Latest news with #EvanstonFireDepartment
Chicago Tribune
29-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
‘If you don't share it, it's gone:' Evanston firefighters celebrate lives of lost colleagues
The morning of July 22 was warm, sunny and relatively cloudless, as it usually is when the Evanston Fire Department holds its annual Remembrance Ceremony, Fire Chief Paul Polep commented. Close to 100 people gathered at Evanston's Firefighter Park to commemorate the lives of firefighters and police officers who died on the job. Current and retired firefighters paid their respects to their fallen comrades who put their lives on the line for people they did not know. It was also a warm and sunny day when Evanston firefighter Marty Leoni made the ultimate sacrifice in his attempt to save the life of a baby in a 1985 blaze in a Jackson Avenue home. Forty years later, his family still celebrates his life, and has attended the ceremony since its inception in 1993, Polep said. Evanston Firefighters William Craig and George Stiles were also honored at Wednesday's ceremony, with remarks from IAFF Local 742 President William Lynch, Illinois State Senator Laura Fine (9th) and Police Commander Kenneth Carter. Invocations were read by Rev. Tom Howard and Rabbi Tzvi Montrose. 'It's said within faith circles that our faith is only going to last a generation, because if you don't share it, it's gone. And that's true in so many aspects of our life,' Howard said. Howard spoke of a scripture within the Bible where Prophet Elijah died next to his mentee Elisha. Howard said Elisha mourned his mentor's death, but because of his teachings, was able to continue his legacy. 'The lesson for us in that is that when we lose someone, we mourn, but we also take what they gave us and we learn and we grow,' Howard said. 'We get to not only be here to remember them, we get to celebrate who they were, and we get to grow upon that.' 'There are many, many retired men and women that faced danger with unwavering resolve, and their legacy also continues to inspire all of us,' said Montrose. 'We also recognize the sacrifices that are often unseen: the emotional and mental toll that this work takes on those who carry its weight every single day. It's not only the uniform that defines you, it's the strength, resilience and compassion with which you serve, day in and day out.' 'July 22 is an opportunity to reset, a time to pause, to take a moment out of what can often feel like an endlessly busy, perhaps even chaotic line of work, and remind ourselves that who we are and what we do is not a burden, but a privilege,' Lynch said. The ceremony ended with a bell ceremony by the EFD Color Guard. The bell ceremony, according to Captain Jason Hays, was used in the early years of American fire departments to call the start and end of a shift, and would also be used to announce the death of a firefighter.
Chicago Tribune
26-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Divers practice rescues in Lake Michigan at sunken 19th century cargo ship
Rather than search through a burning house, firefighters from several area fire departments had to dive into 30 feet of water to a 19th-century cargo ship in Lake Michigan to rescue a victim — in this case a mannequin — during a rescue dive training drill June 18. The dive drill was conducted by the Evanston Fire Department and included participants from fire departments in Park Ridge, Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe, according to Evanston Fire Department Field Chief Sean Malloy. All belong to Mutual Aid Box Alarm Division 3, which allows them to assist each other with firefighting, rescues, or other emergencies when needed. While not every one of those departments serve municipalities with large bodies of water, Malloy said they benefit from having divers that can use skills practiced in the drill. They might need to do rescues in retention ponds and reservoirs, he said, and can also assist neighboring departments who need divers. 'Unfortunately, some of these incidents [needing dive rescues] occur in these smaller little ponds [where] something happens or a car goes in,' Malloy said. Justin Morris, a 17-year firefighter, paramedic, diver and member of the surface water rescue team for the EFD, said it was the department's first time completing its dive drills on the Wells Burt, a cargo ship that sunk in 1883, and is about three miles east of Evanston and about 30 feet underneath the surface of the water. 'It was the perfect dive,' Morris said, explaining that he also recreationally dives on vacation in Aruba. 'I have never dove [a wreck] here. I've always been in the crummiest waters and stuff, diving in lakes, lagoons and rivers. 