park ridge fire department · park ridge fire department ... resulted when corroded electrical...

Volume XIII

Park Ridge Fire Department OUR MISSION: TO LIMIT THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY THROUGH

PLANNING, PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

Our Fire Department Open House was held on November 29, 2013 and this year, the weather was “relatively warm” with virtually no wind and absolutely no snow. We broke another record of attendance and had to purchase more drinks and snack items halfway through the evening! Our Holiday Open House continues to have increased attendance every year and we are happy to see the interest our community has in our department. Pictured below, is Santa who was delivered to the front of the Park Ridge Public Library inside our Squad that was decorated with lights, to a massive crowd of anxiously awaiting families.

November 2013

www.parkridgefd.org Volume XIII Issue XI

1

THE PARK RIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT NOVEMBER MONTHLY REPORT

CODE

MONTHLY REPONSES

2012

MONTHLY REPONSES

2013

MONTHLY PERCENT 2012

MONTHLY PERCENT 2013

1– EMERGENCY MEDICAL 193 220 59% 64%

2– SINGLE VEHICLE 45 56 14% 16%

3 – FULL FIRE 32 30 10% 9%

13 – MUTUAL & AUTO AID 55 37 17% 11%

TOTAL RESPONSES 325 343 100% 100%

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Code 1 Code 2 Code 3 Code 13 Total

Current Month

2011

2012

2013

Response Statistics Fire Administration

0

50

100

150

200

250

THE PARK

35

35

36

36

37

37

38

38

39

39

40

3500 3501

RIDGE FIRE

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

000

1 3520 A3

E DEPARTME

2011

5 A36 BC

ENT

Year T

C35 E35 E

Respon

2012

To Date T

E35R E36

nses by U

N

Total

E36R S35

Unit

NOVEMBER

2013

T36 U3

MONTHLY R

5 U36

2

REPORT

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

Septemb

October

Novembe

er

er

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

THE PARK

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

F‐26

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

F‐26

RIDGE FIRE

6 F‐31

App

F‐31

Appar

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F‐32 F‐3

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F‐32 F‐33

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NOVEMBER

F‐45 F

by Mont

F‐45 F

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MONTHLY R

F‐47

th

F‐47

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3

REPORT

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

4


November 3 Engine #35 responded to a dumpster fire at Washington School, 1500 W. Stewart.

November 7 Companies responded to a fire in an office building in the 700 block of Busse

Highway. Electrical equipment in the basement had contributed to a fire that spread through the floor to cause damage to the office floor above. Unfortunately, none of the tenants were able to return by the end of the month.

November 8 Ambulance #35 responded mutual aid to assist Rosemont as the 4th

Ambulance due to the scene of a vehicle crash on the I-90 Westbound near the toll plaza. One patient was transported to Resurrection Medical Center by Park Ridge Fire Department.

November 9 Companies responded to a fire in a detached garage in the 1200 block of

South Washington Avenue. Upon arrival, crews confirmed a detached garage fire with smoke showing. Crews then made access to the garage via the service door for initial attack, utilizing a 2 ½ inch hoseline for maximum knockdown.

November 12 Companies responded to the vehicle crash at the intersection of Potter Road

and Dempster Street. One patient was transported to Lutheran General Hospital.

November 15 Companies responded to the reported car into the building in the 600 block of

North Northwest Highway. A single vehicle went into the space previously occupied by Blockbuster video. No one was injured.

November 16 Companies responded to the vehicle crash at the intersection of Oakton Street

and Greenwood Avenue. One patient was transported to Lutheran General Hospital.

November 19 A crash in the 200 block of North Greenwood during the evening rush hour

commute resulted in one patient being transported by Ambulance 35 to Lutheran General Hospital.

November 19 Companies responded to the vehicle crash at the intersection of Belle Plaine

and Cumberland Avenues. One patient was transported to Resurrection Medical Center by Ambulance 35.

November 20 Engine #35 went change of quarters to Schiller Park Fire Station #1 while they

operated at a structure fire. November 23 Companies responded to the reported car into the building in the 100 block of

Euclid Avenue, at Siam Thai restaurant. A single vehicle went into the

Incident Response Deputy Chief Jeff Sorensen

5


entrance way of the restaurant. One patient was assessed for injuries, but refused further care or transport.

November 27 Tower #36 and Battalion #35 operated at a fire in a pile of construction debris

a Lutheran General Hospital. The fire was extinguished after approximately two hours.

November 6 Attended a meeting on emergency preparedness at Lutheran General

Hospital. November 11 Attended a regional JOC (Joint Operating Center) planning meeting held at

the Skokie Police Headquarters. This meeting was sponsored by Com Ed and dealt with how the city of Park Ridge and its neighbors will respond in the event of widespread power outages across multiple jurisdictions. John Bennett, from the Park Ridge CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) team was also in attendance.

