Park Ridge Fire Department

Transcription

1 Park Ridge Fire Department ANNUAL REPORT

2 Table of Contents Message from the Chief 1 Administration 3 Incident Responses 5 Emergency Medical Services 12 Fire Prevention and Public Education 15 Seniority/Age Breakdown 17 Organization Chart 18 Shift Photos 19 Apparatus and Equipment 25 Training Division 28 Building Maintenance 30 Personal Protective Equipment 31 Fire Investigation 33 Dive Team 38 Hazardous Materials Team 42 Technical Rescue Team 44 Honor Guard 48 Community Emergency Response Team 52 Fire Explorers 54 Selected Customer Satisfaction Surveys 56

3 MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF Michael A. Zywanski, Fire Chief Mayor David F. Schmidt and City Council City of Park Ridge 505 Butler Place Park Ridge, Illinois As your Fire Chief and on behalf of the men and women of the Park Ridge Fire Department, I respectfully submit for your review, the Fire Department Annual Report for The mission of the Park Ridge Fire Department is to limit the loss of life and property through planning, prevention and by providing exemplary fire and emergency medical services to our community, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Another busy year for the Park Ridge Fire Department! The Department responded to 4,069 emergency incidents in This represents the tenth calendar year in a row that the Department has responded to over 4,000 emergency incidents. In 2012, the Park Ridge Fire Department underwent a comprehensive, five-day review from the Insurance Service Office (ISO). ISO is a nationally recognized leader that provides insurance carriers with community fire protection class data and information. This data and information provided to insurance carriers by ISO, is used by the insurance industry to formulate rate tables for commercial and residential fire insurance premiums. Therefore, the better fire protection services that are provided to a community, the lower the cost to business and residents for fire insurance. I am happy to report that the City of Park Ridge remains an ISO Protection Class rating of 3 on a scale of 1 being the highest, 10 being the lowest. The ISO Community Protection Class rating includes such components as Fire Department staffing levels, response time performance, fire apparatus and equipment compliance, emergency dispatch services, training and water supply available in the community for fire suppression. Our last community rating was twelve years ago, which resulted in a rating of 3. Currently there are approximately two thousand communities in the United States with a Protection Class rating of 3 or better, however in the State of Illinois, only one hundred forty-four communities have a rating of Class 3 or better. One of the best benefits of the ISO review is that areas of a Department s operations are identified for improvement; with this data we are able to put plans in place to correct these areas. This will be our primary goal for 2013 and beyond, to strengthen the areas of our operations that will enable our service delivery to improve. The 2012 ISO review further revealed that we are only six points short of achieving a Community Protection Class rating of 2. Improving to a Protection Class rating of 2 from 3 should, depending on the insurance carrier, result in insurance premium savings to our residents and businesses. In 2013, the Park Ridge Fire Department will continue to pursue excellence in service delivery and fiscal efficiency. 1

4 Additional highlights in 2012, the Department filled two of three vacant positions by hiring two new Firefighter/Paramedics. In November, we welcomed probationary Firefighter/Paramedic Jesse McFarlin and probationary Firefighter/Paramedic Jeffrey Finn to the Department. Upon completion of the nine week firefighter academy at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA), and paramedic system testing at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, these new members began their careers with the Park Ridge Fire Department in March of Please join me in welcoming our newest members to the Fire Department. Finally, in 2013 the Fire Department will continue the pursuit of accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. One of the components of the accreditation process is the development of a Strategic Plan for the delivery of fire and EMS services. Although the Department has a Strategic Plan in place, we will focus on updating it. The Department will be conducting numerous strategic planning sessions in 2013 in order to accomplish that task. As part of this plan, we will be seeking the input of residents, businesses, community groups, elected officials and stakeholders throughout the community. We look forward to this process, which will create the plan for our service delivery into the future Respectfully submitted, Michael A. Zywanski Fire Chief 2

5 ADMINISTRATION Deputy Chief Jeff Sorensen It is the goal of the Fire Department Administration to deliver the most effective and efficient fire suppression and emergency medical services possible to the community. The Park Ridge Fire Department is a professional, caring, and pro-active provider of these services. We remain committed to help the community by not only responding to emergencies, but through fire prevention and emergency preparedness efforts. The various City Departments work together collaboratively preventing hazardous conditions and in preparing the community for emergencies and potential disasters. In 2012, the Park Ridge Fire Department went to great lengths to better prepare for these types of emergencies in our community through regular planning sessions with the organizations in our community. We take great pride in the partnerships created with the Park Ridge Park and School Districts, the private and faith-based schools, the local hospitals as well as the volunteer and service organizations within our community. Additionally, Fire Department Administration had several accomplishments in 2012: Met with Lutheran General Hospital on a monthly basis regarding crisis/emergency plans (E- Plans). Participated with Lutheran General Hospital on a tornado drill (Code Black), which involved the evacuation of 40 patients. Met monthly with the Police Department to work on disaster plans at schools and Park Ridge special events throughout the year. Worked with the Police Department and Park Ridge CERT on new Com Ed protocol involving Joint Operations Center. Established the Park Ridge Citizen s Corps Council, which oversees volunteer emergency resources for support and response. Assisted in District 64 fire drills and crisis communications plans. Assisted in District 207 fire drills and reviewed crisis plans. Assisted in an active shooter drill at Maine South High School. Participated in JCRRT (Joint Community Resource and Recovery Team) meetings and activations throughout the year. Assisted private and faith-based schools with fire drills, lockdown procedures and emergency plans. Engaged in NATO preparedness/planning, including several meetings with the following organizations: Illinois MABAS, Park Ridge Police, Communications and Dispatch, LGH, District 64, District 207, Forest Preserve Police. Coordinated staffing and emergency preparedness, and developed Incident Action Plans (IAPs) for special events in our community. Conducted severe weather and fire drills in order to exercise the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for City Hall. 3

