Orland Fire Protection District Blog

Driver rescued from flipped car at Orland Brook creek

2012-02-23T15:49:00.001-08:00

Orland Fire Protection District Companies were called at 10:10 am hours for a car rolled over in a creek at 15829 Orland Brook Dr, upon arrival companies found a car had jumped a berm, nosed into the ground and flipped over in a creek.

The water was about 1 foot deep and we gained access through the driver’s door.

The driver was sitting on the inside roof in the upside-down vehicle leaning up against the passenger door.

The motorist was removed from the car and transported to the hospital where he is reported in good condition. After the patient was removed, companies observed that the car was leaking fuel and oil into the creek. A level 1 hazmat response was called and companies placed booms across the creek downstream to catch the fuel and oil.

Companies that responded; Truck1,Ambulance 4, Engine 2, Battalion 3, 6101, Squad 1, and hazmat advisors.

Photos attached courtesy of the OFPD

OFPD 4 Vehicle accident 148th Wolf Road Wed Feb. 22, 2012

2012-02-23T03:35:00.000-08:00

OFPD Accident Response Report

Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012 6:30 pm

148^th and Wolf Road

Four vehicles involved,

On Wednesday night at about 6:30 pm, Orland Fire Protection District companies responded to the 14800 block of Wolf road for an auto accident involving four vehicles, one vehicle rolled onto its side. The driver of the rolled vehicle was extricated by removing the front windshield and part of the roof. Two patients were transported to Silver Cross Hospital and two other drivers refused treatment at the scene. (The condition of the two taken to Silver Cross Hospital is not known at this time.)

A total of two ambulances, two engines, one truck company and three Chief Officers responded to the scene. Basic extrication equipment is carried by engine companies and heavier extrication equipment is carried on truck companies. An extra engine responded supplying manpower to the scene. During an extrication event, additional chief officers respond to help maintain control of potentially complicated scenes.

(Photos below courtesy of the OFPD)

WMAQ TV Report on Chief Raymond Kay

2012-01-29T13:11:00.000-08:00

WMAQ TV gives Orland Fire Protection District Acting Chief Raymond Kay a "Hi 5" for helping a person in need who was in a car crash. Wed. Jan. 25, 2012.

end

Orland Fire Protection District presents Battalion Chief William Bonnar Sr. Citizen Lifesavers Awards

2012-01-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

Orland Fire Protection District presents five with

the Battalion Chief William Bonnar Sr. Citizen Lifesavers Awards

The Orland Fire Protection District board Tuesday recognized five individuals men who saved the life of an off-duty Glenview firefighter who suffered a cardiac arrest on Dec. 7, 2011 while playing racquetball.

Acting Fire Chief Raymond Kay presented awards to:

Orland Park resident David Beveridge

Palos Heights residents Dan Brennan, Tim Murney and Drew Richards

Lockport resident Robert Woycheese

The citizens responded to the emergency for Brian Stokes, the Glenview Firefighter, by immediately calling 911 and then applying CPR. They used an Automated External Defibrillator on Stokes at the Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park. Kay said that OFPD first responders arrived on the scene within four minutes of the call and that Stokes was treated and then taken to the hospital emergency room within 25 minutes.

"Time makes a difference and having the AED at the center gave the victim more time. Those first few minutes are critical and the AED and individuals trained in CPR like David Beveridge, Dan Brennan, Tim Murney and Drew Richards and Robert Woycheese helped make this a successful outcome," Kay said.

"The Orland Fire Protection District provides CPR training to members of the public and I think it is so important that everyone have that training. You don't know when it will be needed, but when it is needed, it can make the crucial difference. The AED also is important and it is something that I think every public establishment should have access too."

Glenview Fire Department Lt. Mike Carnes, who attended the presentation, said that Stokes was a dedicated fire fighter who has saved many lives while serving with the north suburban fire department.

“This has a special meaning to us,” Carnes told the Chicago Tribune. “We’re glad we still have him and appreciate everything you guys did.”

In presenting the district’s "Battalion Chief William Bonnar Sr. Citizen Life Saver Award" to the five, Kay termed Stokes’ subsequent recovery “the best outcome we could have.”

(Photos below courtesy of the OFPD)

end

Profile: Nancy Mulvihill: Putting 110 percent

2012-01-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

Profile: Nancy Mulvihill: Putting 110 percent

Nancy Mulvihill has been a firefighter nearly all her life.

The Fire & Life Safety Educator for the Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD), Mulvihill began as a part-time 911 operator in 1996 while also working as a part-time firefighter in south suburban Posen.

In the past two decades, Mulvihill, 42, has accumulated an assortment of firsthand fire fighting experience working at eight different fire departments in the south suburbs over the past two decades.

“I love being a firefighter,” says Mulvihill, who is a single Tinley Park resident who is hoping one day to be able to move into Orland Park.

Mulvihill was studying Criminal Justice to be a police officer in college when a fire in her dorm shook her up.

“I remember we had this fire in our dorm. Some students were firing bottle rockets under doors in some rooms and it started a fire. There was so much smoke. It made me think. It was an eye opener. I decided I wanted to help save lives,” Mulvihill says.

After leaving school and moving back in with her parents, she immediately applied as a volunteer for the Midlothian Fire Department.

“I remember bumping in to a friend who I knew who was a fireman and he said the department needed volunteers and he convinced me to apply there,” Mulvihill said.

Mulvihill said the testing process is a very difficult. She tested for more than 140 departments to qualify for a fulltime position and volunteered until a position finally opened for her.

“Once I got into the fire department in Midlothian, one of my first calls was to respond to an accident at a carnival,” she remembers.

“One of the rides had a problem and when I got there I discovered my brother had been on the ride. I took that as a sign I was doing the right thing. It just became a part of me. I can’t stop doing it.”

Mulvihill says the public doesn’t realize how much training firefighters must take.

“I never realized how much firefighters must do to be qualified to be firefighters, and that being a firefighter also meant not just fighting fires but saving lives in all sorts of circumstances,” says Mulvihill who moved to the Richton Park Fire Department as a part time firefighter in 2002 and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2010.

The former 911 Emergency Tele-Communicator says she has also trained in many areas including emergency medical dispatching. She also has training in CPR, and as a paramedic in order to provide medical direction over the phone in emergency situations, or give directions to the public to leave a property that might be on fire.

