station gossip station funnies the firehouse scene...you could possibly run into another vehicle....

Station GossipUpdate on Ike’s wife Diane. She is home and doing very well following her knee surgery.Congratulations and good bye to Matt Lane. Matt’s wife delivered a little girl on April 10. Morgan Lynn Lane measured in at 8lbs. 3oz. and 19-3/4 inches long. Matt says big brother, 18-month old Brayden, hovers over her and gives her plenty of hugs and kisses. He also says mom and baby are doing great. Matt is also taking a break from being a fi refi ghter to spend more time with his growing family and has turned in his gear. Matt, we will miss you and we wish you well.Also off the picture board this month are Ryan Goode and Don Fish who have both left the department as well. Baby count is now at six.A big Thank You to all that helped and worked hard to make our Spring Dinner a huge success. Ask Lake about his new battle cry, “To the left, to the right, to the left, stand up, squat down, fi ght, fi ght, fi ght!” Get your $5 to Colleen if you want in on Bill Scheider’s “Biggest Pumpkin Contest” Bill is the reigning winner from last year!

Congratulations, Graduates!

Christian Bush - Hononegah High SchoolGreg Wernick - Hononegah High SchoolRamona’s daughter, Rebecca Jenkins, graduated from South Elgin High School this past January as an early gradChristi Wilson’s daughter, Tori, graduated 5th grade from Caledonia Elementary School.

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Station Funnies

Yes, little Dani Borchardt, Chaplain Powell’s hair always looks that good - even on a call at 4am.

Our little Ice Princess, Kysa, was whisked away from her parents when they arrived at the Spring Dinner by one of her favorite rescuers, Matt Bush. Matt took her around to see the other heroes that helped deliver her the night of the ice storm.

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection DistrictFire Chief Don Shoevlin

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - 2

Vol. 13 No. 5 harlemroscoefi re.com May 2008

I-90 Car FireHarlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Gina McCauley and Adam Cox fi ght a fully involved car fi re on I-90 on April 11. High winds fueled the fi re and sent heavy smoke low across all four lanes of traffi c - passing cars just kept driving through it!

See page 2 for more fi res . . .

Photos by Sheryl Drost

Some of the fi re trucks were lined up outside the front of Station One during the Spring Dinner.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 11

I-90 Car Fire Fueled by High WindsStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

No one was injured when a car caught fi re out on I-90 on April 11. The driver pulled the car off the tollway as smoke turned to fi re. High winds quickly spread the fi re sending billowing smoke low across all four lanes of traffi c. Passing cars and trucks kept driving right through the wall of smoke in the next lanes as fi refi ghters fought the fi re.

Gina and Adam make quick work extinguishing the fi re.

Firefi ghters work on getting the hood open on the burned car.

Firefi ghter Chris Kaiser engineers the attack truck.

Gas Tank Causes Havoc in Van FireStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

Fire erupted when workers were scrapping out a gas tank on a van on Shappert Drive in Machesney Park on May 1. Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters arrived to fi nd the rear end of a van up on a fork lift with smoke and fi re billowing out. Foam was called for as the gas in the tank was quickly becoming an issue for fi refi ghters as they started attacking the fi re.

Firefi ghters Tom Lake and Paul Stanphill begin attacking the van fi re when the gas in the fallen tank became a problem.

Firefi ghters Tom Lake, Paul Stanphill, Lt. Jay Alms, Chris Kaiser, and Christi Wilson start using foam to get a handle on this fi re.

The rear end of the van had been lifted by a fork lift so workers could reach the gas tank to remove it.

When operating ALL emergency vehicles, including ladder trucks, engines, tankers and even ambulances, you should always make yourself aware of your situation. Are the roads wet, dry or icy? Are you in an area of heavy traffi c by other autos? Are those other vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed such as on I-90 or Hwy. 251 or are they traveling in a neighborhood where a child might be at play and running about? Be aware of your community and your response area where you drive your emergency vehicle. Look ahead to be aware of your need to slow down as you are approaching intersections and always come to a full, complete stop at stop signs.

When operating an emergency tanker, you should always be reading the road ahead of you. If you see a curve approaching, remove your foot from the accelerator and slowly begin to apply your brake to slow your vehicle down. Assess the situation to determine what type of a curve you are approaching; if it is a very quick curve you will need to slow your tanker truck down to nearly a crawl to be able to turn safely around the curve without tipping the vehicle over. The momentum of the water in the tank behind you will shift as you are encompassing the roadway, the curve and the roadway beyond.

All emergency vehicle operators should check their vehicles to ensure they are operating properly before an emergency arrives. Check the tires, check the batteries, check the cabinet doors – are they shut completely? Check the emergency lights and sirens; most importantly, check the brakes. One way to check the brakes on a tanker or any emergency vehicle with air brakes is to apply the emergency brake, then put the vehicle in drive, this will put the truck in gear. At this point, if the vehicle moves forward, that means the brakes are out of adjustment and the vehicle should be taken out of service immediately. The brakes on this vehicle will not function properly to completely stop the vehicle and the vehicle will not hold on an incline if the parking brake is applied. You should notify the mechanics immediately if you fi nd such a problem. The life you save by checking the brakes before you need them may be your own!

Take the time to practice safe driving techniques on all fi re apparatus. Spend time driving with an experienced driver so you can feel the load shifting capability of the engines and tankers. Get to know your vehicle. Not enough can be said about the experience and knowledge that can be gained by simply taking the time to drive the emergency vehicles in a non-emergency response mode. Practice, practice, practice. Get the feel of the vehicle, the weight, the size, the turning radius and stopping distance.

All emergency vehicle operators must keep in mind the fact that not arriving at the scene will not do anyone any good. Being in an accident on your way to the call or scene, causing an accident on your way to the scene, damaging the vehicle so it does not arrive at the scene or injuring personnel so they do not arrive at the scene will not do anyone any good. The long term effect of getting into an accident with an emergency vehicle is damaging to your fi re department in the loss of an emergency vehicle, possibly loss of life to responding fi re personnel or even citizens, and the outlook of the public on the fi re department if it is found that you were driving recklessly. As an emergency vehicle driver – you are responsible – to you, your crew, your department, your family and your community – be aware – make sure you and your crew arrive – ALIVE!

Flooding Continues. . .Photos by Sheryl Drost

Although the department only received a couple of calls from the fl ooding, their has been a lot of water in places it shouldn’t be this month. Both Edgemere Terrace in Roscoe and Queen Oaks Drive in Machesney Park went under water - but those residents are used to, and ready for the fl ooding. Riverside Park in Roscoe was almost completely under water, including the football fi eld and playground. And, if you drove out Roscoe Road West of Roscoe, Chief Shoevlin says it looked like a causeway, which is “a raised way across wet ground or water”.

Flooding is no stranger to residences on Edgemere Terrace.