6 Developed a committee that made recommendations and specifications for purchasing of personal protective equipment. Increased equipment and training opportunities for our CERT responders. Utilized Park Ridge CERT for many community events and weather emergencies. Provided 150 flu shots to city employees and family members. Managed the fire hydrant testing program in a cost efficient and effective manner, utilizing summer help. Participated in various community outreach events with the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, the Youth Commission, Park Ridge Park District and community service organizations including the Park Ridge Kiwanis Morning and Noon clubs. Utilized an internship program with Maine South High School as a resource for administrative tasks at the Fire Department. Provided guidance for safety committees at District 64, Maine South and Maine East High Schools. Hired three (3) new firefighters in November 2012, who will join the operations division in March of The goals of Fire Department Administration for 2013 are: Work with the dispatch related transitional issues. Complete hiring of new personnel and begin new hiring and promotional processes. Actively seek out grant opportunities for fire prevention initiatives. Continue to pursue innovative strategies for public outreach, including fire prevention and safety education and emergency preparedness for the community. 4

7 Incident Responses Battalion Chief John Hanson 2012 Incident Summary During 2012, the Park Ridge Fire Departments call volume again exceeded the 4,000 mark. During the past year, personnel responded to 4,069 incidents, which made 2012 the eighth busiest year on record. 5

8 Incident Characteristics Incidents are classified as one of four types: Code 1: Emergency Medical Service Call (vehicle accidents, cardiac issues, falls, etc.) Code 2: Service Call (car fire, carbon monoxide alarms, lockout, etc.) Code 3: Fire Call (fire alarms, garage fires, structure fires, etc.) Code 13: Request for Aid from another community (Rosemont, Des Plaines, Niles, etc.) As shown above, Code 1 s were the majority of our responses and accounted for 2,579 of our incident responses for the year. The chart below shows the top five (5) departments we give and receive aid from (Code 13 s). We do our best to make sure that the response is balanced as to not put an increased burden on our neighboring departments. 6

9 The top 7 types of property we responded to are displayed in the graph below. Given the demographics of our City, it makes sense that residential properties were the bulk of the type of property that we responded to. Tower 36 responding to a condominium fire at Bristol Courts in February. 7

10 Incident Time and Day Statistics Incidents occur at all times of the day and days of the week. Below, the two graphs show the number of incidents by the time of day and the day of the week. 8

11 Station and Apparatus Statistics During 2012, the incidents responded to by each station were fairly close to being equal. This is a statistic that Command Staff looks at annually to make sure that incident response districts are balanced so that response times can remain as low as possible for our citizens. The graph below illustrates the number of incidents each apparatus responded to during For the most part, incidents are equally divided between the apparatus. Additionally, 2012 was the first full year that Tower 36 replaced Engine 36 as the front line suppression apparatus at Station 36. That is why the respective graphs vary greatly from previous years. 9

12 Concurrent Incidents Due to the high amount of calls for service during 2012, we continued to have a corresponding amount of concurrent incidents. A concurrent incident is defined as another call for service while there is already an incident being handled. With the exception of Code 3 incidents, our department can easily handle one concurrent incident. However, when the number of concurrent incidents exceeds one, we begin to have delayed response times and need to rely on mutual aid from our neighboring departments. 10

13 Response Performance To measure our performance in response to incidents, we examine the Call to Arrival Time statistic. This is the time from when 911 is notified of the emergency to when the Fire Department arrives on scene. Each year, we work concurrently with our Dispatch Center and Fire Department personnel to see where improvements can be made to reduce that time and make adjustments if necessary. Our goal for this response time is under 6 minutes (360 seconds) and as the graph shows below, we come in under that time on a regular basis. Incident Time and Day Statistics 11

14 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES Battalion Chief Tim Norton Park Ridge Fire Department emergency medical personnel responded to 2,639 EMS incidents in These incidents included ambulance requests for cardiac and other medical problems, trauma, mutual aid, and a myriad of other potentially life-threatening emergencies. Ambulance personnel also responded to 1,430 fire and rescue calls in addition to the EMS incidents. EMS incidents in 2012 represented 64.8% of the Park Ridge Fire Department s total responses. Of these, Advanced Life Support (ALS) calls accounted for 77.8% of the EMS incidents. An ALS call involves some type of advanced intervention; for example, an IV insertion, drug administration, endotracheal tube insertion, cardiac monitor application, or 12-lead EKG. 12

15 We continue to be extremely proud of the skills and professionalism that our paramedics demonstrate everyday, which allows us to deliver the highest quality services to the citizens of Park Ridge. The Fire Department is constantly striving to provide the absolute best service possible. To this end, we send a customer satisfaction survey to Park Ridge residents transported to the hospital along with the bill for EMS service. This survey polls the recipient s satisfaction in seven specific areas of service, allows for customer comments and provides for follow-up contact by the medical officer. We are also extremely proud to be able to say that in 2012 we received over 250 EMS survey responses (a 20.4% response rate) with an outstanding average rating of 4.90 out of 5. This year, the emphasis for EMS was concentrated on transitioning to the newly created Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Emergency Medical Service System (ALGH EMSS), and the Region IX Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Some of the highlights for 2012: We again precepted three (3 Saint Francis Hospital Emergency Medical Services System (SFHEMSS) paramedic students who successfully completed paramedic school and graduated in September Precepting these students involved 600 hours of contact time with their Fire Department preceptors. The preceptors provided instruction, education, and guidance, as well as a challenging learning environment for the students to ensure their success. In order to continue to ensure that our cots and cardiac monitors operate effectively and are serviceable for as long as possible, we continued our annual preventative maintenance program. We applied for grant funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to assist in the replacement our five (5) cardiac monitors with new state-of-the-art monitors capable of transmitting 12-lead EKGs to our receiving hospitals from in the field. We successfully put all three newly hired paramedics through the system entry process for the ALGH EMSS. The main focus of 2012 was ensuring a seamless transition from our old EMS system, St. Francis Hospital Emergency Medical Service System (SFH EMSS) in Region X, to our new EMS system ALGH EMSS in Region IX. This required more than 100 staff hours for preparation and assistance with the resource hospital application and system policy formulation. We began operating under the guidance of the ALGH EMSS on June 1, Along with the new EMS system we experienced a change to a new computerized Patient Care Reporting (PCR) system. Even though we had been using a computerized PCR previously, this change required over 150 total training hours to ensure everyone was completely familiar with the format of the reporting template, and to guarantee accurate patient care reporting and charting. Training in the form of Continuing Education began in July for the transition to the Region IX SOPs, and continued through November. By the end of November all paramedics had been trained and tested in the new ALGH EMSS SOPs and procedures. This represents 12.5 hours of training per paramedic for a total of over 500 hours of training. 13