“We have to talk to people in crisis situations all the time and we need to make sure they not only understand what we are telling them but also that they are able to follow our directions to save their lives,” Mulvihill says.

Over the years, she has watched the role of fire fighters expand.

“Back 1997, we might have only one call where you had to actually give someone directions on how to do the Heimlich Maneuver to save someone’s life over the phone,” she notes. “Today, it is very common.”

That year, Mulvihill received a 911 call from a man who was reporting that his wife was choking and he didn’t know what to do.

“Unless you took a CPR class back in those days, not everyone just knew how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver correctly. Today it is more common and understood,” she says.

Mulvihill received a citation for walking the husband through the steps by telephone that eventually saved his wife’s life.

“I remember the husband wrote the fire department a letter to thank me. He said without our help, it might have ended in a different and terrible way for his wife,” Mulvihill recalls.

In addition to her work in Orland and in Richton Park, Mulvihill works as a part-time adjunct faculty college professor teaching psychology at National Louis University.

Mulvihill earned a Bachelors Degree from Southern Illinois University in Fire Science Management, and a Masters Degree from Lewis University in Criminal Social Justice. She also has a Masters in Forensic Psychology from the Chicago School of Psychology and a doctorate in Community Psychology from National Louis University. She also trained at the National Fire Academy three times in Maryland.

She says the biggest obstacle in her life has been the burden she faces from the student loans she had to take in order to continue her education.

“It is difficult and it makes me want to work even that much harder to be successful,” she says.

“Fighting fires and saving lives is something that we have to continue to strive to be better at. We still have fires. We have people who make mistakes. It can make a difference if the public is educated, too, about how to respond, so I spend a lot of my time working with the public. There are common sense steps the public can take to prevent accidents and fires, such as cleaning the dryer pipes regularly.”

As a part of her duties, she also teaches fire prevention programs at the 27 schools in Orland Park.

“If we start early to educate our children, we can be more effective in preventing fires,” she says. She speaks at kindergarten, pre-school and 1st Grade classes regularly. She also participates in career talks and career nights sponsored by local organizations and community groups.

“We don’t just reach out to the young people. We also work very closely with our senior community with many senior programs. And I am working to help try to expand our education programs to reach everyone in between,” she says.

Mulvihill has two dogs, a Golden Retriever and a German Shepherd, and when she is not working at her fire department positions in Orland and Richton Park, she is volunteering one night each week at PAWS.

“I think people who love and care for animals also love and care for people,” she says.

Orland Fire rescues dog from iced pond

2012-01-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

Orland Fire rescues dog from iced pond

Media/Television coverage:

WGN TV Video

WBBM TV Video
WLS TV Video
WMAQ TV Video
Chicago Tribune Story

Orland Park – A small dog was rescued from a pond at 156^th and Lakeside Thursday morning.

Acting Fire Chief Raymond Kay said that the mid-sized animal was stuck in the middle of a pond in mud and about one foot of water, surrounded by ice.

“Chances are the animal walked onto the iced pond and then it broke and got stuck,” Chief Kay said.

“Neighbors called the Fire department to ask us to help rescue the dog. It was a very serious situation for the animal. We don’t want members of the public wading out into the ponds or walking on ice.”

Wearing an ice rescue suit, Fire Fighter Tom Panzica had to break through the inch thick ice to make his way to the stranded animal.

“We do a lot more than just respond to fires. For the majority of the public, we are the only option they have in many emergency rescue situations, besides the police,” Chief Kay said.

Kay said that Fire fighters are trained for EMS, water diving rescues in the district’s many water areas, and to extricate people in accidents.

Kay also said that the fire department is also prepared for other emergencies from accidents to flooding.

“We have to be ready. We have had to rescue homeowners from flooding situations in their homes. There are gas and oil pipelines throughout and we are trained to respond to that possibility,” Kay said.

“We’re there whenever there is a safety or rescue need, for individuals and also to save the pets of families. We will do that.”

Kay said that people should never take a situation for granted. A foot of water may not seem dangerous but it can be. Fire fighters described the rescued dog as small family lap-dog.

end

Orland Fire Protection District to explore consolidation opportunities

2012-01-14T18:18:00.001-08:00

Orland Fire Protection District to explore consolidation opportunities

Orland District – Orland Fire Protection District Board President Jim Hickey said he will ask the board at the next meeting to consider opportunities to consolidate fire services with neighboring communities.

Hickey, who has been advocating consolidation as one method of reducing costs to taxpayers, said that he will ask fellow board members to examine the possibility of providing contracted fire services to Palos Fire District residents.

Palos Fire District officials announced plans to close one fire house and eliminate first responder staff because of budget constraints.

Hickey said that the Orland Fire Protection District should explore opportunities where they could consolidate and thereby expand and improve fire safety services for both districts.

“It’s just an idea. But I think we need to talk about it and see if there is an opportunity for the Orland Fire Protection District to takeover fire services for the Palos Fire District,” Hickey said.

“There are a lot of issues involved including if there should be a merger of the districts, or should it be contracted out, and we’d have to carefully examine the union contracts to see if this is even permitted. But, regardless, it’s thinking out of the box. In today’s economy, we must look at everything. We owe it to the taxpayers.”

Hickey said he will ask the Orland Fire Protection District board at its next meeting Tuesday, January 24, to convene a special Task Force to examine all of the issues.

“Consolidation is something government has to consider across the board, not just in the Orland Fire Protection District,” Hickey said.

“The governor of Illinois is doing it. Officials across the country are doing it. We should be vigilant for opportunities to reduce the tax burden on our taxpayers especially in today’s economy.”

Hickey said he plans to make a motion to create the Task Force at the board meeting.

“This is an idea that we should all be talking about, openly, above board and in public,” Hickey said.

“I definitely an open to any suggestions from the public. They made it loud and clear in the last election that they want this board to address the issue of spending and that is what we have entrusted to do and will continue to do. We have to do it the right way and within the parameters of the existing union and employee wage agreements and contracts.”

Hickey said that Palos Fire District is currently responsible for Sandburg High school.

“Orland has an important stake in what happens with the Palos Fire District,” Hickey said.