Riverside Park became part of the Rock River.

Chief Shoevlin called Roscoe Road a causeway when fl ood waters from the Rock River fl ooded the fi elds on both sides.

Accidents Will Happen For whatever the reason, accidents will happen. We don’t set out to purposely cause one; that’s why they call them accidents. Sometimes though, it involves responding emergency vehicles. The following headlines were taken from www.fi rehouse.com.

Photo of Orfordville’s tanker courtesy of Beloit Fire Department

Two Wisconsin Firefi ghters Pinned After RolloverPosted: 05-05-2008 TOWN OF NEWARK, Wis. -- Two fi refi ghters were injured after an Orfordville Fire Department water truck rushing to a blaze overturned in the Town of Newark on Monday afternoon and they became pinned inside.

3 Oklahoma Firefi ghters Injured in Fire Truck CrashPosted: 05-07-2008 - Three Tulsa fi refi ghters were hospitalized Tuesday after their fi retruck crashed while on a call.

Grandfather, Grandson Killed in Crash With Ohio Fire TruckPosted: 05-06-2008 MASSILLON -- The coincidences are many and tragic. A hard-working custodian driving his grandson to school in his van collided with a Massillon fi retruck driven by a distant cousin that was responding to a car fi re.

California Fire Truck Crash Kills CivilianPosted: 04-13-2008 - Apr. 13--A Sacramento Fire Department truck crashed with a two-door Honda downtown early Saturday morning, killing the car’s female passenger and severely wounding the driver.

Pennsylvania Fire Truck Crashes While RespondingPosted: 03-22-2008 - Two men were killed in a violent crash on Route 22 in Derry Township Friday afternoon, while a Butler County family counted their blessings after walking away from a collision with a responding rescue vehicle less than a half-mile from the scene of the fatal accident.

Fire Truck Crashes in NebraskaPosted: 02-01-2008 - A Lincoln fi re truck was in the middle of a crash on Friday morning as it rushed to respond to a call for service.

Five FDNY Firefi ghters Hurt in Fire Truck CrashPosted: 01-17-2008 NEW YORK- Several fi refi ghters and a U.S. Postal Service driver were injured when an fi re truck and a post offi ce truck collided.

Man Killed in Virginia Fire Truck Crash10-16-2007 - One man was killed and three fi refi ghters injured after a Henrico County accident involving a fi re truck.

Chicago Fire Truck Crashes En Route to BlazePosted: 04-30-2007 - One person was critically injured when a Chicago fi re engine struck a vehicle, reportedly a van, on the North Side while responding to a fi re in Streeterville on Monday afternoon.

Tanker Operator Safety By Mickey Rykowski

Fire Department Tanker Operations is a specialty few people understand or appreciate. The use of a tanker containing thousands of gallons of water for fi refi ghting operations can be a huge asset to fi re personnel during rural fi refi ghting tactics; however, the most important issue to remember is to get the tanker and your personnel to the scene – safely!

Did you know the 2nd leading cause of Firefi ghter fatalities in 2007 was fi re apparatus accidents? Many of these fi re personnel were killed due to not being properly seated and belted into the emergency vehicles. Proper use of a simple thing like safety belts could have saved many of these lives. Firefi ghter deaths and injuries could be avoided by simply following proper skills while driving an emergency vehicle.

There are many factors that Fire Apparatus Drivers need to take into consideration when driving to any scene – or any time they are driving fi re apparatus for that matter: Speed, braking distance, turning ability/radius/load shift, lack of situational awareness, and ability to read your environment.

Let’s take speed for instance. The distance it takes you to stop your passenger car or motorcycle varies greatly from the distance it takes to stop a fi re truck, not to mention the distance it takes for a tanker truck carrying 3,000+ gallons of water. In planning your stopping distance for the tanker truck you are driving, you must take into consideration the distance not only that it will take you to stop – but also the weight factor of the water in the tank of that truck. This will greatly increase the distance you need to stop a tanker truck compared to an engine as the water shifts back and forth in that enormous steel tank. You not only need to consider stopping the truck, but you also need to consider the second stop – when the water shifts back and forth and pushes momentum forward in the tank.

Braking distance will also be affected by this same momentum. The moment you press your foot on the brake you are attempting not only to stop the vehicle from moving forward, but then you also have the added force of that 3,000+ gallons of water shifting forward in the tank that you also have to stop.

For turning ability with a tanker truck, consider the length of the truck you are about to maneuver around the corner. Be sure to take the apex of the corner, in other words swing the truck wide enough to make the entire corner with your front tires and back tires, without cutting across the on-coming lane of traffi c where you could possibly run into another vehicle. The turning radius of a tanker truck and most emergency response vehicles is much longer and requires experience and skill. You should take your time turning these vehicles, do not rush or turn too quickly, which could cause the water in the truck to start to shift back and forth.

When operating tanker trucks in any response, always be aware of and prepared for load shift. Allow yourself adequate stopping distance at all times. You should never pump the brakes on a tanker truck, you should apply the brakes and take your foot off, then slowly apply them again to slow yourself down, do not pump the brakes quickly as you would an average auto, this will cause the water to start shifting back and forth.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 10 The Firehouse Scene -

From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

The new ambulance has arrived and is in service. We have just completed the district’s fi scal year and saw a call volume increase of 22% over last year. The dedication and commitment from our volunteer fi refi ghters and EMS personnel were put to the test and they came through with fl ying colors. With the growth continuing in the area the demands for our services will continue

to increase. We will be ready to answer those requests. We will continue to be proactive and plan for these future developments.

We just had the recruit class of 2008 graduate on April 6. We swore in 18 probationary fi refi ghters. We welcome all of you and thank you for the commitment you have given to the district. We look for all of you to be with us for a long time. You have joined a very dedicated and special group of people. Thank you to all of the instructors who volunteered their time to teach these individuals to perform the duties that will be requested of them.

I would like to thank everyone again for his or her support of our annual spring dinner. The fi nal count of dinners served was 1530.

As we fi nally see the warmer weather we also enter another season of road construction. In the near future we will have some sort of work being done on what would appear to be every road. There is going to be major work done on the toll way, much road resurfacing and -- oh, yeah -- what about those pot holes? This will have traffi c congestion at it’s best. We all need to be alert and patient.

Your fi re protection district remains to be proactive in fi re prevention as well. We are expanding our public education as well as our inspection bureau. We need to meet the demands to perform the needed inspections to businesses and commercial buildings. We will continue to perform to our mission of saving lives, reducing injuries, and protecting property. Our accomplishments are possible because of the outstanding support that we receive from the community.

Chief Don Shoevlin greets a family as they arrive at the Spring Dinner. 1530 dinners were served!