16 Park Ridge Paramedics attend to patients at an accident scene. As we move forward into 2013, we will once again strive to provide our EMS personnel with the best possible equipment and training so that we may continue to provide the very best emergency medical service to the citizens of Park Ridge. We also look forward to strengthening our relationship with our new hometown EMS system. 14

17 FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU AND PUBLIC EDUCATION Lieutenant/Paramedic Kevin Plach The goal of the Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) is to provide a reasonable level of fire and life safety in the community. The FPB uses three strategies to achieve this goal. The first strategy is to educate the public on good fire safety practices. The second is to review building plans paying particular attention to fire protection features and exit requirements, to assure that buildings are designed according to approved fire and life safety code standards. The third strategy is to conduct inspections of new construction and existing commercial, institutional, educational and multifamily residential occupancies, in order to insure compliance with applicable codes and standards. Staffing for the Fire Prevention Bureau normally includes a full time Lieutenant and a part time civilian inspector. This was the case for the first nine months of the year. In October, the Lieutenant was reassigned to the Gold shift due to injured firefighters that were off work. This assignment lasted the remainder of the year and into Feb. of This resulted in a delay in customer service due to limited staff availability; as contractors had to wait for plan reviews and inspections. It is expected that customer service will return to previous levels when staffing returns to normal. This year the city implemented the 2012 version of the International Fire Code, International Building Code and International Residential Code and Life Safety Code. These codes are updated on a three year cycle. By adopting the most current version of the model codes, the City of Park Ridge provides the most current level of protection to it s residents. These standards are based on the latest research and technology available as determined by nationally recognized experts in the fields of building and life safety as well as input from local and stated officials. The Fire Prevention Bureau conducted: 187 plan reviews 225 construction inspections Even during this challenging economy, the City has seen several new businesses open. Some of the projects that directly involved the Fire Prevention Bureau in 2012 included a new professional building for Resurrection Healthcare at Touhy and Washington, numerous projects at Lutheran General Hospital, several new businesses along Higgins and several projects in the local schools. The Fire Marshal continues to provide expertise to local as well as national developers to assure projects comply with local fire codes. The Fire Prevention Bureau completed: 599 annual fire and life safety inspections 553 follow-up inspections 15

18 We are pleased to report many of the business owners take fire safety seriously and work collaboratively with the Fire Prevention Bureau to assure safety in their buildings. The Fire Prevention Bureau also hosted two open houses for the general public to attend. The first was our annual open house to kick off fire prevention week. The second one was the day after Thanksgiving when we delivered Santa to uptown and participated in the merchant night open house. Both events were very well attended by residents and provided the Fire Department staff an opportunity to answer resident questions as well as provide fire safety information. The Bureau was also invited to be guest speakers at numerous community groups in which we presented information about the role of a modern day fire department and answered questions about fire department operations. Unfortunately, our CPR program was discontinued this year for several reasons including budgetary concerns and availability of instructors. It is the hope that this valuable program will be restarted again in the coming year. The Child Safety Seat inspection program has continued to be successful. These inspections are done by appointment at the fire stations by certified car seat technicians. The technicians inspect the person s car seat for proper size and installation. If the seat is not properly installed, the technician teaches the parents how to install the seat correctly. Approximately 90% of child safety seats are installed improperly. The Fire Department still hosts station tours, however they are done before 5 p.m. during the week only, as to not incur any overtime. Lt. Plach giving a station tour The Fire Prevention Bureau has several goals for A few of these include continuing to work closely with Community Preservation & Development (CP&D) to find ways to streamline the permit and inspection process for business owners, contractors and residents. Also, we are working closely with the training division to provide drills that will help familiarize firefighters with specific buildings in town by providing walk through tours and construction information. 16

19 SENIORITY/AGE BREAKDOWN OF PERSONNEL Senior Administrative Assistant Jennifer Steurer years 11% Years of Service 30+ 7% 0-2 years 0% 3-5 years 15% 6-10 years 15% years 20% years 32% Age of Employees % % % % % 17

20 Park Ridge Fire Department Organization 2012 Fire Chief Deputy Chief Fire Marshall Administrative Assistant Part-Time Inspector Battalion Chief Battalion Chief Battalion Chief Station 36 Lieutenant Station 35 Lieutenant Station 36 Lieutenant Station 35 Lieutenant Station 36 Lieutenant Station 35 Lieutenant Firefighter Firefighter Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter Firefighter Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Firefighter/ Vacant Vacant Vacant Paramedic Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic Firefighter/ Paramedic

21 RED SHIFT-NORTH PICTURED ABOVE: FF/PM s Mleko, Garland, Lt. Decker, Battalion Chief Hanson, FF/PM s McFarlin, Knautz and Buckley ABSENT FROM PHOTO: FF/PM Herling and FF Zermeno 19

22 RED SHIFT-SOUTH PICTURED ABOVE: FF/PM s Harris, Kuzmanovich, FF Kelly, Lt. Debs and FF/PM Wolff 20

23 GOLD SHIFT-NORTH PICTURED ABOVE: FF/PM s Ascione, Schneider, Lt. Portell, FF/PM s Cleary, Bruchsaler, Battalion Chief Norton ABSENT FROM PHOTO: FF/PM s Pavone, Piltaver, Sempoch and Skinner 21

24 GOLD SHIFT-SOUTH PICTURED ABOVE: FF/PM s Weingart, Laube, Lt. Krause, FF/PM s Naffziger and Bieniek 22

25 BLACK SHIFT-NORTH PICTURED ABOVE: FF/PM Finn, FF Falco, FF/PM s Smaha, Blane, Jarka and Lazenby ABSENT FROM PHOTO: Lt. Boeringa and FF/PM Scott 23

