Stillman Fire Protection District

TIRE BLOWS ON TANKER – DRIVER DOES THE RIGHT THING!

Radio — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:54:38 +0000

To all other departments. Please take your training serious and drive carefully and defensively. Anything can happen. Train and be prepared. Todays incident could have had a much worse outcome.

Monday, May 14, 2012 One of our drivers was doing drivers training in a tender with 3500 Gallons of water. The driver heard a LARGE boom and realized the front left tire had blown. He did not hit the brake, and was able to coast to a stop along the roadway.

Anything can happen. Make sure experienced drivers operate the most dangerous rigs. Don’t drive with one hand on the wheel, and ALWAYS wear your safety belt.

Story Posted on Firefighter Close Calls

A QUILT MADE FROM PATCHES – HELP A BROTHER OUT.

Radio — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:13:07 +0000

We at Stillman Fire are passing this information on to help a brother firefighter out. Noah Filer was seriously injured in a accident earlier this spring. He is a friend and co-worker of many at Stillman Fire, as he works for ATS ambulance service in Rockford as well as Durand Fire Dept. We ask all of our brothers in the Fire and Public Safety community to do what they can to make this project a success.

This is a copy of an article posted from LifeUnderthelights.com

An old ambulance partner of mine called me up the other day with a favor to ask.

He and I haven’t been on a truck together in a few years, but this guy’s one of the best I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. If Bill asks me a favor, it gets done. He’s good people.

It seems there’s bad news. Bill’s new partner, Noah Filer, an almost-done paramedic student and firefighter with the Durand Fire Department was involved in a terrible motorcycle accident a while back. Unfortunately the news isn’t good. While Noah’s fighting on, he sustained serious, possibly life-altering injuries and will have an exceptionally hard road to recovery in front of him. He’s a young guy, and from all accounts I’ve heard a stand-up guy and a good person with a lot of potential in front of him. I don’t know Noah personally, but a good many of my friends do and if Bill vouches for him, he’s a friend of mine as well.

Noah’s friends and family are making him a quilt made of fire patches and have been asking departments to send patches to his fire department for this purpose. Bill has asked me to help spread the word and ask you to send in your patch and patches from your area so they can be incorporated into the quilt. I’m happy to ask you to do so. Noah’s family loves the idea and his fire/EMS friends are stepping in to make this a reality. I’m asking you to do the same.

Here’s what I’d like you to do:

Get an extra patch from your Fire Department, Police Department, EMS agency, or any public-safety entity that you are a member of or can get your hands on. Send one of your patches and grab a few from your surrounding agencies. Anything will help.
Send the patches to the following address BEFORE MAY 12^th, 2012.

Durand Fire Department

P.O. Box 185

Durand, IL 61024

Help us spread the word. If you’re an EMS blogger, would you mind posting up a link to this post or making a post of your own asking your readers to do the same? Would you mind posting this link on your Facebook or Twitter accounts? Would you ask your other Fire/EMS friends to send in a patch or to give you one that you could send in?

I’d really appreciate it. You’re helping out a good cause for a good guy. Trust me, if Bill vouches for him, I do too. I’m sending in all the patches I can grab for the guy and you should to. Please. Both he and his family and friends will really appreciate it.

Thank you.

You can read more about Noah’s story on his CaringBridge web site. It would be nice for his family if you’d send some well-wishes in the form of writing a short note in his guestbook as well.

Bill wrote about his feelings in the guestbook. If you don’t believe that you should send in a patch… read this, you will:

“Dear Noah,

Well it has taken me a week to find the words to write you. You have been my partner on the ambulance since September 2008. Since that time we have spent a third of our lives together. Sometimes you are like a brother to me and other times you are like a son to me but you have always been family to me. Coming to work since your accident is challenging. All of us come in and do our jobs, but there is no laughter, no fun anymore. We all ask each other “how are you” and we all answer each other “I’m ok”. But, we’re not. This station is empty without you. I worked up the courage to peek inside your locker today to see if there was anything your folks or Jenny would want. I burst into tears and closed the door. I swear kid I’ve never cried so much in my life as I have in this last week. You have touched so many lives and I know for a fact that there is people walking the Earth today due to some of your actions. You are a hero. Maybe I didn’t tell you that very much before, but you need to know that. I had a new fella come and work with me today. He is a great guy, and like you, one with a promising future. But, HE IS NOT YOU. Some days I can eat, some days I can’t. Sometimes I can sleep, other times I can’t. I just want you to wake up and say Hi, that would make things so much better. I have visited with your Jenny and your Folks several times this week, and I hope they know they can count on me if they need anything. We are all hurting and only you can make us feel better. So keep fighting my friend! I know you can beat this.