END

Fire District 2012 Budget proposes savings to taxpayers while preserving the highest levels of fire protection

2011-12-14T12:46:00.000-08:00

Orland Fire Protection District makes major cuts in budget

The Orland Fire Protection District board is expected to vote Tuesday to approve next year’s budget significantly reducing expenditures while maintaining the highest level of safety services.

The new budget proposes spending of only $29.3 million, a savings of $830,000 compared to the 2011 budget of $30.1 million. The majority of the budget, about 90 percent, reflects fixed personnel costs that cannot be cut because of union negotiated contracts.

But OFPD Board President Jim Hickey said the $830,000 savings, which reflects only 2.8 percent of the total budget, is misleading. The real savings, he said, reflects the difference between last year’s budget and what next year’s budget would have been without the board action to implement cost-saving efficiencies and cutbacks.

“The reality is that if we had not acted with a mindset to better manage spending, next year’s 2012 budget could easily have reached $32 million because of the many built-in costs that had to be included. Compare that to the 2012 budget of $29.3 million that we are proposing,” Hickey said.

“When we look at the actual change in the budget from last year, we really managed to cut and off-set as much as $2.7 million. When you compare our new budget of $29.3 million with what could certainly have been the budget for 2012, $32 million, based on how the past board leadership managed this district, taxpayers are realizing a significant savings.”

Hickey said the new 2012 budget proposal is expected to be voted on by the full board on Tuesday.

Several mandatory spending projects were off-set by the new board’s efforts to hold the line on spending. Some of those costs include about $600,000 for mandatory wage increases called for by the unions. Although three new positions will be included in the budget, many more existing positions had to be eliminated without resulting in a reduction of front line fire fighting personnel.

Two other major expenses, Hickey said, that the Orland Fire Protection District is required to spend include Communications upgrades for next year of $100,000. Nearly $200,000 is also needed to pay for improvements to the District’s OptiCom system which allows emergency fire vehicles to control intersection street lights.

“People can play with the numbers all they want. Some will say we only cut 2.8 percent from the total budget, or they might say we cut 28 percent of the part of the budget we had control of,” Hickey said.

“In the end, I think we addressed the two most important issues to our citizens. First, has service changed and the answer is no. If anything, service continues to improve. Second, how much would we have paid as taxpayers next year had we not pursued this hold-the-line approach to the budget and that would have been $32 million with no cuts? That is a different of $2.7 million that taxpayers won’t have had to pay next year in additional spending had nothing been done to bring our budget under control.”

Hickey said that with support of two new board members who ran on a fiscal integrity platform, Chris Evoy and Dr. Blair Rhode, taxpayers will realize a sizable savings next year.

“I thank all of the board members and the Orland Fire Protection District administration for all the hard work put in to this open budget process,” Hickey said.

“But in particular, I want to thank Chris and Blair for their support in holding the line on spending. For many residents, the Orland Fire Protection District represents the third largest amount on our property tax bills. We must be accountable to the public. We are putting all the budget documents online so the public can scrutinize them on their own. We made sure that this budget process was the most open it has ever been in the district’s history.”

Hickey said he expects some of the board’s critics will instead continue to focus on political issues rather than on the positive changes that will benefit residents long term.

Hickey also said that while the budgeted expenses are $29.3 million for 2012, revenues are only $29.1 million.

“That difference is not a shortfall, though. The budget reflects $200,000 that we will be spending to purchase a new ambulance and equipment for it. That money will come from the Capitol Projects Fund which is essentially our savings and is set aside to cover just such an important purchase,” Hickey said.

“In addition to giving taxpayers a major savings, this new budget is also balanced.”

Hickey said the new budget also includes funds to add three new firefighter positions. Although the positions are budgeted, the decision to hire the firefighters or use the funds for overtime will be one decided by the board.

“Our priority is the safety and financial interests of the taxpayers. We think we can balance both together with sacrifice from the other,” Hickey said.

end

Santa Arrives at the Orland Fire Protection District & Support the Keep the Wreath Red Campaign

2011-11-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

Santa Arrives at the Orland Fire Protection District

Saturday, December 10, 2011, 10 a.m. – Noon, Orland Administration Building, 9790 W. 151st St.

Donations of toys or pet supplies from our wish list will be accepted.

Don’t Forget to bring your camera if you want to get your picture taken with Santa!**

ALSO, support the Keep the Wreath Red Campaign

Keep the Wreath Red has become an annual event with the Orland Fire District. The program is designed to focus an awareness of safety while decorating our homes for the holidays.

How the program works is each fire station places a wreath on the front of their building and lights it with a string of red lights. The wreaths remain lit twenty-four hours a day throughout the holiday season. Whenever a fire occurs that is a result of holiday decorations, a white bulb replaces a red bulb on the wreath. This serves as a constant reminder to practice safety while installing and displaying holiday decorations.

Visit our website for more information on the Holiday Drive and the Wish List at www.OrlandFire.org.

Profile: OFPD Engineer Matt Burke

2011-10-13T12:45:00.001-07:00

Matt Burke, 43, never realized that he was a part of a family of firefighters when he was younger. But when he turned 18, something inside of him pushed him to want to make firefighting as he career choice.

Burke studied at Moraine Valley Community College when he became a paid-on-call firefighter.

“When I was hired, my mother was so proud and she started to tell me about all of the relatives and cousins in our family who were firefighters, too,” Burke recalled.

“I kind of knew that but it really didn’t hit me until I actually put on the uniform how important the decision was that I had made in my life.”

Burke said he doesn’t regret the choice at all.

“Being a firefighter looked like an exciting career. I wanted to help people. It was always inside me and I really enjoy the challenge,” Burke said.

Burke left the North Palos Fire District after two years and joined the Palos Fire District where he spent 10 years in uniform. While working part-time at Palos, he started testing for full-time firefighter/paramedic positions. After many tests, he was hired by Chicago Ridge Fire Department. Less than two years later, he received a call from the Orland Fire Protection District that he was part of the next hiring list. He then became a full-time employee with them. During the first year, he also joined the Evergreen Fire Department as a part-time firefighter/paramedic.

“I did most of my major training and received some of my certifications and education at the Palos Fire District. I completed the rest of my certifications at Orland Fire District,” Burke said, noting it is not easy to become a firefighter.