26 BLACK SHIFT-SOUTH PICTURED ABOVE: Battalion Chief Sankey, FF/PM s Hohmeier, Woodford, Villari and Isom ABSENT FROM PHOTO: Lt. Ortlund, FF/PM s Petersen and Malcomson 24

27 APPARATUS & EQUIPMENT Battalion Chief John Hanson To successfully resolve any emergency situation in the City of Park Ridge, we must have apparatus that will quickly and safely get personnel to the scene, and equipment that will work properly when it is called upon. Thus, the Park Ridge Fire Department and Public Works Service Center puts a high priority on the upkeep and maintenance of our fleet and equipment. Our entire fleet is checked for correct operation on a daily basis. A more thorough and detailed examination of our fleet is conducted weekly and all equipment is inventoried and checked for proper operation. By adhering to this strict maintenance schedule, we are able to trouble shoot problems in their early stages, so that we do not incur an expensive repair later, or more importantly a failure during an emergency. Currently our fleet consists of the following apparatus: Identifier Year Type Make Model Purpose F Command Van Ford E-350 4x4 Van Incident Command F Ambulance Ford E450 Ambulance ALS/BLS Treatment and Transport F Ambulance Ford E450 Ambulance ALS/BLS Treatment and Transport F Ambulance Ford E450 Ambulance ALS/BLS Treatment and Transport F Rescue Squad E-1 Rescue Squad Special Team Equipment and Air Cascade F Reserve Engine Pierce Saber Engine Fire Suppression and ALS/BLS Treatment F Front Line Engine Pierce Saber Engine Fire Suppression and ALS/BLS Treatment F Reserve Engine E-1 Typhoon Engine Fire Suppression and ALS/BLS Treatment F Platform E-1 95 Aerial Platform Elevated Rescue, Fire Suppression & Extrication F Training Vehicle Ford F350 4x4 Crew Cab Utility Vehicle Engine 35 (F-41) Tower 36 (F-45) 25

28 Repairs Although we try to be as proactive as possible in regards to keeping the fleet ready to respond, our vehicles do occasionally need unscheduled repairs. It is important to realize when these vehicles are called upon to respond, they are put under extreme operational conditions. They go from rest to high RPMs in under 90 seconds and are often subject to long periods of operation at incident scenes (we have had incidents in the past where our Engines and Truck will pump water for hours without stopping). Pictured below is a graph showing the number of unscheduled maintenance items performed on each vehicle and the nature of the repairs Vehicle Repairs Aerial Other Pump Body Interior Electrical Brakes/Suspension Drive Train F26 F31 F32 F33 F35 F41 F42 F43 F45 F47 26

29 Apparatus Testing In addition to performing proactive checks on the vehicles, the Department also coordinated annual testing of fire apparatus by Underwriter Laboratories (UL) to make sure the pumps met the minimum requirements as outlined by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). Underwriters Laboratories (UL) completed our annual pump testing in April. All Park Ridge apparatus with pumps (F-41, F-42, F-43, and F-45) were tested to make sure they could still pump water at their rated capacity (our fleet ranges from 1250 gpm to 2000 gpm). The testing of each apparatus took approximately three (3) hours to complete and all of the pumps performed to their rated capabilities. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) also handled our aerial ladder and ground ladder testing. Testing included a detailed examination looking for any cracks or wear on the parts that could lead to a failure. Ground ladder testing entails checking over 273 feet of ladder. The aerial ladder is tested with a weight load to ensure the tower is still operating within its designed specifications. No issues were discovered during the one-day of Aerial testing, nor were there any issues discovered with our ground ladders. Successful completion of these tests is a reflection of the daily care, inspections, and maintenance that are performed by Fire and Public Works personnel. F-41 Pump Test Ground Ladder UL Test 27

30 TRAINING DIVISION Battalion Chief Scott Sankey Through research, development, and implementation, the Training Division facilitates the advancement of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of our firefighters and officers. All of the Department s training is designed around the requirements specified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, U.S. Department of Labor, National Fire Protection Association, the Insurance Service Office, the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and the Secretary of State s Office. Daily Training Each day the Training Division assigns one of several different tabletop drills to be discussed during the morning roll call meeting. These assignments include various quick drills, policy reviews, firefighter near miss reports, word of the week definition reviews and map drills. The goal of these short drills is to spark some meaningful training related conversations to start the day. Online Training We continued to use online training as a means to supplement our program in Through an online portal, department members are assigned new topics on a monthly basis. While nothing can take the place of hands-on training, we have found this to be very effective for delivering refresher training and delivering many of the annually mandated non-fire related compliance courses. Mutual-Aid and Automatic-Aid Training Park Ridge personnel participated in three weeks of spring training and three weeks of fall training at NIPSTA (Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy) with all of the other MABAS Division III fire departments. The spring drills included a classroom review of radiation emergencies along with practical scenarios covering search, rescue, and victim removal, hose advancement, fire suppression, and ground ladder deployment. The fall drill format initially divided the companies into three groups: officers, engineers, and blue shirts. The officers participated in several fire incident simulations. The engineers reviewed pump operations, hydraulic calculations, aerial operations and driver safety. The blue shirts practiced forcible entry and RIT (rapid intervention team) operations. Upon completion of the group trainings, all of the companies reassembled and participated in an NFPA 1410 evolution along with live fire scenarios. All Park Ridge personnel participated in a joint training session with the Niles, Morton Grove, and North Maine Fire Departments. There were three days of morning and afternoon drills that focused on relay pumping, elevated master streams, and equipment interoperability. The training was conducted at Emerson School in Niles. 28