Harlem-Roscoe FPD Award RecipientLoves Park VFW April 19, 2008

This year’s recipient is Captain John Bergeron. John started with the department when he was sixteen years old belonging to the department’s cadet program. He joined the department in 1983 and became an EMT-B in 1984. John and his wife Deann have two children Ashley, and Dalton, and they live in Roscoe where John grew up and graduated from Hononegah High School.

John became a paramedic in 1988 and has been the department’s Medical Coordinator for the past ten years. He became Acting Lieutenant in 1990, Lieutenant in 1992 and has been a Captain at Station One since 2007.

In 1999 John became state certifi ed with Firefi ghter II and Hazmat Awareness, Rescue-Roadway/Vehicle Machinery Ops. In 2006 John became qualifi ed with Technical Rescue Awareness, Helicopter Safety, and Hazardous Material Operations. This past year John took Instructor I along with all the NIMS class that were required, and he has currently completed Management I & II and Fire Offi cer I in 2008.

John currently sits on the Region I Trauma Advisory Committee. He is very active in keeping the department’s EMS personnel current with their licenses, assists in ordering our ambulances, as well as keeping them stocked with medical supplies and medicine. John works full time with OSF Lifeline and received from them the NIEMS Paramedic of the Year Award in 1997. In June, John will be on the department for 25 years and we are very fortunate to have his dedicated service for that length of time.

Chief Don Shoevlin congratulates Firefi ghter of the Year, Captain John Bergeron.

Firefi ghter of the Year, Captain Bergeron, poses with his proud family, daughter Ashlee, son Dalton, and wife Deann after the awards ceremony.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene -Page 9

04/18/08 Hwy 251 and Swanson Road

04/18/08 Hwy 251 04/19/08 Hwy 173

04/23/08 Hwy 251 north of Bridge St. 05/06/08 Middle Road east of County Line Rd.

04/30/08 Hwy 251 & Elevator Road

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Debbie RykowskiNew Lieutenants Photos by Sheryl Drost

April 20, two Harlem-Roscoe fi refi ghters were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant - Brad Knipp and Ramona Baldoni-Lake. Brad was pinned by his Captain, Tim Bergeron and Ramona by her father, Ray Baldoni.

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Trustee Jerry Ocker gives the Oath of Offi ce to new Acting Lieutenants Brad Knipp & Ramona Baldoni-Lake. Also pictured are Chief Don Shoevlin, Captain Tim Bergeron, and Ray Baldoni.

Left, Captain Tim Bergeron pins new Acting Lieutenant Brad Knipp. Right, New Acting Lieutenant Ramona Baldoni-Lake is pinned by her father, Ray Baldoni.

Lt. Ramona Baldoni - LakeActing Lieutenant Ramona Baldoni-Lake joined Harlem-Roscoe Fire in September of 2001. She was promoted on April 20, 2008, to Acting Lieutenant, becoming the fi rst woman offi cer in the history of the department.

Ramona became an EMT-B in 2003 and an EMT-Paramedic in 2007. In 2006 she

graduated Phi Theta Kappa with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Fire Science. Ramona is state certifi ed FFII, Haz-Mat Ops, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Instructor I, Management I & II, Tactics and Strategy I & II, Roadway Extrication, Auto II, Technical Rescue Awareness, and Rope Rescue. She is a certifi ed CPR/AED Instructor through American Heart Association. Through the US Dept of Homeland Security she holds certifi cation for FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) “Train-the Trainer”. Ramona currently serves as Treasurer for Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Association. She currently is part of the clinical staff at Physicians Immediate Care.

Ramona’s husband Tom Lake is also a Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghter. Ramona has four children, Ryker Jenkins (22), Ryan Jenkins (20) Charlotte Jenkins (19) Rebecca Jenkins (18).

Lt. Brad Knipp

Acting Lieutenant Brad Knipp joined Harlem-Roscoe Fire in 1993. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant on April 20, 2008. He was previously an EMT-B for three years.

Brad is state certifi ed Firefi ghter II, Haz-mat Material Awareness, and Apparatus Engineer. He is a certifi ed PADI Open Water Diver, a certifi ed CPR Instructor through the American

Heart Association, and has taken numerous classes such as weather spotter, NIMS, and helicopter safety. Brad served three years as the Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Association President, one year as Vice President, and six years as Trustee.

He is currently employed at Englewood Electric Supply as an Account Representative. Brad and his wife Vanessa have three children, Emily, Tyler, and Delaney.

We Recycle By Lt. Tom Aaker

For all of you out there who are currently unaware, the recycle bin is back at Station One near the back dock. There are also small recycling bins in the administrative offi ce, radio room, lounge, and a garbage sized rolling bin out on the apparatus fl oor. For those of you who are not sure what you can recycle, and what you can’t, the rolling bin and the dumpster outside both have stickers on them for what can be placed in them for recycling. Some of those items include: Paper, cardboard, drinking bottles, aluminum, and plastics (but not the plastic grocery store bags. Those can be brought back to the store to be recycled). Here are some interesting facts about recycling: How much trash does each of us generate?

In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage – leaving a legacy of 90,000 pounds of trash for his or her children.Americans throw away enough offi ce paper annually to build a wall 12 feet high, stretching from Los Angeles to New York City.Americans throw away enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fl eet.

How many resources can recycling save? Recycling just one ton of paper saves: 17 trees, 6,953 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, 587 pounds of air pollution, 3.06 cubic yards of landfi ll space, 4,077 Kilowatt-hours of energy. Recycling just one ton of glass saves: 1330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, 151 pounds of feldspar.What does recycling do for our environment?Conserves our valuable natural resources. Saves energy - Saves clean air and water - Saves landfi ll space.

Plastic bottles made from PET can be recycled into many products, including beverage bottles, plastic strapping, fl eece jackets, sleeping bags, and carpets. Yet in 2002, less than a fi fth of all plastic beverage bottles in the U.S. were recycled.Recycling glass yields a 10 percent energy savings and preserves the life of the glass furnace. Yet currently, less than a third of glass bottles sold in the U.S. are recycled.Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to run a laptop computer for four hours.

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The Firehouse Scene -Page 8 The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene -

BirthdaysMay

1st Dan Gunderson ‘30th’ Lindsey Weirick Erik Hansen3rd Christian Bush8th Kevin Bouton23rd Rob Lukowski25th Scott Gredenius31st Jordan Stark ‘21st’

June6th Ron Swain7th Bill Sabin Megan Alms8th Shannon Burbach11th Mike Huffman16th Chris Kaiser Mickey Rykowski18th Chris Scott19th Jerry Ocker21st Jerry Lindsay Ray Garza26th Greg Zintak

June Breakfast CrewJohn Bergeron, Ryan Bussey,

Rob Gonia, Aaron Miller,& Mark Soppe

Total Calls Through 4/30803

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor, Layout, Writer, Photographer -Sheryl Drost

Thank you to our contributing writers this month: A/C Ken O’Dell, DC Kirk Wilson, Captain John Bergeron, Lt. Jerry McCormick, nd Mickey Rykowski, Printer - Premier Printing

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.comEmail: [email protected]

Happy Birthday

Jordan StarkMay 31 ‘21st’

EMS CornerBy Captain John Bergeron

I would like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to all our EMS personnel. With EMS Week approaching, I hope everyone realizes the impact we all make when we come in contact with total strangers in

their time of need. It is with your continued responses that we provide the best EMS to the communities we serve. Although I know we all don’t get thanked enough for what we do, I personally thank each of you and you familes for what you do for our department and the time you give up for it. Happy EMS Week!