“It really is about training and education. I tested at all of the fire departments that I worked at and received a lot of hands-on training. It’s very competitive. We’re constantly training. I just came back from a training session today on dealing with cardiac issues.”

Firefighters are tested for mental aptitude, physical agility and psychological stamina. And after completing this testing he was hired in May of 1994 by the Orland Fire Protection District.

Most firefighters are cross trained as paramedics. It’s common in the suburbs and it’s especially true here in the Orland Fire Protection District. I trained to be a paramedic while at Palos Fire District and graduated in June of 1990.

As a firefighter, Burke says he faces many challenges in the day-to-day routine of fighting fires, responding to trauma calls and all kinds of emergencies.

Even when he is off-duty, Burke says, he is prepared for anything.

“Last May, my wife and I were coming home from a vacation on Southwest Airlines. We were about an hour in to the return trip when the flight attendants announced on the intercom on the plane asking for anyone with medical training,” Burke recalled.

“They asked if anyone was a doctor or had medical training to put their call light on. I put mine on and then got up from my seat and walked toward the part of the plane where the flight attendants were gathered around the passenger.”

Apparently, a woman who worked at the Aurora Fire Department had fainted. Her pulse was barely noticeable, Burke remembered.

“She was sweating profusely and she was white as a sheet. We didn’t know what happened,” Burke said. “She looked in trouble.”

Burke said his paramedic training immediately kicked in. The flight attendants got a doctor on the airplane headset and Burke described who he was and his training. He advised that the passenger needed an IV and the doctor agreed.

“We picked her up and laid her across three seats with her feet elevated to get her blood circulating through her body,” Burke said. “I then started the IV. You could barely feel her pulse. We were concerned. But she was revived and we sat with her and spoke with her for the remaining part of the trip.”

Burke said the plane landed at Midway Airport about two hours later and she was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where she was treated.

“I always wondered how she was,” Burke said. “She was very grateful that we could help her.”

Burke says that the additional training he received helped prepare him to respond to any emergency he encounters, either at work, at home or while traveling.

Nearly all of the Orland Fire Protection District firefighters are trained as paramedics, he said.

“I’m always ready to help to someone in need. You have to be as a firefighter,” Burke said.

Burke currently holds the rank of engineer. He is the driver for Truck Four, the Ladder. His wife is Heather and they have three children, Reilly Lynn, 13, Quinn, 10, and Morgan, 9.

End

What will you do to protect your family from fire during Fire Prevention week this year?

2011-10-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

Whatwill you do to protect your family from fire during Fire Prevention week thisyear?

ByRaymond Kay

ActingChief, Orland Fire Protection District

Bringingspecial public attention to protecting lives and property from the dangers offire has been a national campaign since 1920 in the United States called FirePrevention Week which this year begins October 9 through Oct. 15.

Fireprevention week originated in 1922 and is always scheduled for the week thatincludes October 9^th. In 1871 on October 8^th theGreat Chicago Fire was started. The fire burned for some period of timebut the most significant damage took place on October 9^th. This conflagration killed more than 250 people, left approximately 100,000people homeless, destroyed over 17,000 structures and burned more than 2,000acres. This tragic fire became the driving force behind the FirePrevention Week initiative.

TheNational Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire prevention theme this year,Protect Your Family From Fire, speaks to three recent close calls. Onthree different days over the course of the last three months families narrowlyescaped from the dangers of fire.

InJuly, seven residents, adults and children alike were startled from their sleepwell after midnight by several good Samaritans who saw that the attached garagewas well involved in fire. The strangers along with several Orland ParkPolice officers woke the residents and helped them to safety. The fire inthis case was only minutes away from spreading into the children’s bedroom whenthey escaped.

Ona beautiful August Saturday, just after 12 pm, a fire erupts in the garage of afour unit townhouse. The resident is awake and moving about in aseemingly normal day. The fire moves so quickly that he escapes with onlythe clothes on his back. Two of the four attached units are damaged bythe fire. Most importantly, nobody was injured from the smoke and flames.

Itis Patriot Day, September 11, the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacksupon our country. In between a number of memorial services, 8:30 in themorning fire strikes in the basement of another townhouse, the family is stillasleep. An adult smells smoke, realizes that the house is on fire, calls911 for help and wakes other adults and the children guiding them out of theburning structure. Luckily, there are no injuries. In this case,there are no working smoke detectors.

Threegroups of people were fortunate this summer; they all experienced a close callnarrowly avoiding injury or death from smoke and fire. The incidentsshared here all took place at different times of day. Some residents werefast asleep and others wide awake. The fires started in different partsof the home.

Luckilythe only common thread among these fires is that nobody was injured. Allof these fires could have had very different, tragic outcomes.

Firecan strike at any time. You have the opportunity to prevent fires,quickly detect smoke or fire and the ability plan your escape. Useresources like the Orland Fire Protection District website (www.orlandfire.org) or the NFPA website (www.nfpa.org) to learn more about:

- AFamily Fire Safety Checklist – where adults and kids can play a role in yourhome’s fire safety

- SmokeDetectors – Change your batteries twice per year

- Practiceyour escape plane – Exercise your plan with the whole family twice each year

Happily,the fires from this summer did not result in any injuries. Visit thewebsites provided, download your free information and please take the advice ofthe NFPA - Protect Your Family From Fire.

END

Orland Fire Protection District Budget opened to public for first time

2011-10-05T16:17:00.001-07:00

Orland Fire Protection District Budget process opened to public for first time

OFPD – For the first time in its 42 year official history,the Orland Fire Protection District opened its budget deliberations to the public and began aline-by-line review of district spending.

OFPD President Jim Hickey and Acting Fire Chief Raymond Kayled the first of three public hearings with board members who attended themeeting Blair Rhode, Chris Evoy and Glenn Michalek.

Hickey said the new process is designed so that interestedtaxpayers can understand what has been a very complicated budget process in thepast.

“We have divided the budget into three parts. Essentialspending, spending that is important and spending that is considered beneficialbut not always essential to the operation of the Fire District,” Hickey said.