31 Park Ridge, Niles and North Maine Fire Protection District conducted six days of joint surface ice rescue training with each department providing an instructor each day. The program consisted of a morning classroom presentation and exam followed by an afternoon practical session. Officer Development All department lieutenants completed the Blue Card Command Certification program. The Blue Card program is a nationally recognized program developed by retired Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini. The Blue Card Command Certification program teaches incident commanders and other fire officers how to standardize incident operations. The program consists of 50 hours of online training followed by 24 hours of scenario based practical training. Driving Skills Assessment All department shift personnel participated in an emergency vehicle driving skills evaluation. Each member was assessed driving a fire apparatus as well as an ambulance through multiple stations of the cone course. The training was conducted on the driving pad at NIPSTA. Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Skills All department shift personnel practiced their SCBA skills while maneuvering through multiple obstacles in the MABAS Division III SCBA maze trailer. The trailer, which is a shared MABAS Division III asset and housed at NIPSTA, was brought to Station 36 for three weeks of skills training. Outside Officer Development and other specialized courses Command 101: The Initial Decisions (16 hrs)-ff/pm Skinner Blood Borne Pathogens Train- the-trainer (8 hrs)-b/c Norton and B/C Sankey Designated Infection Control Officer-Basic (16 hrs)-b/c Sankey MAYDAY Event (16 hrs)-ff/pm Malcomson Tactics & Strategies I-FF/PM Sempoch Fireground Company Officer (40 hrs)-ff/pm Malcomson Fire Studio 5.0 Trainer (16 hrs)-b/c Sankey Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Fall Symposium (6 hrs)-d/c Sorensen and B/C Sankey Leadership II-FF/PM Smaha Vehicle & Machinery Technician (40 hrs)-ff/pm Sempoch Advanced Firefighter Technician (40 hrs)-ff/pm Cleary and FF/PM Wolff THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR TRAINING 29

32 BUILDING MAINTENANCE Lt. John Ortlund The Park Ridge Fire Department responds out of two fire stations and an administration headquarters. These facilities serve a variety of purposes and include the following: Fire Administration Building Fire Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Training Officer Senior Administrative Assistant, Conference Facility Fire Station 35 Fire Engine 35, Ambulance 35, Squad 35, Reserve Fire Engine, Rescue Boat 35 Fire Station 36 Fire Engine 36, Ambulance 36, Tower 36, Battalion 35, Reserve Ambulance The Park Ridge Fire Department promotes and fosters the highest degree of professionalism in the planning, maintenance, and operation of our Fire Department facilities. Our firehouses are integral parts of the community. We routinely interact socially with our neighbors and welcome them to tour the facilities that are here for their safety. We also enjoy sharing our facilities with our other city departments and community groups for their meetings and training. The fire department members conduct all routine facility maintenance on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This maintenance program increases our facilities efficiency by utilizing our member s maintenance skills, requiring less outside contractor repairs. Because of our member s constant diligence, our facilities experienced no major failures decreasing the need for outside contractual repairs. Our focus is on maintaining our current facilities to the highest standard possible. Given that our firehouses are over forty years old, we are continually looking for ways to improve the facilities efficiency and effectiveness. Current and future projects include: Purchase of a new high efficiency, concentrate cleaning chemical distribution system that will eliminate the purchase of bottled cleaners, reducing our post consumer footprint. Purchased and installed new 92% high efficiency furnaces for both fire stations, which will decrease our use of natural gas. Purchase of new Green technology appliances to decrease our demand on natural resources. We welcome our neighbors and visitors to come tour our facilities. The fire department looks forward to hosting its annual open houses at each of our facilities in

33 Personal Protective Equipment Lieutenant/Paramedic John Boeringa Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): An atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Definition Currently, the Park Ridge Fire Department has thirty-three (33) Draeger self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), two (2) MSA supplied air respirators (SAR s) and five (5) MSA rapid intervention air packs (RIT packs). SAR packs are used for a confined space rescue. They have a hard line hose attached to the harness so the individual who is in a confined area, has the ability to be on air for an extended time period while rescuing a victim in the confined space. The RIT pack is used when a firefighter falls through a floor or gets stuck when there is a collapse because it contains additional air that can be plugged directly into the SCBA of the downed firefighter. The RIT pack can also be used when a firefighter has a problem with their SCBA and cannot get out into fresh air. In those cases, a team can bring the RIT pack to them and provide a new mask and air for the firefighter to breathe off of. During October 2012, two individuals were sent to a certification class to enable them to work on MSA brand equipment that is in use. These two individuals can now make repairs and perform the annual flow tests. The SCBA air packs that our firefighters wear are pictured below: 31

34 Every year our SCBA, SAR s and RIT packs must be tested as required by the manufacturer as well as the Illinois Department of Labor, for the proper flow and operation of each component of the SCBA. This includes the measurement of airflow at selected breathing rates and also the audible measurement of the low-pressure alarm. In addition to these tests, each individual within the department must be fit tested to ensure they have a properly fitting face piece. 32

35 FIRE INVESTIGATION Lieutenant Derek Decker The Park Ridge Fire Department s Fire Investigation Team is comprised of eight members. Each team member is certified by the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) as a fire investigator. Additionally, three team members are also certified as arson investigators. Fire Investigation Team members are listed below by their shift assignment. Black Shift Fire/Arson Investigator John Ortlund Fire/Arson Investigator Bill Petersen Fire Investigator Aaron Blane Red Shift Lead Fire/Arson Investigator Derek Decker Fire Investigator Ray Wolff Gold Shift Fire Investigator Kurt Skinner Fire Investigator Brian Pavone Fire Investigator JD Bruchsaler Education It is essential that each investigator further his knowledge in every facet that affects the ability to investigate fires. Mastering the concepts of building construction, fire behavior, firefighting strategy and tactics, interview techniques and report writing is invaluable to investigators. Additionally, applying this knowledge in the field during actual fire investigations serves as the greatest tool to becoming a better investigator. Coupling knowledge and experience along with teamwork results in greater success rates for determining origin and cause. The Team continued their education during 2012 by attending monthly seminars sponsored by the Illinois Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention s Fire Investigators Strike Force. The Team also completed in-house online training on NFPA 921, guide to fire and explosion investigations. This combined training provides our investigators the opportunity to refresh their knowledge and learn about new trends in the field of fire investigation. Topics covered in the various training sessions during 2012 include: Investigation report writing Changes to NFPA 921 Latent fingerprints Basic fire science Fire fatality investigations Investigation Methodology Alternate energy source fires 33