'And usually you don't get a day like we had that day,' he continued, saying that even with a bit of overcast the waters of Lake Michigan are clear enough to see in, and that the tides weren't crashing in, which can make it harder for divers to swim in under the surface. Divers met at the Church Street Boat Ramp in Evanston and took off in zodiac vessels, or small rubber boats, to the site of the Wells Burt. Teams of two divers took turns descending to the Wells Burt's bow to locate the hidden dummy, communicating with wireless communication devices. On the way up, divers performed a safety stop marked by a rope. Malloy said the Lake Michigan training is unique in comparison to other dive drills in that divers need to carve out time in their rescues to equalize water pressure. Morris said the wireless communication devices they used are similar to walkie talkies, but specialized for divers and only operable underneath the surface of the water. Divers also train to use rope signals to communicate, Morris said, to be prepared for malfunctions in the communications system, should they arise. 'Things happen. Batteries die, things getting unplugged, but this went perfect,' he said of the dive. Divers descended into the water wearing dry suits, effectively insulating their bodies from the water. 'Anytime we dive as firefighters, or in the fire service, we consider it a hazardous environment,' Malloy said. 'If you think about it, if you're looking for possibly a victim in let's say a pond — and the car's in the pond — there's gas coming out, fuel and oil — and plus lagoons and stuff are not really the cleanest places anyways, so it's important that we wear our rescue suits,' Morris said. The rescue drills also teach divers to search for evidence and lost items which can help police investigations, Morris said. Morris said even 30 feet deep, the waters of Lake Michigan are clear enough to conduct the search, and finding the dummy propped up on the Wells Burt's bow was not exceedingly difficult for him. Divers did not have a hard time locating the dummy, and to Morris's knowledge did not face excessive difficulties adjusting to the water pressure going up or going down, with some divers needing a safety break as recommended. Morris said his partner needed a moment to adjust his gear on the way down. Because Morris and his partner were the last to dive, they were able to stay under for longer, about 15 to 20 minutes, and explore the Wells Burt, Morris said. They also brought the dummy back up to the surface using a lift bag, he said. 'It was really neat to see something especially in your own backyard,' Morris said of the Wells Burt. 'I knew it was there. I've driven by it in the boat a million times, but I never got my eyes on it like that before, and got to hang out there. That's what's amazing about Lake Michigan and being here in Evanston, and a lot of the cities here. There's a lot of history that you don't even know about unless you start looking and reading.' Currently, 17 departments in the northern suburbs, including those mentioned above and Northbrook, Glenview, Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove, Highland Park and others, belong to MABAS Division 3 and assist in mutual aid for public safety reasons. '[MABAS] is just our way of upgrading or getting extra resources from municipality to municipality for these more or less specialized things or larger fires or anything else. So it's a pre-planned way of getting those resources,' Malloy said.
CBS News
13-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Family without a home after fire rips through house in Evanston, Illinois
A house fire left a firefighter hospitalized and a family displaced in Evanston Monday. At 10:55 a.m., the Evanston Fire Department was called for a fire at 1911 Warren St., a midcentury ranch house alongside an alley in the southwestern part of the northern suburb. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke upon arriving, and neighboring fire departments were called in to help fight the fire and man fire stations while crews were out. Evanston Fire Department Everyone who lived in the house was able to escape safely, the fire department said. The American Red Cross is helping the displaced family. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital for heat exhaustion. No other injuries were reported. The house where the fire broke out is located just west of Dodge Avenue — the Evanston extension of Chicago's California Avenue — and just north of Oakton Street and James Park. Zillow says the house was built in 1956, and has three bedrooms and one bathroom. Evanston Fire Department A photo supplied by the Evanston Fire Department shows flames blasting out of a basement-level window on the side of the house. The extent of the damage to the house was not specified. The cause of the fire remained under investigation late Monday.