I will be waiting as long as it takes for you to get better.

Your friend,

Bill Scheider

Paramedic”

April is National Safe Digging Month

Timm — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:58:43 +0000

During National Safe Digging Month in April, we are working with our partners to launch a statewide public safety and education campaign to increase awareness about the importance of contacting JULIE, Inc. (JULIE) before any outdoor projects this spring. The goal of this “Call 8-1-1” initiative is to reduce the risk of striking underground utility lines and potentially causing environmental or property damage, costly delays or personal injury. As you know, this is a free call and service.

Once per minute, underground utility lines are unintentionally damaged. Homeowners and professional excavators who fail to notify a state one-call center, such as JULIE, before digging cause approximately 40 percent of all damages, making it the top reason for these dangerous and costly incidents. This statistic jumps to 60 percent for landscaping and fence building projects. Based in Joliet, JULIE is a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the importance of notifying the one-call center and safe-digging practices across Illinois.

“Safe digging is no accident. With a growing trend of do-it-yourselfers focusing on outdoor beautification and home improvement projects, notifying JULIE will help ensure that underground utility lines are not cut or damaged,” said Kevin Chmura, director of public relations for JULIE, Inc. “The impact of striking a utility line can take a staggering toll, in terms of costly delays, environmental or property damage, liability, personal injury and even loss of life.”

Homeowners and contractors can now reach JULIE by calling 811 or 800-892-0123 or by going online at www.illinois1call.com and entering their own locate requests. Common examples of projects that require contacting JULIE before digging include putting up a fence; installing a swing set, a mail box post or water feature such as a pool, pond or fountain; building a deck; preparing a new garden or landscape area; or planting trees, bushes or shrubs.

“This is a free service, so there is no reason to take a chance. With more utility companies delivering critical services underground, homeowners and contractors are encouraged to simply call JULIE at 811 or visit our Web site to enter their own request 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” continued Chmura.

Here’s how it works. To ensure that underground utility lines in the work area are marked, call 811 or enter an E-Request on JULIE’s Web site at least two working days before digging. JULIE will arrange for its members to have the underground lines at the project site marked, free of charge, so that homeowners and contractors can dig safely. JULIE neither owns nor marks any underground lines.

Based in Joliet, JULIE, Inc. represents 1,800 members and annually receives 1 million locate requests. Since its inception in 1974, JULIE has logged more than 22 million locate requests and its annual call volume makes it one of the largest industry one-call systems in the country. Because one call to JULIE results in communication with multiple members, notifications to JULIE, Inc. last year resulted in 5.8 million messages being transmitted to members.

For a free copy of JULIE’s Homeowner’s Guide, an explanation of the color-code markings and information about safe digging practices, visit www.illinois1call.com.

April 1st, 2012

Timm — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:26:57 +0000

On April 1st, Firefighter / EMT Noah Filer from Durand Fire and ATS Ambulance was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. Please keep Noah, his family, the ATS Family and the Durand Fire Family in your thoughts and prayers.

Stillman Firefighters Golf Outing 2012

Radio — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:30:38 +0000

Stillman Firefighters Association

GOLF PLAY DAY

Door Prizes –Raffle

Lunch to follow

Where: Prairie View Golf Course

When: August 4^th 2012 7:30 am Shotgun Start

Cost: $65 Per Person

Includes: Green Fees, Cart, and lunch.

Registration forms available to fill out and send in on separate sheet. Please sign up as a foursome. Doughnuts, coffee, and juice will be provided to get the day started. Please contact Darren Files for any further questions or information.