“We have placed district services and spending in eachcategory so that we can ensure that we preserve and protect the high quality ofservice that the taxpayers are paying for, and to find ways to trim the budgetto make it more in line with the challenges of today’s economy and with thespending reflected by other public fire agencies. Our spending is way up thereand there is a false notion that spending and quality service are linked.”

Hickey said the OFPD has some of the best trainedfirefighters in the country, but he said that the past budgets have reflectedan attitude that went “way beyond” reason and resulted in excessive spendingthat in reality didn’t always make a difference in terms of fire quality.

“On Tuesday (Oct. 4) we went through the first part of thebudget reviewing eight areas of service, examining the spending needsline-by-line. It was a fascinating process to review what we are doing and howwe can do it better and also more efficiently and cost-effectively,” Hickeysaid.

Hickey said department heads are being asked to bring theirbudget needs to the board for review, categorizing them in three areas of needfrom the most important to those that can be more carefully managed.

“The taxpayers are demanding that we look at spending at thefire district,” said Rhode. “The taxes for the fire district are the highestafter spending for the local school districts. As a government agency, we havea responsibility to the public not just to give them the best fire protectionservices but to do so in the most cost-effective manner with an eye towardsprotecting the hard-earned dollars that they put in to our government.”

Hickey said that the district will hold two more budgetmeetings on Tuesday Oct. 11 and Tuesday Oct. 18, both beginning at 5 pm. Thedistrict’s regularly scheduled board meeting is Tuesday Oct. 25, also at 5 pm.

Since the new board was sworn in, the district has savedmore than $1 million, mainly through personnel changes and cutbacks in costsfrom reducing media consulting costs by $12,000 to reducing some non-essentialservices.

Evoy said that he is hopeful that the District’s newSpringfield Lobbyist will help identify funding sources that will be used tohelp cover costs that now come from taxpayer pockets. The District’s lobbyistin Springfield is Cheryl Axley who was hired in June. Axley joins consultantCindy Katsenes who is working for the district pro bono and is looking at waysto better manage the district's personnel budget and assignments.

Hickey said that he is hopeful the district could qualifyfor grants as much as $500,000 to off-set spending for next year’s budget.

“Our goal is to return money to the taxpayers who continueto do their part by supporting this district,” Hickey said. “We need to do ourpart.”

Kay said that the previous budget process included the submittalof a request by those who administer the budget, followed by administrativereduction.

“In the past, the budget preparers did not realize whattheir budget contained until they saw it again in January when it wasdistributed,” Kay said.

“This year, after reviewing the sum of all proposals, budgetpreparers were asked to revisit their budgets with the task of reducing theirrequests. As a result of this activity, 1 million dollars werecollectively reduced across all budget submittals.”

Each of the budget preparers now have an idea of whichcomponents are more critical or not and make adjustments accordingly. Kayadded the preparers are involved in decision-making.

“Each of these people have more of a sense of engagement intheir particular areas,” Kay said. “They also understand that this may notbe the final action on their budget because they are looking at only a segmentof the whole and do not have the opportunity to see the big picture. Iexpect that the Board of Trustees will further address these requests todetermine a final budget.”

The Orland district area was served by a volunteer fireforce that began sometime in 1894, but the District was officially founded in 1973.

end

It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire! Orland Fire Protection District Encourages Residents to Keep their Homes Safe During Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, 2011

2011-09-26T09:33:00.001-07:00

Formore information, contact:
Nancy Mulvihill/Public Educator
708-873-2742
n.mulvihill@orlandfire.org

It’s FirePrevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!

OrlandFire Protection District Encourages Residents to Keep their Homes Safe

DuringFire Prevention Week, October 9-15, 2011

October8, 2011 -- What’s the best way to protect your family from fire? Be ahead ofthe game, of course. With more than 360,000 home fires reported in the

United States

in 2009, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association(NFPA), your best defense is a good offense. That’s why the Orland FireProtection District is teaming up with NFPA during the October 9-15, 2011, tolet our community know: “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family fromFire!” This year’s campaign focuses on preventing the leading causes of homefires -- cooking, heating and electrical equipment, as well as candles andsmoking materials. Additionally, it urges people to protect their homes andfamilies with life-saving technology and planning.

“In2009, 2,565 people died in home fires. Nearly all of these deaths could havebeen prevented by taking a few simple precautions like having working smokealarms and a home fire escape plan, keeping things that can burn away from thestove and always turning off space heaters before going to bed,” says ActingChief Raymond Kay of the Orland FireProtection District. “Fire is a dangerous opponent, but by anticipating thehazards, you are much less likely to be one of the nearly 13,000 people injuredin home fires each year.”

TheOrland Fire Protection District offers the following tips for protecting yourhome and family from fire:

Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
If you smoke, smoke outside.
Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.

“While preventing home fires in the Orland Fire District is alwaysour number one priority, it is not always possible,” Acting Chief Kay continued.Orland Park and Orland Hills residents need toprovide the best protection to keep their homes and families safe in the eventof a fire. This can be achieved by developing an escape plan which you practiceregularly and equipping homes with life-saving technologies like smoke alarmsand home fire sprinklers.”

Thefollowing tips will help keep your family safe if there is a fire in your home:

Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home (including the basement).
Interconnect all smoke alarms in the home so when one sounds, they all sound.
Test smoke alarms at least monthly and replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond when tested.
Make sure everyone in your home knows how to respond if the smoke alarm sounds.
Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible ways out. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
If you are building or remodeling your home, consider installing home fire sprinklers.

The Orland Fire Protection District will be hosting an Open Houseon October 8th during Fire Prevention Week to promote “It’s Fire PreventionWeek. Protect your Family from Fire!” Through these educational,family-oriented activities, residents can learn more about the power ofprevention and available technologies to protect their own families from fire. Also, during our open house we will becelebrating Sparky’s 60^th Birthday, all kids that bring in a blanketor dog food to be donated to an animal shelter will get their picture takenwith Sparky. (Pictures will be emailed to the family). Stop by for “Touch a Truck” and see all theFire District’s Equipment including the Dive Squad. We will also be doing auto extrication and alive fire/sprinkler demonstration.

Also this year we will be hosting our Annual Coloring ContestAwards Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. All finalists will be on display for everyone tosee.