Celebrating EMS Week The EMT’s at Harlem-Roscoe give above and beyond, 24/7, to our community and we all wish to say a big “THANK YOU” to all of them!

PARAMEDICS: Lt. Jay Alms, Capt. John Bergeron, Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake, Rob Gonia, Chris Kaiser, Lt. Jerry McCormick, Mike Powell, DC John Presley, and DC Kirk Wilson. EMT-I: Mike Huffman. EMT-B’s: Lt. Tom Aaker, Amber Aaker, Ryan Alms, Mike Baldwin, Capt. Tim Bergeron, Dan Borchardt, Kevin Bouton, Jeff Brandenburg, John Donovan, Dave Doyle, Clint Evans, Radi Huggard, Jim Johnson, Ron Klaman, Joe Koeninger, Tom Lake, Rob Lukowski, Gina McCauley, Jeff Morris, Mike Morrison, Tom Ricotta, Mike Sherbon, Chief Don Shoevlin, Mark Soppe, Jordan Stark, Lindsey Weirick, & Christi Wilson.

Station UpdatesBy Assistant Chief Ken O’Dell

Reminder - vacations are starting and we need to cover for each other.

We do have another Association Cruise Fundraiser set up for next winter. We need to

start spreading the word.

It is a 7-day Southern Caribbean Cruise. We will fl y to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday February 22, 2009. We will then have a different port every day: St. Thomas/St. John, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts. All that for only $1,189.00. Price includes: direct round trip air fari from O’Hare, 7-night cruise, transfers, and taxes.

If interested, contact Veronika at EZ Travel for more information. 1-800-222-4594

Mark Your Calendars

Truck Operations Class May 25, 2008 from 8-4pm Station 3 Must register through IFSI.

Check the bulletin boards for all training opportunities

Midwest Regional Extrication Competition

@ Cherry Valley FireBlackhawk Road StationTimes our team will compete:

Saturday May 17 1:30PM - Limited Pit

Sun. May 18 3PM - Unlimited Pit

Come support our team.

Good Luck Mike Huffman, Radi Huggard, Clint Evans, Ryan Alms, Jordan Stark, and Lindsey Weirick!

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To Foam or Not to FoamThat’s the question!

By Deputy Chief Kirk WilsonOperation / Training Chief

Over the years, foam usage has come a long way. In the early years, foam was used to suppress class B (Flammable Liquid) fi res. Earlier types of foam were produced by using animal fats and other solutions you probably

don’t want to know about.

As time progressed, so did the use and new development of foam. Our department uses Class A foam that has proven effective during structural fi refi ghting and overhaul operations. But before we put the white stuff on the red stuff, we need to understand its extinguishing properties.

Firstly, the dense foam blankets we apply prevent combustion by preventing air (oxygen) to support further combustion. Secondly, as bubbles collapse, they release their water and become vaporized, providing a cooling action that slows down the rate of combustion. Thirdly, water released from the foam contains wetting agents which helps penetration into materials and increases the rate of extinguishment.

Now that we understand its extinguishment properties, let’s mention how foam is stored and delivered. In the early years, foam (mostly Class B) was stored in 5 gallon pails similar to how today’s foams are stored. The difference between then and now is today’s foam is stored within the fi re apparatus. Many of our vehicles have a separate storage tank just for Class A foam. The advantage of today’s foam systems it that we can add foam to our attack lines with just a push of a button or slide of a lever.

In the “olden” days, foam was produced by the manual assembly of “eductors” that you may still fi nd on some of our trucks today. The disadvantage of using the eduction system is that it was time consuming to assemble and required strict attention by the pump operator. The pump operator had to switch out pails of foam each time the pail was emptied. The use of Class B foam was proportioned higher (3%-6%) than Class A (1%-3%), thus causing higher foam usage.

In the past, our department actually added a wetting agent known as “Wetter Water” to our water tanks on our vehicle. The Wetter Water agent actually had the same properties as foam and allowed the water to penetrate Class A materials. The disadvantage is that it caused deterioration of the water tank. Now that we understand the extinguishment properties and the storage of foam, let’s briefl y talk about the application.

The Class A foam we use today is highly effective when extinguishing Class A type fi res. It’s very effective during structural fi refi ghting and during overhaul operations. The blanketing properties, again, allow for the removal of oxygen, thus suppressing the fi re and minimizing water damage. Class A foam should be applied by mixing it with water and aerated (air added) to create a fi nished foam blanket. By simply applying a blanket will not only extinguish Class A type fi res but also prevent the dreaded “rekindle”. Class A foam is also effective suppressing Class B (fl ammable liquid) fi re as well.

Just remember the basics. By removing one part of the fi re tetrahedron during extinguishment, you and your crew will be successful using Class A foam to extinguish fi res. As always, training is the key to a successful fi re operation. Train Hard and Stay Safe.

The PanelBy Lt. Jerry McCormick

The pump class is in full motion. All of the students except for two are now out with their mentors. The other two will be with their mentors shortly. All pump operations are to be held at Station 3 using 704, per Chief Shoevlin. 705 can also be used, but the student needs to clear it with a Station 1 Captain prior to the engine going to Station 3. All students, please keep track of your water usage and fi ll out the water usage form that is located at

Station 1. I will get some forms to the other two stations shortly. If you plan on fl owing water, please call the water department and let them know, just in case they see a drop in pressure.

The driving division will be doing road courses on an as needed basis. If you are within an hour or so of fi nishing your drive hours, you will be able to do the road course. We are trying to keep the road courses to a minimum due to fuel costs. If you want to do the road course, please call me and I will let you know where you stand with your hours. Remember, only driving division members can do the road course.

I have some ideas for future classes. I would like to do an aerial pump ops class and a large diameter supply class. If there are any ideas regarding these classes or you have any ideas for other classes, please let me know. I am open for any and all ideas.

Thanks for all of your support. I appreciate all of the hard work everyone has put in with regards to driving and keeping up on all of it. It is greatly appreciated. A huge thank you to my driving division members. You are the ones that keep this division going. Thank you. Everyone stay safe and have a great summer.