Chicago Tribune
07-04-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Highland Park tragedy inspires HS student to create trauma response kits
Sumner Silver was not at the July 4, 2022 parade in Highland Park, where a gunman killed seven people and wounded 48 others, but she shared the grief of those who were at the parade. 'I had a best friend who was there at the time of the shooting,' Silver said. 'She had me on the phone as she was running away from the shooting. I was helping her navigate.' That tragedy spurred the Highland Park resident to action. 'It made me really sad for all the people who were there,' said the now 16-year-old Highland Park High School junior. 'I really felt like this is bound to happen elsewhere if we don't do something about it. I thought, 'How can I help minimize the magnitude of such a tragedy?'' She began thinking of ways to help. Silver prepared herself for emergencies by becoming 'Stop the Bleed' certified at the Evanston Fire Department about a month after the shooting. 'I wanted to be able to help out in a situation like that,' she said. The teen felt the need to do more, though. 'I got a lot of feedback from the volunteers at the parade and they mentioned that they wish they could have been able to do something,' Silver said. 'They wish they had the skill set and also the tools to be able to take action in a tragedy like that.' That inspired Silver to create Hope Kits, portable trauma-response kits that can provide life-saving aid for gunshot wounds, stabbing wounds, or other trauma injuries. These kits answered Silver's question: 'How can people who are in such situations help minimize the effects of such tragedy?' Each Hope Kit includes a CAT (Combat Application Tourniquet)-certified tourniquet, emergency wound-packing gauze, and step-by-step instructions on providing first aid in trauma situations. So far, Silver, with the assistance of her mother, Dana Silver, has created over 180 Hope Kits. 'Our goal is to make as many as possible,' the teen said. Silver donated 170 of those kits to the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. 'We were looking for an organization that directly helps fight gun violence,' Silver explained. 'Their mission greatly aligns with what we had hoped to do with the Hope Kits.' 'She saw the impact we were making and thought it would be a good fit,' said Shunda Collins, Vice President of Development and Communications for the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago. Collins said that some of the Hope Kits are staying with their staff. 'We have a team of victim advocates and outreach workers who regularly are in communities,' Collins explained. Other Kits were given to the group's Peacekeepers. 'They're not on staff, but they are on stipends. They help in terms of mediating conflict and building relationships, being like a connecting point for us to get resources out to communities,' Collins said. 'We believe that if there is an opportunity for us to help, we want to do that.' Silver indicated that they plan to donate more Hope Kits to the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago as well as to local fire departments and possibly the Chicago Police Department. To finance the venture, Silver sells her handmade greeting cards, Happy Notes, at area art fairs. She will be selling them next at the Deerfield Art Festival in downtown Deerfield, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., May 31-June 1. The cards sell for $18 for a set of six cards. 'I'm passionate about art,' Silver explained. 'I wanted to bring a little light in such dark times for my community, so I created a series of uplifting greeting cards directly after the shooting to be able to fundraise for the Highland Park Community Foundation, which supports the victims affected by the Highland Park shooting.' So far, Silver has raised over $10,000 through the sale of her greeting cards; $3,000 for the Highland Park Community Foundation and the rest for creating the Hope Kits. You can purchase Happy Notes or donate to the project at
CBS News
14-03-2025
- Health
- CBS News
What travelers should know about carbon monoxide safety as spring break ramps up
As millions of Americans travel for spring break getaways, some may face an invisible danger. Carbon monoxide poisoning could be a risk at hotels or vacation rentals. You can't see or smell carbon monoxide gas, but it's the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400 Americans die each year "from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires." Whether leaking from a faulty appliance or a fireplace, the fumes can fill every room as you sleep. "It's considered the silent killer," said Sean Malloy, field chief of the Evanston Fire Department in Illinois. Travel safety tips Experts suggest making sure your hotel room or rental is equipped with at least one carbon monoxide detector. "You're going to want one at least on every floor as well as near bedrooms and in the hallways outside bedrooms," Malloy said, which is also recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If the alarm goes off in your home, hotel or vacation rental, experts say to get out of the building immediately. "If I'm in my apartment, Airbnb, wherever I'm staying and the alarm goes off, I know that we're getting about 30 parts per million carbon monoxide," Malloy said. Both Airbnb and Vrbo post on their website whether or not they have carbon monoxide alarms installed in units. Even so, the safest move is to pack one of your own when you travel. Consider taking a portable detector so you can walk around your rental unit and test to make sure the air is safe to breathe. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning Data shows firefighters responded to more than 4,000 carbon monoxide incidents at hotels, motels and resorts between 1999 and 2020. More than 1,000 people have been hurt and at least two dozen have died, according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System. In recent years, deaths of American tourists in Mexico and the Bahamas have been linked to carbon monoxide leaks. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include: Headache Dizziness Nausea Vomiting Weakness Chest pain Confusion "We might just have a headache, feel nauseous, have something going on, feeling dizzy, where we just think we might be getting sick, and it's actually carbon monoxide that's causing it," Malloy explained. But Malloy adds you could not have any symptoms at all. "You're not going to know it's there, and what it's going to do is it's going to replace that oxygen in your blood," Malloy said.