Tofind out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in the OrlandFire Protection District, please contact Nancy Mulvihill at 708-873-2742 orvisit our website at: www.orlandfire..org for more information about the Open House orany other event going on in the community. To learn more about “It’s FirePrevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!” visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.

OFPD responds to house fire

2011-08-13T01:06:00.000-07:00

The Orland Fire Protection District responded to a reported structure fire in the 11300 block of Poplar Creek Lane at about 5:15 Friday (August 12) afternoon. Initial companies found heavy smoke conditions from the rear of the roof. The fire was found on the external part of the wooden shingle roof. The fire was extinguished quickly as a result of our rapid response to the incident. The potential existed to burn the entire wooden shingle roof.

Crews checked for fire extension inside of the home and in the attic space. The fire never penetrated the plywood decking of the roof structure, keeping the fire out of the living areas of the home.

There were no injuries during the incident. Crews responded quickly and had the fire under control in a matter of a few minutes. Embers from an open fire in the back yard is likely the cause of the fire.

Crews checked for potential hidden fire in the attic by creating a small inspection hole in the ceiling of the second floor bathroom. Care was taken to protect the personal belongings of the homeowner as fire extension was being evaluated.

(Photos courtesy of the OFPD and may be reproduced with attribution by news media.)

Orland Fire Protection District recognizes fast action by citizens and police officials

2011-07-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Orland Fire Protection District recognizes fast action by citizens and police officials

Actions helped save lives

The Orland Fire Protection District recognized five civilians and three members of the Orland Police Department for their quick actions that in each case helped to save lives and minimize the risk of danger.

OFPD Acting Chief Raymond Kay presented Certificates of Merit and Recognition to the eight recipients at District's regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday July 26.

Seven of the recipients played key roles in helping respond to a fire that started in the attached garage of a home at Clearview and Terry Drive in Orland Park in the early morning hours following Fourth of July celebrations.

Kay presented certificates to Mohammad Rahman and to his two nephews, Nijem and Hatim Abderrhahman.

"Mohammed, Nijem and Hatim were driving by around 1 am returning from work when they saw the fire in the garage and immediately called 911 and pounded on the door to awaken the family," Kay said.

The family of seven, including four children, were fast asleep in the home. Kay said investigators could not determine an official cause for the fire.

Katherine Garrity was also recognized with a certificate for also calling 911 to report the fire.

And three members of the Orland Park Police who responded to the emergency with the Orland Fire Protection District firefighters were also honored. They are Officers Joseph O'Brien, Christopher Losurdo and Thelbert Heatherly.

In another incident, motorist Christine Binelli came upon an accident involving a motorcyclist on the ramp at I-80 and LaGrange Road, the day before on July 4th. The victim was in traumatic arrest and she immediately pulled over to provide CPR. Her efforts helped sustain the victim until he was transported by Orland and Mokena Fire District employees to the hospital.

"The message here is that the actions of individuals to stop and help can make a difference in emergencies like these and we want to thank them and encourage citizens to stop and help," Chief Raymond Kay said.

"It is so important for citizens to become involved and more importantly to be educated about basic lifesaving techniques and that was demonstrated in each of these cases."

Kay noted that the fast response and action from firefighters were critical in the outcomes.

"The firemen are there to do this job to save lives, respond to fires and emergencies. We're proud of the work we do and that the public expects from us. But we certainly appreciate the support that we get from a public educated about lifesaving techniques," Kay said.

# # #

Fire District responds to home fire started by lightning strike during Sunday's thunderstorms

2011-07-24T17:28:00.001-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RAY HANANIA

rayhanania@comcast.net

Sunday JULY 24, 2011

Lightning strikes Orland Park home and causes fire

Orland Park -- A home on the block of 8400 and Country Club Lane in Orland Park was hit by lightning during this morning's thunderstorms causing damage to the homes attic, officials of the Orland Fire Protection District said.

The fire was reported at the home at just after 10 am Sunday by a passerby who did not identify himself and no one was injured, Fire District officials said.

"The first arriving units found a fire in the attic. A coordinated fire attack strategy enabled companies to gain access to the house, extinguish the fire and protect the homeowner’s belongings in a simultaneous action," said Acting Fire Chief Raymond L. Kay.

"Multiple fire companies responded to the incident making the coordinated attack possible. Quick actions and coordinated efforts can be attributed to the level of training and experience of these responders."

Kay said that an investigation at the scene concluded the fire was started by a lightning strike minutes before.

"Fire companies worked to protect the homeowner’s belongings by moving items away from the fire area and by covering other articles with protective tarps. After the fire was extinguished, crews worked to remove attic insulation from the house, which was disturbed in the course of fighting the fire," Kay said.

Kay said in addition to putting out fires and saving lives, the firefighters make saving the personal property of homeowners a priority. He said there were no injuries during this incident.

The fire department worked with the homeowners and the board up company to secure the hole in the roof caused by the lightening strike, in order to prevent further damage by rain.

# # #

Southtown's Columnist Phil Kadner explores the OFPD move to make public records truly public

2011-07-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

Phil Kadner, the columnist for the Southtown/Star, wrote a column in the Saturday (July 23) newspaper edition that detailed efforts by local governments, including the Orland Fire Protection District to publish all public records online.

Click here to read the column.

The Orland Fire Protection District took the first steps to provide full public transparency and that was quickly followed by announcements that others would follow, including from the Village of Orland Park which announced it will do the same but is still working on making the documents public.

Employees of the Orland Fire Protection District should be proud that they are leading the way to give the public full transparency and full information about how their tax dollars are being spent.

# # #

Orland Fire Protection District posts salary, compensation and benefits listing

2011-07-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Although the Orland Fire Protection District has in the past published the general non-specific overview of employee wages as required by law, the board has directed the posting of the specific details of all employee wages to provide complete transparency for the public.

The posting allows the public to better understand how its taxpayer funds are spent by the OFPD.

Click here for the link to the full wages and compensation document.

Click here for the link to the annual Treasurer's report which lists wages based on "ranges."

Full Press Release from OFPD Board President Jim Hickey:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ray Hanania

USGRayHanania@comcast.net

Tuesday July 19, 2011

Orland Fire Protection District releases full wage breakdown for 2010

Orland Park -- The Orland Fire Protection District Tuesday released a comprehensive breakdown of all wages that employees received during the calendar year 2010 as a part of a new effort to provide full public transparency.