36 Investigation Statistics The Fire Investigation Team investigated 54 fires during 2012 with an estimated total dollar loss of $1,969,800. This fire loss estimate serves as a significant increase from The swelling of this figure can be attributed to four major residential fire incidents. Upon completion of a fire investigation, fires are classified as accidental, incendiary, natural (mother nature) or undetermined. The two charts below identify how the fires within the City of Park Ridge were classified and the dollar loss associated with each classification. Fires by Classification Accidental Incendiary Natural Undetermined Fire Loss by Classification 22% 1% 52% 25% Accidental Incendiary Natural Undetermined 34

37 Fires do not discriminate and involve all types of properties. The chart below illustrates the various types of properties within the City of Park Ridge that the fire department responded to for fires. Fires involving residential occupancies accounted for thirty-three percent (33%) of the fire incidents in the city totaling nearly ninety-seven percent (97%) of the total dollar loss. Fires by Property Type # of Incidents Commercial Vehicle Residential Outside Property Types In order to identify possible fire trends within the city, the Fire Investigation Team tracks the actual causes of fires. Identifying trends can provide the department with information to share with the public so they can be educated on how to take action to reduce or eliminate the risk of losing a life or property because of fire. The following chart illustrates the assorted causes of the fires that were determined within the City of Park Ridge in Fifty percent (50%) of the fires whose cause was determined were the result of human act, either intentional or unintentional. # of Incidents Fires by Cause Causes Natural Cooking Equipment Failure Improper Care/Maintenance Arson Improper Storage Improper Disposal/Smoking Materials Misuse of Material 35

38 Investigation Photographs Damage assessment can often be a difficult task Digging through fire debris poses a great safety threat to investigators Auto fires present great challenges to determining cause Identifying physical evidence on a fire scene helps identify the cause of a fire Summary The Fire Investigation Team is the most commonly utilized specialty team the fire department has in operation. Its members are highly qualified and always strive to become better investigators through continuing education and hands-on fire scene experience. Making every effort to accurately identify the causes, classifications and trends of fires can have a direct impact on the public s safety. Furthermore, finding and holding the person(s) responsible for a fire if found to be incendiary, serves to safeguard the whole community. By making concerted efforts to come to definitive conclusions as to the origin, cause and classification of fires within the City of Park Ridge, the Fire Investigation Team continues to serve as an extremely valuable entity of the Park Ridge Fire Department. 36

39 Team Leader, Lt. Derek Decker Lt. John Ortlund FF/PM Kurt Skinner FF/PM Bill Petersen FF/PM Brian Pavone FF/PM JD Bruchsaler FF/PM Aaron Blane FF/PM Ray Wolff 37

40 DIVE TEAM (URRT) FF/PM Frank Villari, Dive Master The goal of the Park Ridge Underwater Rescue and Recovery Teams (URRT) is to provide the highest trained certified divers ready to respond to all water hazards within our City s borders and to neighboring communities within MABAS Division III. We have the ability to maintain this goal through the dedication of team members and the consistent support from the City and the Department. Ice Rescue Training in January Training and Certifications The team is comprised of six (6) members who are trained certified public safety rescue divers, rescue boat operators, ice divers, and swift water technicians. It takes approximately two years, over one hundred training hours and several specialized technical dives to reach this level. All of the Park Ridge URRT members meet or exceed the MABAS Division III training and certification requirements. In order for a diver to maintain their diver status within Division III, they must participate in several training dives throughout the year. Division III schedules monthly training sessions that focus on a specific dive related topic. During 2012, the Park Ridge Fire Department hosted a night training dive held at Axe Head Lake, a local body of water within the City of Park Ridge. Aside from training with the other teams from Division III, the team plays a major role in all water safety and rescue training for the Park Ridge Fire Department. In 2012, team members held training sessions that included lessons on the use of personal floatation devices, dive support operations, diver tending and surface ice rescue. 38

41 Sonar In 2006, the Division III Dive Committee recognized the benefits of using sonar as a tool to enhance dive rescue and recovery operations. Fortunately, advances in technology have made the sonar systems smaller and more affordable. In 2007, the committee was able to purchase a sector scanning sonar device and later that year formed the MABAS Division III Sonar Team. The team is comprised of Division III divers that are trained as sonar techs. Sonar can be used to safely locate a victim in bodies of water or conditions that may be too hazardous to be searched with a diver. This system also has the capability of creating a map of the bottom surface of lakes, ponds or rivers. In addition, submerged objects that may be hazardous to divers during dive operations can be located and noted on these maps. In the past objects such as automobiles, barrels, large trees, concrete rebar, and picnic benches were found in the bodies of water in and around Park Ridge. Two Division III drills that were hosted by Park Ridge were sonar team drills. During these drills, the Sonar Team was able to scan and map the bottom of Axe Head Lake. It is the plan of the Park Ridge Dive Team to continue to host sonar drills that will produce maps of all Park Ridge's water hazards. Park Ridge currently has one member on the Division III Sonar Team. 39

42 Dive Responses On April 14 th 2012 the Park Ridge Dive Team responded to a Division III dive box to assist the North Maine Fire Department in the rescue of a worker who had fallen into a large pond. The incident occurred at the Bay Colony Condominium Complex. The first divers on scene attempted a rescue but had a difficult time locating the victim due to the near zero visibility of the water and a questionable last seen point. Division III Sonar Team had arrived quickly to the scene and minutes after deploying the sonar, the victim was located. The sonar image include in this report was one that was taken at this incident. Late in 2012, the decision was made to appoint two new members to the Dive Team. In October FF/PM Tim Schneider and FF/PM John Bruchsaler were selected to become candidates for the team. Both firefighters held various levels of certifications and experience in water rescue. FF/PM Schneider has a background in competitive swimming and is a certified scuba diver and surface ice rescue. FF/PM Bruchsaler was a previous member of both the Park Ridge and Wonder Lake dive teams. He has over fifteen years of dive experience and holds several certifications as a public safety diver and rescuer. After several years of service to the dive team Diver Robert Sempoch decided to retire. On behalf of the Park Ridge Fire Department and the Dive Team we would like to thank Robert for his years of dedication and service to the team and community. FF/PM Robert Sempoch Rescue Diver 40

43 Dive Master, FF/PM Frank Villari FF/PM JD Bruchsaler FF/PM Zeke Kuzmanovich FF/PM Tim Schneider FF/PM Bill Smaha FF/PM Ken Weingart FF Tony Zermeno 41