Drill Night Training Snapshot

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May 6 - Search and rescue training


Celebrating EMS WeekMay 18-24, 2008

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 5 The Firehouse Scene -

BirthdaysMay

1st Dan Gunderson ‘30th’ Lindsey Weirick Erik Hansen3rd Christian Bush8th Kevin Bouton23rd Rob Lukowski25th Scott Gredenius31st Jordan Stark ‘21st’

June6th Ron Swain7th Bill Sabin Megan Alms8th Shannon Burbach11th Mike Huffman16th Chris Kaiser Mickey Rykowski18th Chris Scott19th Jerry Ocker21st Jerry Lindsay Ray Garza26th Greg Zintak

June Breakfast CrewJohn Bergeron, Ryan Bussey,

Rob Gonia, Aaron Miller,& Mark Soppe

Total Calls Through 4/30803

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor, Layout, Writer, Photographer -Sheryl Drost

Thank you to our contributing writers this month: A/C Ken O’Dell, DC Kirk Wilson, Captain John Bergeron, Lt. Jerry McCormick, nd Mickey Rykowski, Printer - Premier Printing

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.comEmail: [email protected]

Happy Birthday

Jordan StarkMay 31 ‘21st’

EMS CornerBy Captain John Bergeron

I would like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to all our EMS personnel. With EMS Week approaching, I hope everyone realizes the impact we all make when we come in contact with total strangers in

their time of need. It is with your continued responses that we provide the best EMS to the communities we serve. Although I know we all don’t get thanked enough for what we do, I personally thank each of you and you familes for what you do for our department and the time you give up for it. Happy EMS Week!

Celebrating EMS Week The EMT’s at Harlem-Roscoe give above and beyond, 24/7, to our community and we all wish to say a big “THANK YOU” to all of them!

PARAMEDICS: Lt. Jay Alms, Capt. John Bergeron, Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake, Rob Gonia, Chris Kaiser, Lt. Jerry McCormick, Mike Powell, DC John Presley, and DC Kirk Wilson. EMT-I: Mike Huffman. EMT-B’s: Lt. Tom Aaker, Amber Aaker, Ryan Alms, Mike Baldwin, Capt. Tim Bergeron, Dan Borchardt, Kevin Bouton, Jeff Brandenburg, John Donovan, Dave Doyle, Clint Evans, Radi Huggard, Jim Johnson, Ron Klaman, Joe Koeninger, Tom Lake, Rob Lukowski, Gina McCauley, Jeff Morris, Mike Morrison, Tom Ricotta, Mike Sherbon, Chief Don Shoevlin, Mark Soppe, Jordan Stark, Lindsey Weirick, & Christi Wilson.

Station UpdatesBy Assistant Chief Ken O’Dell

Reminder - vacations are starting and we need to cover for each other.

We do have another Association Cruise Fundraiser set up for next winter. We need to

start spreading the word.

It is a 7-day Southern Caribbean Cruise. We will fl y to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday February 22, 2009. We will then have a different port every day: St. Thomas/St. John, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts. All that for only $1,189.00. Price includes: direct round trip air fari from O’Hare, 7-night cruise, transfers, and taxes.

If interested, contact Veronika at EZ Travel for more information. 1-800-222-4594

Mark Your Calendars

Truck Operations Class May 25, 2008 from 8-4pm Station 3 Must register through IFSI.

Check the bulletin boards for all training opportunities

Midwest Regional Extrication Competition

@ Cherry Valley FireBlackhawk Road StationTimes our team will compete:

Saturday May 17 1:30PM - Limited Pit

Sun. May 18 3PM - Unlimited Pit

Come support our team.

Good Luck Mike Huffman, Radi Huggard, Clint Evans, Ryan Alms, Jordan Stark, and Lindsey Weirick!

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To Foam or Not to FoamThat’s the question!

By Deputy Chief Kirk WilsonOperation / Training Chief

Over the years, foam usage has come a long way. In the early years, foam was used to suppress class B (Flammable Liquid) fi res. Earlier types of foam were produced by using animal fats and other solutions you probably

don’t want to know about.

As time progressed, so did the use and new development of foam. Our department uses Class A foam that has proven effective during structural fi refi ghting and overhaul operations. But before we put the white stuff on the red stuff, we need to understand its extinguishing properties.

Firstly, the dense foam blankets we apply prevent combustion by preventing air (oxygen) to support further combustion. Secondly, as bubbles collapse, they release their water and become vaporized, providing a cooling action that slows down the rate of combustion. Thirdly, water released from the foam contains wetting agents which helps penetration into materials and increases the rate of extinguishment.

Now that we understand its extinguishment properties, let’s mention how foam is stored and delivered. In the early years, foam (mostly Class B) was stored in 5 gallon pails similar to how today’s foams are stored. The difference between then and now is today’s foam is stored within the fi re apparatus. Many of our vehicles have a separate storage tank just for Class A foam. The advantage of today’s foam systems it that we can add foam to our attack lines with just a push of a button or slide of a lever.

In the “olden” days, foam was produced by the manual assembly of “eductors” that you may still fi nd on some of our trucks today. The disadvantage of using the eduction system is that it was time consuming to assemble and required strict attention by the pump operator. The pump operator had to switch out pails of foam each time the pail was emptied. The use of Class B foam was proportioned higher (3%-6%) than Class A (1%-3%), thus causing higher foam usage.

In the past, our department actually added a wetting agent known as “Wetter Water” to our water tanks on our vehicle. The Wetter Water agent actually had the same properties as foam and allowed the water to penetrate Class A materials. The disadvantage is that it caused deterioration of the water tank. Now that we understand the extinguishment properties and the storage of foam, let’s briefl y talk about the application.

The Class A foam we use today is highly effective when extinguishing Class A type fi res. It’s very effective during structural fi refi ghting and during overhaul operations. The blanketing properties, again, allow for the removal of oxygen, thus suppressing the fi re and minimizing water damage. Class A foam should be applied by mixing it with water and aerated (air added) to create a fi nished foam blanket. By simply applying a blanket will not only extinguish Class A type fi res but also prevent the dreaded “rekindle”. Class A foam is also effective suppressing Class B (fl ammable liquid) fi re as well.

Just remember the basics. By removing one part of the fi re tetrahedron during extinguishment, you and your crew will be successful using Class A foam to extinguish fi res. As always, training is the key to a successful fi re operation. Train Hard and Stay Safe.

The PanelBy Lt. Jerry McCormick

The pump class is in full motion. All of the students except for two are now out with their mentors. The other two will be with their mentors shortly. All pump operations are to be held at Station 3 using 704, per Chief Shoevlin. 705 can also be used, but the student needs to clear it with a Station 1 Captain prior to the engine going to Station 3. All students, please keep track of your water usage and fi ll out the water usage form that is located at

Station 1. I will get some forms to the other two stations shortly. If you plan on fl owing water, please call the water department and let them know, just in case they see a drop in pressure.