November 27 Attended a course in the IEMA (Illinois Emergency Management Agency)

Professional Development Series curriculum.

Investigation Summaries

November 3 Engine 35 responded to the 1500 block of Stewart for a dumpster fire. A

dumpster fire was confirmed upon arrival. The fire was extinguished by the use of a single pre-connected handline. The fire was confined to the point of origin. No monetary damage resulted.

The source of heat for ignition could not be identified. The fire was classified as undetermined.

November 7 Park Ridge equipment along with auto aid and mutual aid fire companies

responded to the 700 block of Busse Highway for smoke coming from the basement of a medical office building. Initial arriving companies determined there was a fire in the basement involving a 3-phase electrical panel along with surrounding structural components. The fire was extinguished with a single 1 ¾” hoseline and multiple class C extinguishers. The fire was confined to the area of origin; however, the fire resulted in a $300,000 loss due to the damage of the building’s electrical system.

The investigation identified the 3-phase electrical panel as the origin with electrical heat energy serving as the source of heat for ignition. The fire

Fire Investigation Lieutenant Derek Decker

Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Paul Lisowski

6


resulted when corroded electrical connections in the panel failed, arced and ignited the surrounding combustibles. The fire was classified as accidental.

November 9 Park Ridge companies along with the Rosemont and Norwood Park Fire

Departments responded to the 1200 block of South Washington for a structure fire. Arriving companies found a working fire in a 2-car detached garage. The fire was confined to the attic of the garage and ultimately extinguished with multiple handlines. The resulting damage was estimated to be $7,000.

The investigation determined the fire’s origin was in the attic of the garage,

near the center point. The actual source of heat for ignition could not be determined, but radiant heat and the structure’s electrical system could not be ruled out. The fire was classified as accidental.

November 27 Tower 36 responded to the campus of Lutheran General Hospital for an

outside fire. A large rubbish fire was found along the Southside of the hospital where construction demolition was being conducted. Handlines and master streams were used to confine and extinguish the fire. The fire was contained to the area of origin. No monetary damage resulted.

The source of heat for ignition could not be identified. The fire was classified

as undetermined.

Quick Drill Throughout the month the Training Division assigns various quick drills to be discussed at the morning roll call. The November quick drills covered:

Close call explosion at Chicago 3-11 Innovating fire attack tactics Chimney fire tactics review Electrical disconnects Mueller pin-off tee gas valve review

Word of the Week Throughout the month shift members at each station are assigned a word. The member researches the word as it relates to the fire service and presents his/her findings to the rest of his station during the morning roll call meeting. The words for November were:

Nested Frontage

Report of the Week Throughout the month the shifts are assigned a report from the National Firefighters Near Miss web portal. The site provides firefighters a place to anonymously document and share their close calls and near miss experiences with other firefighters around the country. By sharing these reports we hope to prevent similar situations from happening in the future. The following report was covered in November:

Daily SCBA inspections are critical

Training Battalion Chief Scott Sankey

7


Job Performance Requirements (JPR’s)

Buddy breathing techniques Triple layer hose load

Outside Training FF/PM Herling Vehicle & Machinery Operations 40 hrs FF/PM Garland Vehicle & Machinery Operations 40 hrs FF/PM Villari Trench Operations 24 hrs FF/PM Cleary Fire Service Vehicle Operator 8 hrs November Training Hours Analysis

Description Hours

NFPA 1410 Performance Standards 137

ALGH System CE 97.5

Driver Operator Training 126.5

Fire Investigator Drill 14

Job Performance Requirements 56.73

Officer Development 15

Report of the Week 8.5

Daily SCBA Familiarization/Checks 80.39

Quick Drills 65.57

Word of the Week 13.42

Total hours 614.61

Hazardous Materials Team (HAZMAT) Members of the MABAS Division III Hazardous Materials Team participated in a full response drill at NIPSTA on November 8, 2013. The scenario involved white powder on a passenger rail car. The team responded in Level A suits to collect samples and mitigate the incident. Underwater and Rescue and Recovery Team (URRT) The members of the Park Ridge Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team (URRT) participated in a dive drill hosted by the Northfield Fire Department at the Skokie Lagoons. The exercise involved underwater communication systems and search and rescue techniques. Technical Rescue Team (TRT) The members of the TRT participated in a structural collapse/shoring drill at the Skokie Fire Department, Station 17.

Special Teams Battalion Chief Scott Sankey

8


Due to the high amount of miles and the stresses that the vehicles are put under, it is critical that we perform routine and emergency maintenance in cooperation with the City Garage. Below is a list of the maintenance completed for the month: F-33 2005 Ambulance - Brake repair. F-41 1995 Engine - Radiator hoses replaced.