44 HAZMAT TEAM Lieutenant Tim Debs, Team Leader The Park Ridge Hazardous Materials Response Team (HAZMAT) continues to provide outstanding hazardous materials and environmental response services to the residents of the City of Park Ridge. Our HAZMAT team members provide detection and mitigation for chemical spills and releases and safeguard the residents from biological, radiological and nuclear threats. The Park Ridge Fire Department maintains a highly trained core of hazardous material technicians that undergo training of over 80 hours annually. The team is available to respond to emergencies 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Park Ridge has been a member of the Division III Hazardous Materials Team for over 24 years. Members of the team also respond to seventeen different communities that comprise MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) Division III. This system shares resources and personnel, which will respond to any stricken community within our division. Members of the team also respond to other surrounding divisions when they exceed their own divisional resources. Furthermore, the team also maintains one member that is on the statewide response team for MABAS. The Park Ridge Fire Department has provided these services to the City of Park Ridge since1988. HAZMAT The type of incidents which response agencies may encounter include spills, leaks or vehicle accident, involving highway, rail, waterborne, air or pipeline transportation or those involving the use of storage or hazardous materials at a fixed site. Incidents could involve release or threatened release of toxic, flammable, or reactive substance in solid liquid or gaseous form. 42

45 Team Leader, Lt. Tim Debs FF/PM Chris Cleary FF/PM Chris Herling FF/PM Mike Isom FF/PM Matt Jarka FF/PM Zeke Kuzmanovich 43

46 TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM Firefighter/Paramedic Bill Petersen, Team Leader The Park Ridge Fire Department s Technical Rescue Team (TRT) consists of six members. The team maintains six (6) rescue technicians who are trained in high angle, confined space, structural collapse and trench rescue. These technicians are required to be members in good standing with the MABAS Division III TRT and maintain their active status per Division III policy and the Special Teams Audit Committee (STAC). The STAC has set guidelines for training and education requirements for the Division Team. These training requirements are set forth in a point system for operation and technician designations. Currently, the Park Ridge Team has two technicians and four operations trained members. The operations level members are currently working toward the technician level. Our team is currently able to utilize 2 grant funds, one made available through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) for the Office of the State Fire Marshal certified training classes, the other is through Cook County s U.A.S.I. (Urban Area Security Initiative). These classes will enable our operations level members to attain the technician level of certification and better serve our community and surrounding communities, all through grant funding. To assure that the TRT is able to maintain its required level of readiness, the team follows direction from the audit committee and ITTF. Should a vacancy become available, that spot can quickly be filled and the new member is placed on the grant list to expedite the education and training requirements. The process to fill that vacancy will minimally compromise the team s level of readiness. The Park Ridge Fire Department s TRT is coordinated by a team leader, FF/PM Bill Petersen, who is also the Director of MABAS Division III TRT and a member of Illinois Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. The team leader also attends planning meetings and oversees team development, equipment purchases and training. FF/PM Dave Malcomson is a member of the team and is also an Assistant Training Coordinator for the Division TRT. Other members include, FF/PM s Joe Ascione, Mike Isom, Frank Villari and FF Tony Zermeno. Trench rescue 44

47 TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAMS - USAR CAPABILITY An evolving capability is Technical Rescue Team Resources (TRT) also known as USAR Light (Urban Search and Rescue). Through the statewide mutual aid resource flow plan, an inventory of local TRT capabilities was achieved. Accordingly, thirty-seven (37) TRTs were identified which are currently capable of responding to any specialized rescue anywhere within the state. There are several TRTs within the state working to meet this high level of training and achieve this classification. Technical Rescue Teams provide capabilities for victim extrication from below grade, high angle and structural collapse where entrapment exists. USAR deployment will occur through the TRT organizational structure statewide. TRAINING The Technical Rescue Team has achieved many goals over the last year. The Team members have dedicated themselves to train, respond and rescue people in need, showing true commitment. Park Ridge carries its specialized rescue equipment on Rescue Squad 35 and cross-trains firefighters in the use of this technical rescue equipment. Some examples of the benefits of this cross training and functionality of our specialized equipment were demonstrated in a MABAS response to Skokie for two workers trapped in a trench collapse. This type of incident can occur in any community, and the MABAS Division III team stands ready to respond. Skokie rescue 45

48 In the photos below, Park Ridge TRT members along with Division III TRT members, worked to safely stabilize a vehicle that had driven into a construction scene. The TRT worked to stabilize the trench using two different shoring tools made by Paratech and Airshore. This was an excellent training opportunity for the Division Team to work together in a realistic scenario. This drill was conducted in Evanston. MABAS Division III MABAS Division III includes the North Shore communities bounded by Highland Park on the north, Evanston and Skokie on the south, Park Ridge and Prospect Heights on the west and Lake Michigan on the east. Currently, 17 departments belong to MABAS Division III, providing service from 35 stations with over 750 firefighters. The MABAS response system allows departments to serve citizens in ways far beyond the capabilities of any individual municipality. MABAS Division III shares cost effective specialized teams for hazardous material spill control, underwater rescue and recovery and technical rescue. 46

49 Team Leader, FF/PM Bill Petersen FF/PM Joe Ascione FF/PM Mike Isom FF/PM Dave Malcomson FF/PM Frank Villari FF Tony Zermeno 47

50 HONOR GUARD FF/PM Dave Malcomson Mission The Park Ridge Fire Department Honor Guard has been established to honor our fallen brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It is our intention to assist all firefighters and their families during their time of need. The Honor Guard will promote honor, professionalism, and integrity through its conduct and image at all times holding the department s core values to the highest degree. Members FF/PM David Malcomson Commander FF/PM John Piltaver FF/PM Tim Schneider FF/PM Bill Smaha FF/PM Chris Cleary Today While our primary function is the Line of Duty Death (L.O.D.D.) activation, the Honor Guard also participates in non-line of Duty Death funerals and memorial services for our brothers and sisters. The Honor Guard also participates in local parades and ceremonies, such as 9/11 commemorative activities. The Park Ridge Fire Department Honor Guard is unique in that both the Park Ridge Fire Department and the Park Ridge Firefighters IAFF Local #2697 work together to support the Honor Guard. It is because of this cooperation, that the Honor Guard is able to perform many of its functions. The members of the Park Ridge Fire Department Honor Guard are also apart of the Associated Firefighters of Illinois Honor Guard. As the largest organized honor guard, in North America, it is the goal to honor those who have paid the ultimate price. Unfortunately, the AFFI Honor Guard was activated three times, in 2012, twice for Chicago firefighters and once for a Bloomingdale firefighter. 48