The driving division will be doing road courses on an as needed basis. If you are within an hour or so of fi nishing your drive hours, you will be able to do the road course. We are trying to keep the road courses to a minimum due to fuel costs. If you want to do the road course, please call me and I will let you know where you stand with your hours. Remember, only driving division members can do the road course.

I have some ideas for future classes. I would like to do an aerial pump ops class and a large diameter supply class. If there are any ideas regarding these classes or you have any ideas for other classes, please let me know. I am open for any and all ideas.

Thanks for all of your support. I appreciate all of the hard work everyone has put in with regards to driving and keeping up on all of it. It is greatly appreciated. A huge thank you to my driving division members. You are the ones that keep this division going. Thank you. Everyone stay safe and have a great summer.

Drill Night Training Snapshot

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May 6 - Search and rescue training


04/18/08 Hwy 251 and Swanson Road

04/18/08 Hwy 251 04/19/08 Hwy 173

04/23/08 Hwy 251 north of Bridge St. 05/06/08 Middle Road east of County Line Rd.

04/30/08 Hwy 251 & Elevator Road

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Debbie RykowskiNew Lieutenants Photos by Sheryl Drost

April 20, two Harlem-Roscoe fi refi ghters were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant - Brad Knipp and Ramona Baldoni-Lake. Brad was pinned by his Captain, Tim Bergeron and Ramona by her father, Ray Baldoni.

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Trustee Jerry Ocker gives the Oath of Offi ce to new Acting Lieutenants Brad Knipp & Ramona Baldoni-Lake. Also pictured are Chief Don Shoevlin, Captain Tim Bergeron, and Ray Baldoni.

Left, Captain Tim Bergeron pins new Acting Lieutenant Brad Knipp. Right, New Acting Lieutenant Ramona Baldoni-Lake is pinned by her father, Ray Baldoni.

Lt. Ramona Baldoni - LakeActing Lieutenant Ramona Baldoni-Lake joined Harlem-Roscoe Fire in September of 2001. She was promoted on April 20, 2008, to Acting Lieutenant, becoming the fi rst woman offi cer in the history of the department.

Ramona became an EMT-B in 2003 and an EMT-Paramedic in 2007. In 2006 she

graduated Phi Theta Kappa with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Fire Science. Ramona is state certifi ed FFII, Haz-Mat Ops, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Instructor I, Management I & II, Tactics and Strategy I & II, Roadway Extrication, Auto II, Technical Rescue Awareness, and Rope Rescue. She is a certifi ed CPR/AED Instructor through American Heart Association. Through the US Dept of Homeland Security she holds certifi cation for FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) “Train-the Trainer”. Ramona currently serves as Treasurer for Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Association. She currently is part of the clinical staff at Physicians Immediate Care.

Ramona’s husband Tom Lake is also a Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghter. Ramona has four children, Ryker Jenkins (22), Ryan Jenkins (20) Charlotte Jenkins (19) Rebecca Jenkins (18).

Lt. Brad Knipp

Acting Lieutenant Brad Knipp joined Harlem-Roscoe Fire in 1993. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant on April 20, 2008. He was previously an EMT-B for three years.

Brad is state certifi ed Firefi ghter II, Haz-mat Material Awareness, and Apparatus Engineer. He is a certifi ed PADI Open Water Diver, a certifi ed CPR Instructor through the American

Heart Association, and has taken numerous classes such as weather spotter, NIMS, and helicopter safety. Brad served three years as the Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Association President, one year as Vice President, and six years as Trustee.

He is currently employed at Englewood Electric Supply as an Account Representative. Brad and his wife Vanessa have three children, Emily, Tyler, and Delaney.

We Recycle By Lt. Tom Aaker

For all of you out there who are currently unaware, the recycle bin is back at Station One near the back dock. There are also small recycling bins in the administrative offi ce, radio room, lounge, and a garbage sized rolling bin out on the apparatus fl oor. For those of you who are not sure what you can recycle, and what you can’t, the rolling bin and the dumpster outside both have stickers on them for what can be placed in them for recycling. Some of those items include: Paper, cardboard, drinking bottles, aluminum, and plastics (but not the plastic grocery store bags. Those can be brought back to the store to be recycled). Here are some interesting facts about recycling: How much trash does each of us generate?

In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage – leaving a legacy of 90,000 pounds of trash for his or her children.Americans throw away enough offi ce paper annually to build a wall 12 feet high, stretching from Los Angeles to New York City.Americans throw away enough aluminum every three months to rebuild our entire commercial air fl eet.

How many resources can recycling save? Recycling just one ton of paper saves: 17 trees, 6,953 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, 587 pounds of air pollution, 3.06 cubic yards of landfi ll space, 4,077 Kilowatt-hours of energy. Recycling just one ton of glass saves: 1330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, 151 pounds of feldspar.What does recycling do for our environment?Conserves our valuable natural resources. Saves energy - Saves clean air and water - Saves landfi ll space.

Plastic bottles made from PET can be recycled into many products, including beverage bottles, plastic strapping, fl eece jackets, sleeping bags, and carpets. Yet in 2002, less than a fi fth of all plastic beverage bottles in the U.S. were recycled.Recycling glass yields a 10 percent energy savings and preserves the life of the glass furnace. Yet currently, less than a third of glass bottles sold in the U.S. are recycled.Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to run a laptop computer for four hours.

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Accidents Will Happen For whatever the reason, accidents will happen. We don’t set out to purposely cause one; that’s why they call them accidents. Sometimes though, it involves responding emergency vehicles. The following headlines were taken from www.fi rehouse.com.

Photo of Orfordville’s tanker courtesy of Beloit Fire Department

Two Wisconsin Firefi ghters Pinned After RolloverPosted: 05-05-2008 TOWN OF NEWARK, Wis. -- Two fi refi ghters were injured after an Orfordville Fire Department water truck rushing to a blaze overturned in the Town of Newark on Monday afternoon and they became pinned inside.

3 Oklahoma Firefi ghters Injured in Fire Truck CrashPosted: 05-07-2008 - Three Tulsa fi refi ghters were hospitalized Tuesday after their fi retruck crashed while on a call.

Grandfather, Grandson Killed in Crash With Ohio Fire TruckPosted: 05-06-2008 MASSILLON -- The coincidences are many and tragic. A hard-working custodian driving his grandson to school in his van collided with a Massillon fi retruck driven by a distant cousin that was responding to a car fi re.

California Fire Truck Crash Kills CivilianPosted: 04-13-2008 - Apr. 13--A Sacramento Fire Department truck crashed with a two-door Honda downtown early Saturday morning, killing the car’s female passenger and severely wounding the driver.