- Replaced rear brakes. - Replaced spot light. - Replaced 5 grab handles on outside of vehicle.

F-45 2001 Tower Ladder - Replaced brake airline - Repaired brake air leaks

Car driven through the old Blockbuster Video on North Northwest Highway

Car driven through 100 block of Euclid Avenue, at Siam Thai restaurant.

Apparatus & Equipment Battalion Chief John Hanson

9


Activity Monthly Totals 2012 Monthly Totals 2013

Initial Inspections 18 54 Re-Inspections 52 39 Pre-Permit Meetings 4 1 Construction Visits 4 12 Final Inspections 5 3 Plan reviews 15 16 Sprinkler Hydros 1 3 Storage Tank Installs 4 2 Storage Tank Removals 6 3 Residential Sprinklers 0 0 Fire Flow Tests 0 0 Fire Alarm Tests 1 0 Fire Pump Tests 1 0 Key Box Insp./Installs 2 1 Hood Test 0 0 Single Family Home Inspections 1 1 Citations 4 2 Meetings 8 14 Fire Drills 4 2 Seminar/Schools 0 3 Complaints 1 3 Shift Tours 0 0

Public Education Tours 2 1

Total 133 160

Year to Date 1956 1959

Highlights

Lt. Plach and Fire Inspector Kufner helped organize and work our annual Holiday Open House.

Car Seat Safety Checks 14 car seat safety checks were performed in November. CPR and First Aid classes 21 people attended CPR classes in the month of November. The following classes were provided: 1 Health Care Provider class 1 Heart Saver AED class

Fire Prevention Lieutenant Kevin Plach

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No Public Arts Commission meetings have been scheduled to date.

V W TURKEY FRYERSE R NFPA discourages the use of outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers that immerse the turkey in hot oil. These turkey fryers use a substantial quantity of cooking oil at high temperatures, and units currently available for home use pose a significant danger that hot oil will be released at some point during the cooking process. The use of turkey fryers by consumers can lead to devastating burns, other injuries and the destruction of property. NFPA urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments, such as grocery stores, specialty food retailers, and restaurants for the preparation of the dish, or consider a new type of "oil-less" turkey fryer."

Hot oil may splash or spill at any point during the cooking process, when the fryer is jarred or tipped over, the turkey is placed in the fryer or removed, or the turkey is moved from the fryer to the table. Any contact between hot oil and skin could result in serious injury. Any contact between hot oil and nonmetallic materials could lead to serious damage.

A major spill of hot oil can occur with fryers designed for outdoor use and using a stand as these units are particularly vulnerable to upset or collapse, followed by a major spill of hot oil. Newer countertop units using a solid base appear to reduce this particular risk. NFPA does not believe that consumer education alone can make the risks of either type of turkey fryer acceptably low because of the large quantities of hot oil involved and the speed and severity of burn likely to occur with contact.

In deep frying, oil is heated to temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Cooking oil is combustible, and if it is heated beyond its cooking temperature, its vapors can ignite. This

Monthly Tip Senior Administrative Assistant Jennifer Steurer

World Trade Center Steel Update Fire Administration

13


is a fire danger separate from the burn danger inherent in the hot oil. Overheating can occur if temperature controls, which are designed to shut off the fryer if the oil overheats, are defective, or if the appliance has no temperature controls.

Propane-fired turkey fryers are designed for outdoor use, particularly for Thanksgiving, by which time both rain and snow are common in many parts of the country. If rain or snow strikes exposed hot cooking oil, the result can be a splattering of the hot oil or a conversion of the rain or snow to steam, either of which can lead to burns. The frozen turkey may splatter hot oil, which could cause a serious injury.

The approximately 5 gallons of oil in these devices introduce an additional level of hazard to deep fryer cooking, as does the size and weight of the turkey, which must be safely lowered into and raised out of the large quantity of hot oil. Many turkeys are purchased frozen, and they may not be fully thawed when cooking begins. As with a rainy day, a defrosting turkey creates the risk of contact between hot cooking oil.

There is a new outdoor turkey cooking appliance that does not use oil. NFPA believes these should be considered as an alternative. NFPA understands that this appliance will be listed by a recognized testing laboratory.

NFPA continues to believe that turkey fryers that use oil, as currently designed, are not suitable for acceptably safe use by even a well-informed and careful consumer. Consumers may find packaging of turkey fryers displaying independent product safety testing labels. NFPA is familiar with the details of these test standards and does not believe that they are sufficiently comprehensive regarding the different ways in which serious harm can occur, and, in some cases, regarding the different parts of the turkey fryer that need to be tested.

park ridge fire department · park ridge fire department ... resulted when corroded electrical...

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