Latest news with #WaukeganFireDepartment
Chicago Tribune
28-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Waukegan first responders looking to comfort dogs for support; ‘It will help give them a lift when they need it'
Emotional care for both first responders and the people who need their assistance is becoming more and more important and Macki, the Waukegan Fire Department's comfort dog, provides it for both firefighters after a challenging day and victims who need their help. Officially joining the department on April 23, Beth Moss, a battalion chief with the fire department who is Macki's handler, said she will take the dog to community events like ribbon-cuttings and parades to let people know about the dog's role. 'A young girl was lining up sticks for her,' Moss said. 'Macki waited for a moment and let the girl know she was playing with him. It's a way to interact with the public in a positive way, not on a bad day for them.' Fire Chief Gregg Paiser said firefighters and emergency medical technicians go on calls, which can be emotionally draining. When they return, Macki will be there, should they need a companion to help them relieve their stress. 'It's an important emotional support for the department,' Paiser said. 'It will help give them a lift when they need it. The dog makes it easier for them, and is there on a daily basis.' Macki and Moss engaged with adults, children, and their families along the route of the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, waiting for the participants to approach. Along the route before the parade, Macki engaged with the Kemp family from Waukegan. While a young daughter eagerly petted the dog, her younger brother got close and then backed away. Emmalee Kemp watched as her children interacted. She said she liked what she saw. 'We like going to community events,' Kemp said. 'It gives us a chance to do things in the community as a family.' Moss waited with Macki on the sidewalk near Veterans Memorial Place while the Memorial Day Ceremony was ongoing. As people left after the event ended, Macki drew their attention as some of the onlookers engaged, including Mayor Sam Cunningham. Cunningham said the use of comfort dogs and other mental health techniques is becoming more and more important. They can be useful in the Public Works Department and other areas of city operations, as well as fire and police. 'It allows people to relax their mental state and communicate better,' Cunningham said. 'It will help them to handle the situation. It will help them through difficult situations. The old days of (ignoring this) are gone.' Now 2 years old, Macki began training as a comfort dog with Canines 4 Comfort when she was six months old. Moss said she went through some of the training with her as she prepped to be her handler. There is updated training every few months. As her handler, Macki lives with Moss. She brings her to work with her each day, making the dog available should a need arise. Since the fire department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Paiser said if a firefighter or victim needs help, Moss and Macki are on their way. 'She comes on all of my calls with me,' Moss said. 'She'll come into the emergency room (at the hospital) to comfort a victim. I'll take her to schools so the kids can see her in a positive situation.' The Waukegan Police Department also plans to bring a comfort dog on board. Deputy Chief Mike Mandro said police officials are on the waiting list with Canines 4 Comfort. No date is set for the dog's arrival. Meanwhile, Paiser said Macki is available to help. Mandro said he foresees a variety of situations for a comfort dog. The dog will help with community outreach, helping officers after a challenging call, as well as crime victims. The Community Policing Unit can take the dog to community events. In the Community Assistance Group, where police officers and social workers join forces, the dog will be helpful, too.
Chicago Tribune
08-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
River and ravine cleanup kicks off Waukegan's Earth Month; ‘Our city needs some pampering'
After turning Earth Day into Earth Week four years ago in Waukegan, a joint effort by the city, Immanuel Church in Gurnee and the Waukegan Park District launched a river and ravine cleanup project that helped turn April into Earth Month. Tom Christensen, a Waukegan resident and retired lieutenant with the Waukegan Fire Department, is also a member of the church. He led the effort to help recruit people for the church's day of service. More than 300 volunteered, including 53 for the river and ravine effort. As the idea for the project began to unfold, different city officials began thinking about an Earth Month. Christensen said caring for the Earth and environment is preserving what God created. It is not something for just one day or week, he said. 'As Christians, we are called to serve and this is a way of serving the community,' Christensen said. 'Through our efforts, we are called to take care of the planet. God created the world for us.' The Waukegan River and Ravine Cleanup, fueled by the church's 53 volunteers Saturday at three different parks with access to the river through the ravine in Waukegan, prompted city officials to label April Earth Month. 'This is a great way to start Earth Month with this cleanup,' David Motley, the city's director of public relations, said. 'The number of volunteers we have enables us to do more and more. Cleaning up the community starts with the community.' As the volunteers descended into the ravine to the river at Veterans Memorial Plaza, Ray Bradbury Park and Powell Park, they found more than discarded trash. There were tires, a rocking chair, a shopping cart, shelving units and more. Once the church decided on the ravine and river cleanup, Christensen went to the city to make arrangements. Cheryl Mini, the city's service coordinator who oversees the Cities of Service program, responded. Mini said that Cities of Service is a city program that is designed to organize volunteers for a variety of projects in the city. Earth Week — now Earth Month — draws numerous volunteers through the city and other participating organizations. 'The church needed volunteers to clean up all the stuff in the ravine and river,' she said. 'I didn't have to do much. They provided almost all the volunteers.' As the volunteers were being gathered, the city reached out to the Park District to get it involved. The ravines and river are accessed through several parks, including Powell, Bradbury and Veterans Plaza. Quincy Bejster, the Park District's director of parks, said the district provided staff and equipment to help the volunteers. He also liked the idea of turning Earth Week into Earth Month with more community involvement. George Bridges Jr. was working near the river, finding and hauling away a variety of trash. He was there in three capacities. He is a member of the church, a Park District commissioner and the chief of staff to Mayor Ann Taylor. 'Our city needs some pampering,' Bridges said. 'God tells us to love our community and serve our community. All of three of these things are coming together today.' Bridges also likes the idea of going from Earth Day, to Earth Week, to Earth Month. He said he hopes it will encourage more people to volunteer at different events scheduled throughout the month.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- CBS News