OFPD Board President Jim Hickey said the document is intended to educate taxpayers and the public about how their money is spent and allow a better understanding of the economic challenges facing the district.

In releasing the records, Hickey also called on the Village of Orland Park to follow suit and urged the Illinois General Assembly to enact legislation requiring that the full and comprehensive wages of all public employees in all government and public agencies be made public without the requirement of a Freedom of Information Act request.

"The public has an absolute right to know how their money is being spent. Withholding this information, as the Orland Fire Protection District has done in the past, has put the interests of taxpayers of the district at a disadvantage," Hickey said.

"How can the public properly assess what is appropriate spending practices when they have absolutely no idea what salaries their employees receive. Each and every member of the Orland Fire Protection District works for the taxpayers. Not releasing the information has sent an inaccurate message about the district and has fed negative stereotypes and misconceptions about the district."

Hickey said as a board member for only two years under the prior administration, the information was not even made public to board members.

"I am stunned by the numbers myself. I can't imagine how a district board or commission can exercise their fiduciary responsibilities fully without knowing the totality of the wages being paid to our employees," Hickey said.

Hickey said he believes the public will at first react with "sticker shock" at the numbers, but releasing the information will help the district get a better handle on expenses.

"Just after the Orland Fire Protection District has begun a full transparency campaign to release all public records and place them for easy and immediate public access on the district's web site, the City of Chicago did the same releasing, for the first time, a complete list of all monies received by city workers. This is long overdue," Hickey said.

"I hope other government agencies will follow suit and help restore public confidence in our governments and public officials. I urge the Illinois General Assembly to enact legislation mandating that this information be made available publicly every year without hesitation."

Hickey noted that the Village of Orland Park also announced this week plans to post public records on their web site.

"It's something the public has been seeking for a long time. Other municipalities should do the same," Hickey said.

Hickey said he knows employees will be angry that their wages will be made public but he pointed out, "Firefighters are apparently doing very well financially, which is not something we can say about the rest of society. Not releasing the data suggests they had something to hide. I don't agree that they have anything to hide. But I do know this document will help us as we move forward to get a handle on costs and better manage our spending."

Hickey said he has the full support of a majority of the board including Trustees Blair Rhode and Christopher Evoy.

Important Points:

· Releasing the full wages gives the public a complete understanding of the Fire District
· In no way is releasing the list of full wages a criticism of the firefighters, although clearly it does show that during the past eight years the union has had more leverage over costs than the needs of the taxpayers
· I support the unions but believe the district has been too generous; our firefighters are among the highest paid in the state and probably in the region which directly impacts taxpayer costs
· I think we can provide a high quality of firefighting services to our taxpayers without paying so much. Today's economy demands that we re-asses what we have been doing
· Chicago, which has a very professional and effective fire department pays far less. Mayor Rahm Emanuel also this week released the complete wages of all of the employees in the City of Chicago including firefighters. I think the village of Orland Park and other government agencies should do the same. A better and fully educated public can be more supportive of public service employees like firefighters.
· here is what the numbers show. Most workers contribute from their salaries to their own pensions but in the case of the OFPD the taxpayers are almost fully paying the pension contribution .. the firefighters are being paid very well in the OFPD and they can contribute to their own pensions and still do better than most people when they retire. The pension contributions are among the largest added benefit to the firefighters but this is closely followed by overtime costs which are too high and must be curbed

"We need to do a better job of representing the interests of the taxpayers when we negotiate with the unions in the future. The past administration was too generous and that's because the public was unaware of what they were being forced to pay. At least the taxpayers should have a voice in what wages should be in the future ," Hickey said.

This circumstance is like a company which doesn't even know what they are paying their employees, Hickey argued. The company and owners in this case are the taxpayers. This cannot continue.

Hickey said the wages will be published every year moving forward. (In the past, the wages were partially published in "wage groups." The OFPD published a list of employees based in a grouping of wage ranges, but the listing did not identify benefits which are also paid completely by the District.)

end

Southtown/Star news report on OFPD wages and insurance costs

2011-07-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

The Southtown/Star this morning ran a story on the Orland Fire Protection District's wages including a discussion on the costs of insurance. Click HERE to view the story.

WBBM News report on neighbors helping to alert homeowners of fire

2011-07-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

News report by WBBM AM Radio on neighbors who alerted a homeowner of a fire.

Click here to read and listen to the report.

Click here to read the former news report.

Chicago Tribune looks at all sides of wage debate

2011-07-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Tribune has a frontpage story this morning that explores the issue of wages for the Orland Fire Protection District. The story is based on the release of last year's full wage accounting, a document that is expected to be posted online later this week.

The story addresses comparisons between the OFPD and other districts, and has the pros and cons of the wage rates reflected in a wide range of comments.

The release of the wage document for calendar year 2010 is the result of the new board's decision to make all public documents actually available to the public, including contracts and important board policy decisions, documents that in the past have remained secret and unavailable to the public.

The Village of Orland Park also announced this week plans to publish their complete wage document for all employees including basic pay, overtime and all compensation. The release of this information is considered public information and should be released to insure that the public has an accurate understanding of how their taxpayer dollars are being spent.

Here are the links to stories:

Tribune story Wed July 20, 2011

Tribune graphic July 20

Orland Park Patch story

Southtown/Star story on Village of Orland Park plans for transparency by next month

Alert neighbors and quick fire response helped save family in fire this morning

2011-07-05T11:57:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ray Hanania
TUESDAY JULY 5, 2011

USGRayHanania@comcast.net

Alert neighbors and quick fire response helped save family in fire this morning

Orland Park -- Alert neighbors and a fast response from the Orland Fire Protection District played major roles in saving the lives of a family and preventing further damage to a home where a fire broke out very early this morning.

Acting Fire Chief Raymond L. Kay credited the neighbors and the Fire District response with keeping the fire damage to a minimum and savings lives. Orland Park police were also fast on the scene alerting the homeowners and family.

Chief Kay said the family of seven including three young children were asleep when the fire broke out in the home's attached a garage area around 1:16 AM. The first fire truck arrived at the scene at the corner of Clearview and Terry Drive at 1:19 AM. Firefighters discovered the two car garage in heavy fire.

