Latest news with #RockFallsFireDepartment
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
David Northcutt appointed new Sterling fire chief
May 1—STERLING — Sterling City Manager Scott Shumard has appointed David Northcutt as the next fire chief for the Sterling Fire Department, effective April 30, 2025. Northcutt has served as Deputy Chief of the SFD since March 2023. He previously served as a captain with the Rock Falls Fire Department, where he was employed for more than 23 years and is the current Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 30 president. He also served as a 911 dispatcher, as a Fire Officer Program instructor at Sauk Valley Community College and is a U.S. Army veteran. "I've been doing a lot of it already, so it's not a whole lot of change," Northcutt said. "However, there is a little weight that came with the official announcement. The biggest thing for me is the support that I've had, people messaging, calling, emailing, all that ... very humbling to have that much support." Shumard said that appointing department heads falls under the authority of the city manager. The position was advertised online and with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and the Great Lakes Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. "Three applications were received," Shumard said. "After meeting with one applicant, he was ruled out as his certifications were in Michigan, and Illinois law has stricter requirements for out-of-state fire chief candidates that the candidate did not have." The remaining two candidates were interviewed, and the city retained MGT Solutions to conduct an "assessment center" for those candidates. "The Assessment Center is a series of written, oral and presentation tests administered by a team of current or former chiefs to evaluate how candidates respond to various scenarios," Shumard said. "Personality profiles were also completed at this stage." The 2025 wage study that was completed for the city recommended a salary range of $110,210-$148,220 for the position. Shumard said Northcutt will start at $112,965. In a news release issued by the city, Shumard said that Chief Northcutt was well prepared for the position through his experience as deputy chief and tutelage from interim Chief Forest Reeder. "Chief Northcutt's experience with the Rock Falls automatic aid agreement, his time as deputy chief and mentorship from interim Chief Reeder makes him a well-qualified successor," Shumard said. "Northcutt will continue the culture of increased integrity and, most importantly, accountability in the Sterling Fire Department." Northcutt plans to improve training and professionalism within the SFD to make it a leader in both areas. He wants to build on the progress made over the past year and strengthen partnerships with nearby departments through MABAS to improve teamwork and emergency response in the area. He said that strengthening collaboration with neighboring departments starts with open communication. "The first thing is communication, it's got to start there," Northcutt said, adding that understanding each department's practices and priorities is key to serving the region as a whole. He noted that while Sterling operates as a full-time department, it still relies on assistance from surrounding agencies, including volunteer departments, for large-scale emergencies. Northcutt expressed deep appreciation for that support and stressed the importance of sharing resources and knowledge. He said that when firefighters attend specialized training, the goal should not be to benefit only one department. "If we have a little bit better funding mechanism to go to classes and things like that, when we do come back, don't just use it for us, but to pass on that knowledge to the other department."
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dog dies in Sterling fire; home considered a loss
A dog is dead and a home is considered a loss after a fire in Sterling last night. A news release from the City of Sterling said that the Sterling Fire Department, Rock Falls Fire Department, CGH EMS and Sterling Police Department responded to a 911 call about a structure fire on April 10 at about 9:38 p.m. Milledgeville Fire Protection District and Dixon Rural Fire Protection District were also dispatched as part of the Full Still assignment. The first units arrived on the scene within four minutes and found heavy fire from the front of a single-story residential home. They immediately began offensive operations to extinguish the fire and connected to a nearby hydrant for water supply. The fire was brought under control within 11 minutes, but overhaul was necessary due to the fire damage to ensure no hot spots remained. The family who lived at the address was not home at the time of the fire, but they arrived during the incident and said no one was in the home. A dog was in the residence at the time and died. There were no injuries to first responders. Sterling Code Enforcement, ComEd, NICOR, 1800-Boardup, Office of the State Fire Marshall and Red Cross assisted at the scene. The home and its contents are considered a total loss for the family. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Whiteside County woman sentenced to probation in 2023 Rock Falls arson case
Feb. 10—MORRISON — A Morrison woman has been sentenced to 30 months of probation in connection with a 2023 car fire. Taylor A. Zinke, 26, pleaded guilty Monday, Feb. 10, in Whiteside County Circuit Court to one count of felony arson. She was charged Dec. 1, 2023, with one count of arson, accused of setting a car on fire in Rock Falls. According to Whiteside County court records, including a no-stalking, no-contact order of protection filed against Zinke, and the Rock Falls Fire Department incident report, Zinke allegedly set a 2015 Ford Fiesta on fire about 6:45 a.m. Nov. 2, 2023, in the driveway of a house in the 2100 block of French Street. When firefighters arrived, the passenger compartment was engulfed, and because the car was parked about 5 feet from the house, the flames melted the siding, according to the incident report. Zinke could have been sentenced to anywhere from three to seven years in prison. Along with the probation sentence, she was ordered to pay $4,209, which includes a $1,000 fine, a $500 arson fee, $1,060 in restitution and court costs.
