Photos from Tim Olk at the Still & Box Alarm with an EMS Plan I at 1119 W. Granville Avenue for the CTA train derailment Saturday afternoon.
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Archive for October, 2015
Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:
6-year-old Noah Ury, his twin brother and parents attended Tuesday’s (Oct. 27) Elk Grove Village board meeting. Had it not been for the quick actions of an off-duty Bensenville firefighter, Noah might not have been able to attend.
Awarding Bensenville firefighter Robert Locascio the Chief’s Lifesaving Award, an emotional Elk Grove Fire Chief Richard Mikel recounted the events of Thursday, Aug. 13.
Mikel said Locascio saw what he initially thought was an article of clothing floating in the Rainbow Falls pool, but realized it was a young boy. He pulled Noah’s limp body from the water, found there were no vital signs and began working to successfully revive him as Elk Grove firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene to assist.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Mikel helped Noah stand on a chair to reach the podium’s microphone to read a letter he wrote to Locascio. “Dear Mr. firefighter thank you for saving me at Rainbow Falls, Noah Ury, age 6,” Noah said.
Locascio thanked Noah, his family and fellow firefighters for attending the award presentation.
thanks Dan
Photos by Tim Olk and John Tulipano from the 4-11 Alarm fire in Chicago 10/30/15
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
John Tulipano photo
Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:
Mount Prospect officials anticipate a $1.1 million surplus in the village’s day-to-day General Fund by the end of this year. They’re also expecting a balanced budget by the end of next year. The proposed 2015 village property tax levy is expected to increase by 3.28%.
General Fund reserves by Dec. 31, 2015 are expected to total $13.66 million, or 27.5% of total expenditures. The village’s policy level is to have savings in the range of 20%-30% of total expenditures. For 2016, General Fund projections show revenues and expenditures matching at $49.58 million. Should that remain true, the village’s reserves would remain at the $13.66 million mark.
The overall proposed 2016 budget, comprised of day-to-day costs, capital projects, debt service, pensions and funding for things such as computer and vehicle replacements, shows revenues at nearly $114.9 million and expenditures at nearly $112.4 million equating to a $2.5 million surplus. The surplus is attributed to higher than expected interest earnings for the police and pension funds. Included in the 2016 budget is a 2% wage increase for all non-union employees and collectively bargained groups.
The proposed 2016 budget includes the hiring of six new firefighters/paramedics to redeploy Fire Engine 13 downtown, which was made possible through the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant. That grant totals $1.3 million and covers the full amount of salary and benefits for those new firefighters for the first two years of employment.
The budget also includes the addition of two full-time and two part-time community service officers to allow existing sworn officers to be reassigned to policing efforts.
“Generally, things are improving for the village, but we have big unknowns out there from the state that could permanently reduce revenues in the future,” Erb said, referring to a possible property tax freeze or continuation of no police and fire pension reform.
Village trustees will discuss the budget again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 at village hall. The 2016 budget is expected to be formally adopted at the Dec. 15 village board meeting.
thnaks Dan
First of several posts from the 4-11 Alarm fire today (10/30/15) at Irving Park and Drake.
Three firefighters were injured when the roof collapsed as they were near an overhead door.
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Steve Redick photo
Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk photo
Steve Redick photo
This from Scott Peterson:
More apparatus pictures of the companies at the 3-11 on Oct 20, 2015 @ Harry’s Lumber Sales. Part 3 of 3, specialty companies.Scott Peterson
Chicago FD turret wagon 6-7-3. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD turret wagon 6-7-3. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD Comm Van 2-7-2. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD Squad 7A. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD Squad 7. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD Rehab Unit 5-7-2. Scott Peterson photo
Chicago FD Mobile Battery Vehicle. Scott Peterson photo
As seen around … O’Hare
Oct 30
Chicago Squad 7A. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago Battalion 13. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago Comm Van 2-7-3. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago Comm Van 2-7-3. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago Squad 7. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Excerpts from Homefiresprinkler.org:
The National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition awarded Fire Chief Brian Leahy from the Clarendon Hills (Illinois) Fire Department with the 2015 Bringing Safety Home Award, presented at the Fire Sprinkler Initiative Summit on October 13th in Phoenix, Arizona.
The award recognizes fire service members and other safety advocates who use HFSC’s home fire sprinkler educational materials and Fire Sprinkler Initiative resources to ensure that decision-makers have accurate information as new or updated home fire sprinkler codes are considered.
Fifteen years ago, Chief Leahy spent hours meeting with his mayor and elected officials to educate them about the benefits of home fire sprinklers. His village manager presented him with 33 concerns brought up by those who opposed a fire sprinkler requirement. With limited resources, Leahy addressed every concern. His efforts resulted in the passage of an ordinance requiring fire sprinklers in all new, one- and two-family homes. Clarendon Hills became the fifth community in Illinois to do so, but the ordinance was the first in one of the state’s teardown-and-rebuild community. Leahy’s list to the village manager is known as the Clarendon Hills “List of 33” and is still used as a resource in other communities looking to enact home fire sprinkler requirements in new homes.
Today, more than 700 Clarendon Hills homes and the families that occupy them are protected with fire sprinklers.
Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
The Oak Park apartment complex destroyed by a fire last week is too dangerous to investigate, officials say, and the building is being demolished.
According to a release from the village of Oak Park, the extent of the damage to the building in the 200 block of Washington Boulevard made it impossible to trace the fire’s origin.
Oak Park Deputy Fire Chief Peter Pilafas said investigators believe they know where the fire began, but identifying a cause wasn’t possible. “The origin of the fire appears to be in the rear of the structure,” Pilafas said. “There was too much damage to the structure to safely get in where the origin of the fire was.”
About 40 people were displaced when the fire began at approximately 9:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Firefighters from 11 area departments were able to extinguish most of the blaze more than six hours later. Crews remained on the scene days after the fire to monitor hot spots and flare-ups.
The building’s roof collapsed and much of the top floor was gutted. Authorities used two Pace buses to keep residents warm as crews battled the blaze.
According to the village, the building was likely constructed in the 1920s, and was deemed a total loss.
One firefighter was taken to Loyola University Medical Center with heat exhaustion, but was later released, according to a news release. None of the building’s residents were injured.
Gift card donations are being collected for the six District 97 families who were affected by the fire. Gift cards can be dropped off at Longfellow School, 715 S. Highland Ave., until Nov. 2. The items will be given to families on a regular basis, or as needed in the days ahead. Shoppers at Pete’s Fresh Market, 259 Lake St., can also provide cash donations at checkout lines through Oct. 31.
Chicago ARFF 6-5-10. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago ARFF 6-5-10. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago ARFF 6-5-5. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo
Chicago ARFF 6-5-5. Gordon J. Nord, Jr. photo