Click here for sign up sheet

Click here for more information on sponsorship

Darren Files

Association President

P: 815-509-8552 Email: justemtd@gmail.com

Change your batteries when you change your clocks

Radio — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 00:24:58 +0000

Don’t forget that as we set our clocks forward tomorrow night, we also need to replace the batteries in our smoke and CO detectors.

For more information on smoke alarms Click here.

Feel welcome to call us at the Fire Station for help checking your smoke and Carbon Monoxide “CO” detector, or with any questions you might have. ( 815-645-8211)

Timm — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:27:57 +0000

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Firefighter Dale Coppernoll and his family, who’s father passed away this morning. We ask that the thoughts and prayers of our community and of our brothers and sisters in the fire service stay with Dale through this difficult time.

February 17, 2001

Timm — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:25:11 +0000

On February 17th, 2001, Lieutenant Clint Talley and Firefighter Mike McKean of the Ashton Fire Protection District gave their lives in the line of duty. We are forever grateful for their sacrifice. We ask that all of us take a moment to remember Lieutenant Talley and Firefigher McKean today, and to never forget these brave men, who laid down their lives for us all.

Timm — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:20:32 +0000

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Firefighter / Paramedic Gary Hoffstead and his family, who’s father passed away today. We ask that the thoughts and prayers of our community and of our brothers and sisters in the fire service stay with Gary through this difficult time.

Dryer Fires and How to Prevent Them

Timm — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:08:15 +0000

In most homes, the clothes dryer has become an indispensable part of family living. And for families with children, laundry often seems never-ending. But, many families don’t know that clothes dryers can be a leading cause of fires in the home – approximately 15,000 every year. At UL, we rigorously inspect, certify and test dryers while they are still in the factory to ensure that safety standards are met. Once you bring them home, a little preventative maintenance can keep them in good working order.

What causes fires?

One of the most common causes of dryer fires is lack of maintenance. When lint traps aren’t cleaned as often as they should be, the resulting build-up in the screen or other areas can cause the dryer to perform poorly, operate at elevated temperatures and possibly overheat – with dangerous consequences. Vent systems must also be checked and cleaned to maintain proper air flow for the same reasons.

Problems may also occur if consumers place improper items in their dryers, such as foam backed rugs or athletic shoes, or vent their appliances with plastic or vinyl exhaust materials. Make sure that whatever you put in your dryer is approved and safe to place in a dryer. When in doubt, check the washing instructions on the tag of the clothing or consult the manufacturers website for more information.

What can you do?

An important safeguard your family can take is to ensure that your dryer has rigid or flexible metal venting and ducting materials to help sustain airflow. This will also reduce operating costs and extend the life of the dryer and clothing due to lower drying temperatures.

Additionally:

Clean the lint trap before and after drying each load of clothes.
Don’t forget to clean the back of the dryer where lint can be trapped.
The interior of the dryer and venting system should be cleaned periodically by qualified service personnel. If you notice the drying time is longer, clean the vent system thoroughly to ensure proper airflow.
Replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with rigid or flexible metal venting.
Do not dry clothing/fabric on which there is anything flammable (alcohol, cooking oils, gasoline, spot removers, dry-cleaning solvents, etc.). Flammable substances give off vapors that could ignite or explode.
Don’t forget to read manufacturers’ warnings in use and care manuals that accompany new dryers. Also, warning markings can usually be found on the inside of the dryer’s lid and take only minutes to read.

Did you know that?

Clothes dryers can be found in 80 percent, or 81.5 million homes throughout the United States.
A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As water is removed, lint is created from the clothes.
Clothes dryers are one of the most expensive appliances in your home to operate. The longer it runs, the more money it costs you.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 fires associated with clothes dryers occur annually. These fires account for an average of 10 deaths and 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage annually.
On a positive note, the number of clothes dryer fires has dropped by 35 percent from the 24,000 fires that occurred annually, on average, in the late 1970s.

How UL has helped reduce dryer fire risks

UL has worked with the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) and the CPSC to reduce the number of clothes dryer fires. Changes have been made to UL’s Standard for electric clothes dryers to include instructions that lint be cleaned regularly from areas around the dryer and lint screen; routing wiring and keeping other electrical components away from heat-producing devices; and abnormal operations tests that simulate a blocked lint screen and exhaust at 25, 75 and 100 percent blockage.

Source : Safety At Home