51 2012 AFFI Honor Guard Convention January 27, 2012 marked the 20 th Annual AFFI Honor Guard Convention. Members of the guard, from around the state traveled to Collinsville, Illinois, for this event. This three-day event is packed with training, camaraderie, and tradition. With more than 500 Honor Guard members in attendance, it truly personifies our oath, For you, my comrade, I will. P a P Park Ridge Honor Guard Members (Left to Right) FF/PM Tim Schneider, FF/PM John Piltaver, FF/PM David Malcomson, Keynote Speaker Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder (Loveland-Symmes, OH), FF/PM Chris Cleary and FF/PM Bill Smaha. September 11, 2012 The City of Park Ridge Fire and Police Departments held a memorial service at Station 35 and approximately 100 or more people attended, including two-dozen students from Roosevelt Elementary School. The memorial concluded with the Bell Ceremony and the students singing God Bless America. 49

52 911 Ceremony 50

53 Members of the Park Ridge Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) presented the Police Department and Fire Department with a 9/11 Memorial Flag. It will be flown each year, on September 11 th. Students from Roosevelt Elementary School. 51

54 COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) FF/PM Zeke Kuzmanovich Mission Statement The mission of the Park Ridge Community Emergency Response Team is to provide citizens with an ability to help themselves during an emergency, prepare citizens for hazards that impact their area, assist neighbors following an incident where professional responders are not immediately available, and to foster a relationship with the emergency personnel of the City of Park Ridge. Purpose Statement The Park Ridge Community Emergency Response Team (PRCERT) program educates citizens about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact the Park Ridge area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, PRCERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or area of work, in turn helping the City of Park Ridge following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. PRCERT may also be requested to assist local or regional agencies during major incidents and be able to assemble into small teams ready to be deployed. The conditions which would require a PRCERT activation for the City of Park Ridge as recommended by FEMA are, but not limited to a natural disaster, a manmade disaster, flood relief or any other critical incidents where emergency services including their mutual aid recall systems have become overwhelmingly depleted. PRCERT is an asset to be utilized during a critical incident in Park Ridge because their training includes; displacement center operations, traffic control, crowd control, team and organization awareness, hazard recognition, and other subjects, which are related to any disaster incident Participation The Park Ridge Emergency Response Team (PRCERT) program is organized by Police Officer Michael Luehr and Park Ridge Firefighter/Paramedic Zeke Kuzmanovich. PRCERT was activated 26 times, with a total of over 2,150 volunteer hours in 2012 for flooding, power outages, and planned events such as the fireworks, parades, Taste of Park Ridge, NATO preparedness and Fire Department and Winterfest Open Houses. PRCERT assisted with traffic control operations during the five Maine South home football games by crossing pedestrians at Talcott and Hamlin. During 2012, thirteen (13) Park Ridge CERT members received ground search and rescue (GSAR) training from the Illinois Search and Rescue Council (ISARC). Those PRCERT/ISARC members were than activated for a missing person search in a neighboring community. 52

55 PRCERT joined the Com Ed Joint Operation Center operations in the case of wide spread city power outages in conjunction with neighboring communities. The team also participated in an exercise at the Northern Illinois Public Training Academy in Glenview on search areas and victim removal in a area disaster drill. PRCERT hosted a Community Emergency Response Class which ten (10) students participating joined the PRCERT team. For more information on the PRCERT, contact FF/PM Kuzmanovich at the Park Ridge Fire Department at (847) or by at: zkuzmano@parkridgefd.org 53

56 FIRE EXPLORERS FF/PM Jeremy Knautz The Park Ridge Fire Explorer Post #3536 has had another very productive year in The Fire Explorers are a group of young men and women aged 14 to 20, who have an interest in the fire service. Meetings are held bi-monthly in the classroom at Station 36, to learn about the fire service. Examples of meeting topics include: truck operations, engine operations, search and rescue, Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) company operations and CPR & First Aid. After learning the basics of what firefighters do, Explorers are able to ride along with a shift and observe actual emergency and nonemergency calls. Explorers also assist the department at events such as Open House and in various non-emergent activities like filling sandbags during flooding and shoveling out buried hydrants during the winter. The Explorer Post averages about ten (10) members per meeting with a roster of 18 active Explorers. We have been making use of the various training props the fire department has at its disposal, most notably the roof ventilation simulator and the forcible entry simulator. Both are excellent additions to the scenario-based evolutions we use during warmer weather. The Explorers are also able to use and really enjoy MABAS Division III training assets like the SCBA maze trailer. The Explorers continue to progress as they move through the program, gaining valuable experience and knowledge that they are able to use to assist the newer members. At the end of June, six (6) explorers and three (3) advisors went to the Illinois Fire Service Institute at the University of Illinois for the Explorer Hands On Training (H.O.T.) weekend. This event is the highlight of the year for the Explorers. They get to train in live fire exercises with IFSI instructors and are able to do many training evolutions that we are not equipped to do back at our stations. The event draws approximately 300 explorers and advisors from posts from all over the country for a 4-day weekend filled with fun, fire, and camaraderie. The Explorer program continues to be a great jump-start for these young adults that wish to prepare for a career in the fire service. This year, four (4) more Explorers and alumni graduated from paramedic school and have started working with private ambulance companies, while others have been hired by departments as paid firefighters and paramedics. The careers our Explorers pursue once they graduate from our program is a great indicator of the success of our program. 54

57 At the end of June, six (6) Explorers and three (3) Advisors went to the Illinois Fire Service Institute at the University of Illinois for the Explorer Hands On Training (H.O.T.) weekend. 55