiring at a meeting Sept. 21. If approved by the village board, Malcolm would take his oath of office Oct. 19.

There were 43 resumes received for the job, and the field was narrowed to a final four before Malcolm was selected.

Malcolm has been Mount Prospect’s fire chief since 2010. He joined Mount Prospect as a firefighter/paramedic in 1986 and worked his way up the command chain as lieutenant, deputy chief and fire chief. Before he was selected as Mount Prospect’s fire chief, Malcolm became involved in several aspects of the department, including oversight of underwater rescue, hazardous materials and technical rescue teams. He was responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations in his 12 years as deputy fire chief.

Malcolm also would become chief of the Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, a taxing agency separate from the village. Through an agreement, the rural fire protection district receives service from the village for Deer Park, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer and unincorporated areas.

According to Lake Zurich’s fire chief recruitment profile, the salary range for the job is $92,265 to $142,372.

thanks Dan

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2nd Alarm house fire in Lake Zurich 8-23-13 (more)

A video from this morning’s fire scene in Lake Zurich from Larry Shapiro

A gallery of the photos from the scene can be viewed HERE.

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2nd Alarm house fire in Lake Zurich 8-23-13

This from Larry Shapiro:

Lake Zurich FD received a call at 4:34AM reporting a house fire at 23722 S. Lakewood Lane in unincorporated Lake County. FIrst in companies found a well-involved frame house. The alarm was upgraded to a Box Alarm and then a 2nd Alarm for additional tankers as the neighborhood has no hydrants. The house, which was reportedly vacant,  was completely destroyed.

 

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

All that was left standing was the lower portion of the front wall around the garage. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Firefighters hit hot spots in what’s left of the house. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Firefighters hit hot spots in what’s left of the house. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Firefighters cut out the remaining garage arch. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

This Lake Zurich engine was first-in. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Round Lake tanker being dumped. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Two portable tanks were setup for water supply. Larry Shapiro photo

Companies on the alarm include four engines from Lake Zurich plus mutual aid engines from Mundelein, Palatine, Arlington Heights, and Fox River Grove. Trucks were from Wauconda and Buffalo Grove. Lincolnshire-Riverwoods and Libertyville sent ambulances, and tankers were from Long Grove, Cary, Fox Lake, Round Lake, Countryside, Palatine Rural, and Nunda. The Mess Canteen provided support services and chief officers were due from Wauconda, Countryside, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, and Palatine.

 

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Apparatus staged down the block. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Long Grove tanker nursing the engine. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

View of the B-Sector. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

View of the B-Sector. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

Long Grove Tanker 55 was nursing the Lake Zurich engine. Larry Shapiro photo

Lake Zurich FIre Department house fire

The second Lake Zurich engine was drafting from the portable tanks. Larry Shapiro photo

I arrived after the structure was already down and have some late images and a video that will follow later.

 

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Barrington & Countryside FPD update

The Barrington Courier Review has an article about the split between the Village of Barrington and the Barrington & Countryside FPD.

Barrington, fire district to proceed separately

BARRINGTON — A consultant’s report presented Monday night to the Barrington Village Board revealed that 20 firefighters and paramedics could be laid off when the village and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District begin operating as separate entities on Jan. 1, 2014.

During a separate meeting Monday night, the Fire Protection District announced former New Lenox fire chief Jeff Swanson as its interim administrator.

Speaking at the Village Board meeting, William Balling, from WRB Consultants, outlined two options for the Barrington department. The first option recommended a total staffing of 16 sworn personnel, including 14 operations and two administrative positions. That staffing plan would result in 22 layoffs. The second option recommended a total staffing of 18 personnel, including 16 in operations and two administrative positions.

In either case, the staffing change would be a considerable decrease from the 39 sworn personnel under the expiring intergovernmental agreement with the Fire Protection District.

“We need to retool and redesign,” said Balling. “We think this is a logical progression.”

Balling recommended staffing the Barrington station with 18 personnel, which would cost about $80,000 more per year than the 16 staff model.

The board is expected to make a decision at its next meeting, scheduled for Aug. 19.

In explaining the downsizing, village leaders cited the much smaller geographic area — about five square miles — that village firefighters will serve starting in 2014. Village Manager Jeff Lawler said Fire Station 1, located in Barrington, receives about five to six calls a day, most of which are emergency medical calls.

As part of the reorganization, the village intends to reduce the number of personnel on ambulances and other apparatus from three to two.

Lawler said this will provide Station 1 with greater flexibility.

“What it’s doing is it’s aligning the assets and personnel at Station 1 with the most common calls, which are EMS calls,” he said.

During his presentation, Balling said many neighboring cities including Arlington Heights and Palatine have adopted a two-person ambulance model.

“Two-person ambulances are not a new phenomenon,” he said, adding that there could be flexibility on that number if needed.

Last month, the district proposed that the village lease 18 Barrington firefighters to the district for a two-year period. During that time, the district would consider a tax levy referendum to fund pensions and health care costs for the firefighters.

Village President Karen Darch cited legacy costs, including pensions and disability liabilities that could cost taxpayers millions, as a reason not to lease the 18 firefighters.

On Monday night, Darch outlined the department’s budget, including current operations, infrastructure, employee pensions and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds. Her goal was to explain that every dollar that goes into pension funds is a dollar that cannot support those other service areas.

“We have a responsibility to spend the revenue that comes into this village wisely,” Darch said.

But many residents in the board room audience expressed concern that the level and quality of emergency services will suffer after the separation.

