Latest news with #SterlingFireDepartment
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
06-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sterling Fire Department presents recommendations for new $2M fire truck
Mar. 6—STERLING — The Sterling Fire Department is asking the city to consider buying a new $2 million fire truck. The recommendation to purchase a customized Rosenbauer King Cobra fire truck with a 101-foot articulating aerial ladder was made Monday during the department's presentation to the Sterling City Council. Sterling Deputy Fire Chief David Northcutt said the new truck is needed to replace Truck/Tower 4, the department's only truck with an aerial ladder. The city granted the department permission to start planning specifications for the new fire truck shortly after interim Fire Chief Forrest Reeder presented a report last October on the "severe operational" issues plaguing the department's vehicles and apparatus. During that report, Reeder said that due to repairs, Truck/Tower 4 had "been in service less than 100 days in the less than three years" the department has had the vehicle. Truck/Tower 4 was bought in May 2021 for $319,000. Its first significant repair occurred a little over a year later, in August 2022, at a cost of $9,200, with other substantial repairs following only a year later. The truck has cost the department more than $200,000 in repairs since its purchase. Northcutt said the new fire truck will be built by a single manufacturer, eliminating the need to send it to multiple vendors for repairs, and also would include improved safety features — such as roll protection and electronic stabilization — that the current truck does not possess. Truck/Tower 4 was manufactured by KME Fire Apparatus, which does not have a recognized local vendor. "The next consideration is, what do we use this truck for?" Northcutt said. "Unfortunately, we have to plan for the worst. We have the steel mill crane operators that we possibly need to help, and which we have done in the past. We've been involved in grain bin rescues within the last year, not to mention the grain bin fires." If the City Council approves the department's recommendation, Northcutt said that because of Environmental Protection Agency requirements on emissions, it will take 18 to 24 months to get the new fire truck once the order is submitted. On Aug. 5, 2021, the EPA launched a three-year plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from heavy-duty trucks through a progressive series of rules. The Clean Trucks Plan was completed in March with the signing of the final two rules focusing on greenhouse gases for heavy-duty engines and emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles. Supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to a backlog of apparatus orders that have increased wait times for these vehicles. Northcutt said there are several payment options to consider, with discounts for paying the cost upfront versus making payments. "To help the cost, we would be selling our [current] aerial," Northcutt said. "We are also wanting to reduce our apparatus by one engine. We're about to get our engine that's been up in Wisconsin getting worked on. We're hoping that the engine is going to give us about eight years of life before we have to replace it. We want to sell its twin. It's estimated that we could possibly get $500,000 between the two." The fire department could save an additional $50,000 if it can use its current emissions motor, but Northcutt said that is not guaranteed. "I can appreciate buying new so we don't get a lemon like we did on the last unit," 3rd Ward Alderman Josh Johnson said. "I think you guys have done your due diligence. When you put dollars on the road, it's less than $100,000 a year for us to use a truck that we absolutely need." During the City Council meeting, City Manager Scott Schumard said there is "adequate" funding in the city's capital fund from previous savings, and the purchase would not affect currently planned road repair expenditures should the City Council approve it. The presentation was only for discussion, and no action was taken during the City Council meeting.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
CT man dies following fiery crash on Route 49 in Sterling
A man was killed after the vehicle he was driving left Route 49 in Sterling on Wednesday and hit a utility pole where it fell into a ditch and caught on fire. The crash occurred shortly before 6:50 p.m. when 42-year-old Michael Therriault of the Moosup section of Plainfield was heading south in a 2007 Nissan Altima and went off the road, according to Connecticut State Police. State police said he struck a utility pole on the left side of the road near the intersection of New Road. The Altima then went into a ditch. A passerby was able to extricate Therriault from the Altima before it caught on fire, according to state police. The flames were put out by the Sterling Fire Department. Therriault was initially taken to the Backus Plainfield Emergency Care Center. He was later airlifted to Hartford Hospital where he died at 5:40 a.m., state police said. The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information has been asked to contact Trooper Michael Ivan at 860-779-4900 or
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Sterling Fire Department planning for new aerial ladder truck, vehicle repairs
Jan. 29—STERLING — The Sterling Fire Department is moving forward with plans to address the "severe operational issues" of its apparatus and vehicles. Sterling Fire Chief Forrest Reeder told the Sterling City Council in October that over the past four years, the department had spent over $400,000 trying to fix several of its vehicles with severe operational issues. To make matters worse, Reeder said, the vehicles experiencing the majority of these problems are arguably some of the most important in the fleet, Truck/Tower 4 and Engines 3 and 5. Reeder said the department had spent over $200,000, or just over two-thirds of the original purchase price, on repairs for Truck/Tower 4. Additionally, the department had also spent nearly two-thirds the original purchase price of Engines 3 and 5 trying to maintain and fix them. The city and fire department were faced at the time with making decisions on how to upgrade the fire equipment. Sterling Deputy Fire Chief David Northcutt recently spoke with Shaw Local about plans the department has since developed. 'The Twins' These two fire engines were aptly nicknamed by SFD for sharing many of the same repair issues. Engine 3 is currently in Wisconsin for several repairs, including a new motor, front intake and rear discharge. Northcutt said he expects to have it back sometime in February, hoping that the repairs will extend its use another eight years. Engine 3 was purchased in December 2021 for $150,000. Its first major repair followed almost a year later with a repair bill of almost $28,000. Since its purchase, it has cost the department more than $75,000 in repairs. Engine 5 was purchased just a few weeks later, in January 2022, for $150,000. It also needed its first significant repair a year after being purchased, at a cost of $28,000. The department has spent just more than $119,000 repairing the engine since its purchase. Engine 5 is currently in service but the SFD is considering selling it once Engine 3 is repaired, with plans to put that money toward the purchase of a new aerial ladder truck. Truck/Tower 4 Northcutt said the department's only truck with an aerial ladder has been back on the streets and is running as it should. He said he was recently given approval from city officials to start putting together specifications for a new aerial ladder truck. "That doesn't mean we're purchasing one yet," Northcutt said. "We're putting together some specifications and narrowing it down to a couple of different companies for manufacturing. Depending on the price and availability, we're still looking at approximately 18 to 24 months due to some EPA requirements on emissions." On Aug. 5, 2021, the EPA launched a three-year plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from heavy-duty trucks through a progressive series of rules. The Clean Trucks Plan was completed in March, with the signing of the final two rules focusing on greenhouse gases for heavy-duty engines and emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles. Supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to a backlog of apparatus orders that have increased wait times for these vehicles. On a positive note, Northcutt said that once it is completed, the new aerial ladder truck will have improved safety features, such as roll protection and electronic stabilization, that the current truck does not possess. Another feature Northcutt would like the truck to have is a jib — a small, adjustable arm attached to the main ladder boom allowing firefighters to extend their reach into narrow spaces or maneuver around obstacles. Depending on the final specifications and manufacturer, Northcutt anticipates the new truck could cost upward of $2 million. Truck/Tower 4 was purchased in May 2021 for $319,000. Its first significant repair occurred a little over a year later, in August 2022, at a cost of $9,200, with other substantial repairs following only a year later. The truck has cost the department more than $200,000 in repairs since its purchase. The SFD is also building a new water tender truck, which Northcutt expects to have sometime in April or May. Tender trucks transport large amounts of water to fire scenes, especially in rural areas without readily available access to fire hydrants. Once they have the new tender truck, he said both Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments plan to pool their money to make improvements on Sterling's current tender truck, which will then be used as a backup for both departments.
