The Fire and Burglar Alarm Monitoring System
Establishes and promotes recognized professional standards for fire agencies.
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Features a three-part plan. It shows you how to prepare, what to do during a disaster, and how to recover.Specialty Teams
Fire/Arson Investigations Team
The Park Ridge Fire Department's Fire Investigation Unit currently has seven members who are certified by the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal in Fire Origin and Cause Determination. One of our members is also certified as an Arson Investigator. These investigators are responsible for the cause determination of all fires that occur within the City of Park Ridge. Members are constantly updating their education by attending monthly seminars from the Illinois Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention's Fire Investigators Strike Force, as well as seminars sponsored by various area fire departments. Combining the educational opportunities, case review forum, and fire scene investigations the Fire Investigation Unit members are consistently increasing their knowledge base and experience.
Any questions regarding Fire/Arson Investigations, please forward them to Lieutenant Derek Decker at ddecker@parkridgefd.org
Hazardous Materials Team (HAZMAT)
The Park Ridge Fire Department HAZMAT Response Team (HMRT) has 7 members at the Tech B -level, and 6 with Incident Command Training. Our team is part of the MABAS Division III team that includes personnel from 14 other departments.
The Park Ridge Fire Department HMRT conducts Training Drills including suit training, use of monitors, tabletop drills, and a department-wide decontamination drill. We also attend MABAS Division III Hazmat training with the division team.
We currently carry all of our equipment on Park Ridge Squad 35 that can handle small hazardous materials incidents. We also have access to the MABAS Division III HAZMAT squad that carries additional equipment for larger incidents.
Any questions regarding HAZMAT, please forward them to Lt. Tim Debs at tdebs@parkridgefd.org
"MABAS Division III HAZMAT Squad"
Technical Rescue Team (TRT)
The Park Ridge Fire Department's Technical Rescue Team (TRT) consists of 9 members. The team maintains 6 rescue technicians who are trained in high angle, below grade, structural collapse and trench rescues. These 6 technicians are required to be members in good standing of the MABAS Division III Technical Rescue Team and maintain their active status per Division III policy. The remaining 3 TRT members are classified as provisional members and are certified in all rescue certifications. These certifications are conducted over an extended period of time, usually 3-4 years. Provisional members are not required to participate in MABAS Division III training or respond to emergencies outside of the City of Park Ridge. Provisional members maintain their skills through Department TRT training.
To assure that the TRT is able to maintain its required level of readiness and minimum number of rescue technicians, the team utilizes the 3 provisional members. These provisional members, when trained to the proper readiness level, can fill a vacancy at the technician level without compromising the Teams' level of readiness.
The Park Ridge Fire Department's TRT is coordinated by a team leader, Lt. Ron Krause, who attends MABAS Division III planning meetings and oversees team development, equipment purchases and training. Lt. Krause is also a member of the esteemed Illinois Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR).
MABAS III
MABAS Division III includes the North Shore communities bounded by Highland Park on the north, Evanston and Skokie on the south, Park Ridge and Prospect Heights on the west, and Lake Michigan on the east. Currently, seventeen North Shore departments belong to MABAS Division III, providing service from 35 stations with over 750 firefighters.
The MABAS system allows departments to serve citizens in ways far beyond the capabilities of any individual city. MABAS Division III shares cost effective specialized teams for hazardous material spill control, underwater rescue and recovery and specialized cave-in or high-angle rescues. Additional activities of MABAS Division III include cost saving joint purchasing between communities for fire trucks, engines, ambulances, tools, hose and equipment.
Recently, MABAS Division III has purchased and placed into service a new Rescue Squad, "Rescue 3" which is shared and housed on a rotational basis by the Division III communities.
Many Division III communities utilize automatic first response where the closest station responds when an incident occurs. Such automatic aid responses ignore geo-political boundaries between communities in the best interest of citizen service and cost effectiveness.
TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAMS - USAR CAPABILITY
An evolving capability is Technical Rescue Team Resources (TRT) or as of late called USAR "Light" (Urban Search and Rescue). Through the Statewide Mutual Aid Resource Flow Plan, an inventory of local TRT capabilities was achieved. Accordingly, 37 TRT's were identified with 23 teams currently capable to respond and the remainder requiring equipment, training or staffing improvements to attain response capability.
Technical Rescue Teams provide capabilities for victim extrication from below grade, high angle and structural collapse where entrapments exists. USAR deployment will occur through the TRT backbone structure statewide. Funding through the Illinois Terrorism Task Force includes $2,283,000 for basic TRT service equipment and $1,806,000 for USAR mobilization packages.
The Technical Rescue Team has achieved many goals. The Team members have dedicated themselves to train, respond, and rescue people in need- showing true commitment.
New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina
Six members of the Park Ridge Fire Department were deployed, as part of a Task Force from the State of Illinois, to assist the fire departments of New Orleans and its surrounding communities. Fire Fighter/Paramedic Mike Isom (TRT), Lt./Paramedic Ron Krause (TRT Leader), Lt./Paramedic Tim Debs (HazMat Leader), Battalion Chief Hanson (Hazmat/TRT) and Chief Ed. Dubowski (command staff and HazMat), were deployed as part of a larger contingent from Illinois, when Governor Blagojevich activated the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.
Firefighter/Paramedic Nick Koletsos was also deployed as part of the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team (IMERT) team from Illinois.
Any questions regarding TRT, please forward them to Lt. Ron Krause at rkrause@parkridgefd.org
Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team
The Underwater Rescue and Recovery Team (URRT) serves as a comprehensive water rescue and recovery team for the community. The URRT also responds to many neighboring communities and throughout several MABAS Divisions as requested. Every year, the team continues to prepare for any incidents related to their rescue discipline. In addition to the regular training, drills with nearby departments and MABAS Division III divers are attended by our members. This facilitates improved individual and team abilities, while also allowing for improved functioning with those departments if a complex or prolonged incident should occur.
Any questions regarding our URRT, please forward them FF/PM Russell Lo Coco at rlococo@parkridgefd.org