“Without a doubt, putting money before safety is a horrible choice,” said Barrington resident Carrie Raia, expressing concern about longer response times.

Residents also expressed concern about first responders getting caught behind trains that run through town. Darch, however, said Barrington has a cooperative relationship with Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, which supports Barrington operations when needed.

But residents remained undeterred in criticizing the board for the proposed reductions in personnel.

“This is a catastrophe now and I don’t know if we can stop it or not,” said Barrington resident Char McLear, who served as assistant to the Barrington fire chief before retiring.

Balling explained that his report was based on incident coverage, station availability and location, operational staffing, apparatus and mobile equipment, infrastructure, and automatic and mutual aid agreements and special response times.

“There are a lot of moving parts,” he said.

Also on Monday night, the Fire Protection District’s board approved a new contract with the private firm Paramedic Services of Illinois to provide emergency personnel in 2014.

The district board also discussed the possibility of levying a new tax to fund pensions applied to career firefighters furloughed from the village. The levy could appear on the March 2014 primary ballot at the earliest.

“The district has to put that question to the voters,” said Robert Buhs, a consultant and executive director of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.

Our last post can be viewed HERE.

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Lake Zurich 2nd Alarm house fire in Hawthorn Woods 6-23-13

After midnight on Sunday, the Lake Zurich Fire Department was notified of a fire that was burning on the back deck of a house at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods. First arriving companies found a fire on the back deck that had communicated to the house, and that all of the residents had evacuated. This area of Hawthorn Wood is without hydrants and the fire was upgraded to a box alarm and then quickly to a 2nd alarm which brought a total of seven water tankers to the scene.

Wauconda’s tower ladder initially setup for an elevated master stream as the fire spread to the attic, but the water supply was insufficient and the defensive attack was conducted with hand lines.

Two portable tanks were dropped and a tanker shuttle was initiated to support the operations through a Lake Zurich engine. The fire consumed the entire rear section of the attic and roof with damage to several second floor rooms.

A contributor submitted two early images from the scene and Larry Shapiro  submitted several images and a video.

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

An early image showing the roof and attic well involved.

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Another image from the street during the early stages of the fire.

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

The bulk of the fire has been knocked down as seen from the front. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Visible fire in the D-Sector as a hand line works in the rear. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Buffalo Grove Tower 25 was the RIT observing the conditions from the rear. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Small fire visible along the roof line in the B-Sector. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Water supply sector in front of the fire building. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Lake Zurich engine drafting from the portable tanks and supplying multiple lines. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

The fire was reported to have begin on the deck along the back of the house. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Deerfield firefighters hit hot spots in the B-Sector. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Lake Zurich engine drafts from two portable tanks that are connected. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Fox Lake tender fills the portable tank. Larry Shapiro photo

house fire at 11 Rosewood Drive in Hawthorn Woods

Water tankers (tenders) from Grayslake and Fox Lake. An early image showing the roof and attic well involved.

More images can be found in a gallery HERE.

 

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Lake Zurich looks into consolidating fire stations

The Daily Herald has an article which outlines discussions to reduce the number of fire stations in Lake Zurich:

 Lake Zurich’s elected officials agreed Wednesday night to further explore a conceptual plan to close two firehouses and replace them with a new station in an effort to provide the affected areas with the same coverage at less cost.

In addition, the preliminary idea raises the possibility of building a new headquarters fire station on Route 12 and moving village operations into the structure for a Lake Zurich government complex.

Fire Chief David Wheelock provided a presentation at Wednesday’s village board committee meeting showing how consolidating two firehouses into one station, along with the Lake Zurich government operations, might initially save up to $70,000 annually. He said additional savings would come from eliminating long-term capital costs from future budgets by having three fire stations instead of four.

Wheelock said the three-station model would be staffed with four fire companies while continuing to provide the same service levels.

One of the fire stations under scrutiny is No. 1 on South Buesching Road, which is the administrative headquarters and owned by Lake Zurich village government. The other station in the conceptual closure plan is No. 4 on Field Parkway in Deer Park owned by the Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, a taxing agency separate from the village.

The rural fire protection district would own the new station on Route 12, between Cuba and South Old Rand roads. A memo states the village could “creatively finance” the project.

Under the concept plan, administrative, operations and fire prevention services would be in 26,000 square feet of office space divided between two floors. In a memo, Village Administrator Jason Slowinski said if Lake Zurich government also moves to the new building, it would provide a “more safe, healthy and positive experience for village employees, residents and guests” as opposed to the current facility at 70 E. Main St.

The entire article is HERE.

thanks Ron

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Lake Zurich Fire Department photo history

Lake Zurich Fire Department antique tanker

An historic photo gallery with 24 images from Bill Friedrich and Larry Shapiro has been added to the Station 1 page for the Lake Zurich Fire Department. The gallery dates back to 1961 and traces the apparatus history through the current Pierce fleet. Several years ago, EMS for Lake Zurich and the surrounding unincorporated areas was provided by the Lake Zurich Rescue Squad, a separate company from the fire department. In recent years, the fire department took over the rescue squad and now provides fire and EMS services to the Village of Lake Zurich and areas covered by the Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District.

Lake Zurich Fire Department Mack CF engine

Older apparatus included units built by Mack, Darley, E-ONE, McCoy Miller, Frontline, and Howe.

Bill Friedrich also supplied a new image of Truck 3230 which was inserted onto the Lake Zurich Fire Department page for Station 1.

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