Pennsylvania Fire Truck Crashes While RespondingPosted: 03-22-2008 - Two men were killed in a violent crash on Route 22 in Derry Township Friday afternoon, while a Butler County family counted their blessings after walking away from a collision with a responding rescue vehicle less than a half-mile from the scene of the fatal accident.

Fire Truck Crashes in NebraskaPosted: 02-01-2008 - A Lincoln fi re truck was in the middle of a crash on Friday morning as it rushed to respond to a call for service.

Five FDNY Firefi ghters Hurt in Fire Truck CrashPosted: 01-17-2008 NEW YORK- Several fi refi ghters and a U.S. Postal Service driver were injured when an fi re truck and a post offi ce truck collided.

Man Killed in Virginia Fire Truck Crash10-16-2007 - One man was killed and three fi refi ghters injured after a Henrico County accident involving a fi re truck.

Chicago Fire Truck Crashes En Route to BlazePosted: 04-30-2007 - One person was critically injured when a Chicago fi re engine struck a vehicle, reportedly a van, on the North Side while responding to a fi re in Streeterville on Monday afternoon.

Tanker Operator Safety By Mickey Rykowski

Fire Department Tanker Operations is a specialty few people understand or appreciate. The use of a tanker containing thousands of gallons of water for fi refi ghting operations can be a huge asset to fi re personnel during rural fi refi ghting tactics; however, the most important issue to remember is to get the tanker and your personnel to the scene – safely!

Did you know the 2nd leading cause of Firefi ghter fatalities in 2007 was fi re apparatus accidents? Many of these fi re personnel were killed due to not being properly seated and belted into the emergency vehicles. Proper use of a simple thing like safety belts could have saved many of these lives. Firefi ghter deaths and injuries could be avoided by simply following proper skills while driving an emergency vehicle.

There are many factors that Fire Apparatus Drivers need to take into consideration when driving to any scene – or any time they are driving fi re apparatus for that matter: Speed, braking distance, turning ability/radius/load shift, lack of situational awareness, and ability to read your environment.

Let’s take speed for instance. The distance it takes you to stop your passenger car or motorcycle varies greatly from the distance it takes to stop a fi re truck, not to mention the distance it takes for a tanker truck carrying 3,000+ gallons of water. In planning your stopping distance for the tanker truck you are driving, you must take into consideration the distance not only that it will take you to stop – but also the weight factor of the water in the tank of that truck. This will greatly increase the distance you need to stop a tanker truck compared to an engine as the water shifts back and forth in that enormous steel tank. You not only need to consider stopping the truck, but you also need to consider the second stop – when the water shifts back and forth and pushes momentum forward in the tank.

Braking distance will also be affected by this same momentum. The moment you press your foot on the brake you are attempting not only to stop the vehicle from moving forward, but then you also have the added force of that 3,000+ gallons of water shifting forward in the tank that you also have to stop.

For turning ability with a tanker truck, consider the length of the truck you are about to maneuver around the corner. Be sure to take the apex of the corner, in other words swing the truck wide enough to make the entire corner with your front tires and back tires, without cutting across the on-coming lane of traffi c where you could possibly run into another vehicle. The turning radius of a tanker truck and most emergency response vehicles is much longer and requires experience and skill. You should take your time turning these vehicles, do not rush or turn too quickly, which could cause the water in the truck to start to shift back and forth.

When operating tanker trucks in any response, always be aware of and prepared for load shift. Allow yourself adequate stopping distance at all times. You should never pump the brakes on a tanker truck, you should apply the brakes and take your foot off, then slowly apply them again to slow yourself down, do not pump the brakes quickly as you would an average auto, this will cause the water to start shifting back and forth.


From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

The new ambulance has arrived and is in service. We have just completed the district’s fi scal year and saw a call volume increase of 22% over last year. The dedication and commitment from our volunteer fi refi ghters and EMS personnel were put to the test and they came through with fl ying colors. With the growth continuing in the area the demands for our services will continue

to increase. We will be ready to answer those requests. We will continue to be proactive and plan for these future developments.

We just had the recruit class of 2008 graduate on April 6. We swore in 18 probationary fi refi ghters. We welcome all of you and thank you for the commitment you have given to the district. We look for all of you to be with us for a long time. You have joined a very dedicated and special group of people. Thank you to all of the instructors who volunteered their time to teach these individuals to perform the duties that will be requested of them.

I would like to thank everyone again for his or her support of our annual spring dinner. The fi nal count of dinners served was 1530.

As we fi nally see the warmer weather we also enter another season of road construction. In the near future we will have some sort of work being done on what would appear to be every road. There is going to be major work done on the toll way, much road resurfacing and -- oh, yeah -- what about those pot holes? This will have traffi c congestion at it’s best. We all need to be alert and patient.

Your fi re protection district remains to be proactive in fi re prevention as well. We are expanding our public education as well as our inspection bureau. We need to meet the demands to perform the needed inspections to businesses and commercial buildings. We will continue to perform to our mission of saving lives, reducing injuries, and protecting property. Our accomplishments are possible because of the outstanding support that we receive from the community.

Chief Don Shoevlin greets a family as they arrive at the Spring Dinner. 1530 dinners were served!

Harlem-Roscoe FPD Award RecipientLoves Park VFW April 19, 2008

This year’s recipient is Captain John Bergeron. John started with the department when he was sixteen years old belonging to the department’s cadet program. He joined the department in 1983 and became an EMT-B in 1984. John and his wife Deann have two children Ashley, and Dalton, and they live in Roscoe where John grew up and graduated from Hononegah High School.

John became a paramedic in 1988 and has been the department’s Medical Coordinator for the past ten years. He became Acting Lieutenant in 1990, Lieutenant in 1992 and has been a Captain at Station One since 2007.

In 1999 John became state certifi ed with Firefi ghter II and Hazmat Awareness, Rescue-Roadway/Vehicle Machinery Ops. In 2006 John became qualifi ed with Technical Rescue Awareness, Helicopter Safety, and Hazardous Material Operations. This past year John took Instructor I along with all the NIMS class that were required, and he has currently completed Management I & II and Fire Offi cer I in 2008.

John currently sits on the Region I Trauma Advisory Committee. He is very active in keeping the department’s EMS personnel current with their licenses, assists in ordering our ambulances, as well as keeping them stocked with medical supplies and medicine. John works full time with OSF Lifeline and received from them the NIEMS Paramedic of the Year Award in 1997. In June, John will be on the department for 25 years and we are very fortunate to have his dedicated service for that length of time.

Chief Don Shoevlin congratulates Firefi ghter of the Year, Captain John Bergeron.

Firefi ghter of the Year, Captain Bergeron, poses with his proud family, daughter Ashlee, son Dalton, and wife Deann after the awards ceremony.