3 years after son was struck and killed, Waukegan, Illinois family says ambulance safety law isn't followed
A family from Waukegan, Illinois does not want the same tragedy they have faced to happen to anyone else — three years after their son was hit and killed by an ambulance that went through a stop sign with no emergency lights or siren on. They helped spark a new traffic law in Illinois, but now they are concerned that the law is not being followed or enforced. Satrese Stallworth has fought tooth and nail to get the justice she feels her son, Donald "DJ" Stallworth III, deserves. But three years later, she said she is not seeing the results. "I started working on getting that law passed so no one else would have to go through that," said Satrese Stallworth. The fatal incident happened at the intersection of Lake and Genesee streets in Waukegan on May 16, 2022. DJ Stallworth's family said he was crossing on his motorcycle when a Waukegan Fire Department ambulance went through a stop sign with no siren on during a transport. The 23-year-old was killed. "We got this law changed to save a family from going through what we're going through," said Satrese Stallwroth. DJ Stallworth's family worked with lawmakers in Springfield to pass SB1251, the Donald (DJ) Stallworth III Act. It requires EMTs to go through extensive training and to use lights and sirens when transporting a patient. "Nobody is doing the training, evidently," said Antoinette Stallworth. At a Tuesday night Waukegan City Council meeting, an attorney and members of the Stallworth family spoke in front of officials to say a year after the law went into effect, it is not being followed. "I have watched Waukegan Fire Department go through intersections without having sirens on," said DJ Stallworth's sister, Antoinette Dedrick. "It's a total disrespect." "That is such a slap to the face to the family," added Satrese Stallworth. In an email, the City of Waukegan says its EMTs are trained under SB1251. But the Stallworths say they are not seeing it implemented back home, and possibly in other cities in Illinois. "Waukegan should have it perfected!" Satrese Stallworth said at the Waukegan City Council meeting. The Stallworths say they have a scholarship fund in DJ's name, and are working to get a monument at a local park. They also already settled a lawsuit with the city.
Chicago Tribune
13-02-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
First-time candidate challenging four-term incumbent Waukegan treasurer
One certainty about the Democratic primary election for Waukegan city treasurer is that the winner need not worry about the general election to start making plans for the job. Without any candidates in the Republican primary and no independents on the April 1 general election ballot, the winner of the Democratic contest between four-term incumbent John R. Schwab and first-time candidate Gene M. Decker will be Waukegan's treasurer on May 5. Voters will choose between Decker and Schwab when they cast their ballots in the Feb. 25 Democratic primary to determine not only their party's nominee but the city's treasurer. A retired podiatrist with a 30-year career practicing medicine, Schwab, 80, was first elected in 2009, two years after his retirement from his profession. He said, if elected, his fifth stint will be his last. 'Everything is running smooth in my office,' he said. 'When I started, we were three years behind with our audit, and there were times we were out of money. I changed that. I invested the money until we had to spend it.' In 2024, Schwab said investments his office made produced $9.4 million in revenue for the city. It was one of the reasons the city was able to keep the property tax levy flat for another year, he said. As a young man in his early 20s, Decker, 61, said he went to work as a firefighter-paramedic for the Waukegan Fire Department, and retired as a deputy chief 29 years later in 2020. He made the city his home then, and it has remained his residence ever since. He said he is seeking another way to serve. 'I think I can make a difference,' Decker said. 'When I was a firefighter, I studied all the costs of an EMS call. I looked at everything, like the cost of running the truck. We got Medicare to pay us the cost of each call.' Recognizing the role of treasurer does not include developing the city's budget, Decker said part of his duties as a deputy chief was developing the fire department's budget. He believes he can make a contribution to the process. Though the part-time position, which will pay $26,000 a year in the coming term, the treasurer's office is open 40 hours a week Monday through Friday should members of the public or any city worker have a question. Either the treasurer or the deputy is present. When revenue arrives at City Hall, Schwab said it is the treasurer's job to make sure it goes into the proper fund. Once there, until the bills must be paid, the treasurer places the cash in a secure bank account — five depositories are used — earning as much interest as possible. 'You make the most interest you can for the city,' Schwab said. 'The money always has to be ready, too,' he added, referring to the need for complete liquidity. While dealing with the financial portion of the fire department, Decker said he found ways to acquire equipment through grants rather than at the expense of Waukegan's taxpayers. 'I got grants to purchase two firetrucks with federal funds,' Decker said, referring to grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Before Schwab became treasurer, he said there was no use of credit cards at City Hall. People came with cash or a check to get a vehicle sticker. Builders had to do the same to pay the fee for a building permit. Now credit cards can be used for all transactions either in person or online. Early voting is already underway. People can vote from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lake County Courthouse & Administration Building in Waukegan through Friday, as well as from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Hours expand on Monday. For those voting on election day Feb. 25, Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said they can now vote at any polling place, not just their assigned preferred location.