I-90 Car Fire Fueled by High WindsStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

No one was injured when a car caught fi re out on I-90 on April 11. The driver pulled the car off the tollway as smoke turned to fi re. High winds quickly spread the fi re sending billowing smoke low across all four lanes of traffi c. Passing cars and trucks kept driving right through the wall of smoke in the next lanes as fi refi ghters fought the fi re.

Gina and Adam make quick work extinguishing the fi re.

Firefi ghters work on getting the hood open on the burned car.

Firefi ghter Chris Kaiser engineers the attack truck.

Gas Tank Causes Havoc in Van FireStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

Fire erupted when workers were scrapping out a gas tank on a van on Shappert Drive in Machesney Park on May 1. Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters arrived to fi nd the rear end of a van up on a fork lift with smoke and fi re billowing out. Foam was called for as the gas in the tank was quickly becoming an issue for fi refi ghters as they started attacking the fi re.

Firefi ghters Tom Lake and Paul Stanphill begin attacking the van fi re when the gas in the fallen tank became a problem.

Firefi ghters Tom Lake, Paul Stanphill, Lt. Jay Alms, Chris Kaiser, and Christi Wilson start using foam to get a handle on this fi re.

The rear end of the van had been lifted by a fork lift so workers could reach the gas tank to remove it.

When operating ALL emergency vehicles, including ladder trucks, engines, tankers and even ambulances, you should always make yourself aware of your situation. Are the roads wet, dry or icy? Are you in an area of heavy traffi c by other autos? Are those other vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed such as on I-90 or Hwy. 251 or are they traveling in a neighborhood where a child might be at play and running about? Be aware of your community and your response area where you drive your emergency vehicle. Look ahead to be aware of your need to slow down as you are approaching intersections and always come to a full, complete stop at stop signs.

When operating an emergency tanker, you should always be reading the road ahead of you. If you see a curve approaching, remove your foot from the accelerator and slowly begin to apply your brake to slow your vehicle down. Assess the situation to determine what type of a curve you are approaching; if it is a very quick curve you will need to slow your tanker truck down to nearly a crawl to be able to turn safely around the curve without tipping the vehicle over. The momentum of the water in the tank behind you will shift as you are encompassing the roadway, the curve and the roadway beyond.

All emergency vehicle operators should check their vehicles to ensure they are operating properly before an emergency arrives. Check the tires, check the batteries, check the cabinet doors – are they shut completely? Check the emergency lights and sirens; most importantly, check the brakes. One way to check the brakes on a tanker or any emergency vehicle with air brakes is to apply the emergency brake, then put the vehicle in drive, this will put the truck in gear. At this point, if the vehicle moves forward, that means the brakes are out of adjustment and the vehicle should be taken out of service immediately. The brakes on this vehicle will not function properly to completely stop the vehicle and the vehicle will not hold on an incline if the parking brake is applied. You should notify the mechanics immediately if you fi nd such a problem. The life you save by checking the brakes before you need them may be your own!

Take the time to practice safe driving techniques on all fi re apparatus. Spend time driving with an experienced driver so you can feel the load shifting capability of the engines and tankers. Get to know your vehicle. Not enough can be said about the experience and knowledge that can be gained by simply taking the time to drive the emergency vehicles in a non-emergency response mode. Practice, practice, practice. Get the feel of the vehicle, the weight, the size, the turning radius and stopping distance.

All emergency vehicle operators must keep in mind the fact that not arriving at the scene will not do anyone any good. Being in an accident on your way to the call or scene, causing an accident on your way to the scene, damaging the vehicle so it does not arrive at the scene or injuring personnel so they do not arrive at the scene will not do anyone any good. The long term effect of getting into an accident with an emergency vehicle is damaging to your fi re department in the loss of an emergency vehicle, possibly loss of life to responding fi re personnel or even citizens, and the outlook of the public on the fi re department if it is found that you were driving recklessly. As an emergency vehicle driver – you are responsible – to you, your crew, your department, your family and your community – be aware – make sure you and your crew arrive – ALIVE!

Flooding Continues. . .Photos by Sheryl Drost

Although the department only received a couple of calls from the fl ooding, their has been a lot of water in places it shouldn’t be this month. Both Edgemere Terrace in Roscoe and Queen Oaks Drive in Machesney Park went under water - but those residents are used to, and ready for the fl ooding. Riverside Park in Roscoe was almost completely under water, including the football fi eld and playground. And, if you drove out Roscoe Road West of Roscoe, Chief Shoevlin says it looked like a causeway, which is “a raised way across wet ground or water”.

Flooding is no stranger to residences on Edgemere Terrace.

Riverside Park became part of the Rock River.

Chief Shoevlin called Roscoe Road a causeway when fl ood waters from the Rock River fl ooded the fi elds on both sides.

Station GossipUpdate on Ike’s wife Diane. She is home and doing very well following her knee surgery.Congratulations and good bye to Matt Lane. Matt’s wife delivered a little girl on April 10. Morgan Lynn Lane measured in at 8lbs. 3oz. and 19-3/4 inches long. Matt says big brother, 18-month old Brayden, hovers over her and gives her plenty of hugs and kisses. He also says mom and baby are doing great. Matt is also taking a break from being a fi refi ghter to spend more time with his growing family and has turned in his gear. Matt, we will miss you and we wish you well.Also off the picture board this month are Ryan Goode and Don Fish who have both left the department as well. Baby count is now at six.A big Thank You to all that helped and worked hard to make our Spring Dinner a huge success. Ask Lake about his new battle cry, “To the left, to the right, to the left, stand up, squat down, fi ght, fi ght, fi ght!” Get your $5 to Colleen if you want in on Bill Scheider’s “Biggest Pumpkin Contest” Bill is the reigning winner from last year!

Congratulations, Graduates!

Christian Bush - Hononegah High SchoolGreg Wernick - Hononegah High SchoolRamona’s daughter, Rebecca Jenkins, graduated from South Elgin High School this past January as an early gradChristi Wilson’s daughter, Tori, graduated 5th grade from Caledonia Elementary School.

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Station Funnies

Yes, little Dani Borchardt, Chaplain Powell’s hair always looks that good - even on a call at 4am.

Our little Ice Princess, Kysa, was whisked away from her parents when they arrived at the Spring Dinner by one of her favorite rescuers, Matt Bush. Matt took her around to see the other heroes that helped deliver her the night of the ice storm.

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection DistrictFire Chief Don Shoevlin

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene -

Vol. 13 No. 5 harlemroscoefi re.com May 2008

I-90 Car FireHarlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters Gina McCauley and Adam Cox fi ght a fully involved car fi re on I-90 on April 11. High winds fueled the fi re and sent heavy smoke low across all four lanes of traffi c - passing cars just kept driving through it!

See page 2 for more fi res . . .

Photos by Sheryl Drost

Some of the fi re trucks were lined up outside the front of Station One during the Spring Dinner.

station gossip station funnies the firehouse scene...you could possibly run into another vehicle....

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