Firefighters quickly contained the fire preventing it from expanding into the living areas, Chief Kay said.

"The owners, who were asleep, were alerted to the fire by neighbors pounding on the front door," Chief Kay said.

"It was 1:15 in the morning and the residents were sleeping. Fortunately, the neighbors saw this. Had the neighbors not responded and had this fire gone unchecked, it would have gotten in to the living area of the house. I think our quick response and the role of the neighbors and the police were clearly instrumental in saving those lives."

Kay said none of the occupants, including four adults and three children, were injured.

He said that the investigation has not identified a cause but he could not rule out the fire being started by any fireworks from the 4th of July celebrations that evening.

"The construction features of the home prevented smoke and fire from entering the living areas and that's just a reminder about how important these features are to protecting lives," Chief Kay said.

The quick response of multiple Orland FPD fire, police and EMS companies provided for simultaneous search and rescue, fire extinguishment and fire extension operations, Chief Kay explained. These simultaneous actions prevent the loss of life and the protection of property.

"These actions proved to be vital," Chief Kay added.

# # #

For first time in history, OFPD posts detailed budget documents

2011-07-05T06:10:00.000-07:00

For the first time int he history of the Orland Fire Protection District, detailed budget documents along with contracts, are being posted online for public viewing. In the past, the OFPD Posted a Budget Summary, or annual report offering general overviews of budget issues and spending. But last month, the OFPD board President Jim Hickey directed that the detailed Audit of the last full budget year be published online. The Audit provides a detailed look in to the district's spending and is issued usually in the Spring following the completion of the prior year.

Click here to view the budget audit.

Hickey and members of the board has promised that all public documents will be placed on the OFPD web site for easy public viewing.

"The public has a right to know exactly what the district is doing," said President Hickey.

Hickey's directive is endorsed by two new board members, Blair Rhode and Christopher Evoy.

"I think it is very important for the public to know exactly how their tax dollars are being spent so they have an accurate understanding about the district," Rhode said.

The OFPD budget office is also working on converting the annual budget for placement on the web site. That should be completed this month.

For more information on public information, visit www.OrlandFire.org

# # #

OFPD Board trims nearly $500,000 in spending during first 60 days

2011-07-01T10:08:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ray Hanania

June 30, 2011 USGRayHanania@comcast.net

OFPD Board trims nearly $500,000 in spending during first 60 days

Orland Park -- The Orland Fire Protection Board cut $486,000 in district spending during its first 60 days in office, moving to realize promises made by the new board that the quality of fire district services will remain high but costs will be trimmed where possible.

OFPD Board President Jim Hickey said that the cost-cutting moves are mandated by the taxpayers and voters and that the cuts will not impact the quality of Fire District services that residents have come to expect.

Hickey said he expects that number to easily double in the next few months and to continue to climb as opportunities to save taxpayer dollars are identified.

"What we are doing is carefully managing spending and cutting where we can without impacting firefighting or emergency medical services," Hickey said.

"Even where we have spent extra money to hire a lobbyist in Springfield to insure that our funding interests are protected and to identify potential grants and monetary sources, we have off-set those costs with other cuts."

Hickey said that the OFPD will continue to update its cost savings using the web site at www.OrlandFire.org and the district's new blog at OFPDblog.blogspot.com.

"We are also using the website and internet to provide public access to board meetings and also to post important documents such as recent contracts, public policy statements and soon a complete and detailed copy of the district budget.

Hickey released the following data on savings by cost and date which is posted on the OFPD Blog Web Site:

- June 28, 2011: OFPD Board votes to retire two bond issues, one set to expire in 2016. Retiring the bonds early will save taxpayers $110,000 in interest payments on the bonds. Expected to be implemented at next board meeting.
Potential Savings: $110,000
- Not filling the vacant position of Battalion Chief.
Savings $215,000
- Reducing board meetings to one per month.
Savings $60,000
- June 2011: Change in the wages of the Human Resources Director from $73,000 to $68,000.
Savings $5,000.
- June 2011: Elimination of the Public Education director, salaried at $47,000.
Savings $47,000.
- June 2011: Reduction in the salary of the Executive Secretary to the board, salaried at $65,000 reduced to $37,000.
Savings of $28,000.
-June 2011: Reduction in the consulting fee for communications, previously $48,000 reduced to $36,000 for Urban Strategies Group.
Savings of $12,000.
-June 2011: Hiring lobbyist Cheryl Axley to monitor OFPD Interests and grant opportunities in Springfield.
Cost $60,000
- May 25, 2011: hiring Del Galdo Law Group.
Savings $48,000
- May 25, 2011: Two trustees (Blair Rhode, Chris Evoy) declining their trustee salaries.
Savings $6,000
- May 25, 2011: Hiring Cindy Katsenes ($25,000) replacing Tom Dubelbeis ($40,000).
Savings $15,000

"Some people may think $486,000 is not enough but I think that if we can do this in 60 days, tighter controls on spending and better management of the district will realize more savings to the taxpayers and still result in a high quality services from our fire protection district," Hickey said.

END

Board cites fast action at TGI Friday with saving life

2011-06-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

Board cites fast action at TGI Friday with saving life

The Orland Fire Protection District Board on Tuesday recognized the fast action and life saving training of an employee working at TGI Friday in Orland Park who responded to a female patron who was choking. Lea Elliot was credited with using the Heimlich Maneuver after noticing the customer choking to save the customer's life.

"We are very proud of what Lea Elliot did. Knowing life saving techniques such as the Heimlich Maneuver is very important for public safety," said OFPD Acting Chief Raymond Kay. Elliot was given a plaque to commemorate her lifesaving actions.

The plaque was presented to Lea Elliot by Lt. Mark Duke, OFPD EMS Administrator. The plaque reads:

"On April 8, 2011 a patron of TGI Friday was choking on food that had occluded her airway. The choking patron approached Lea Elliot for help and without hesitation a series of abdominal thrusts were applied and the airway obstruction cleared. As a result of Lea’s quick action a more severe consequence was averted and the patron recovered without injury."

Read a story in the Tribune Local on this citation.

# # #

Orland Fire Protection District to begin job postings online Will expand public participation at board meetings

2011-06-29T05:19:00.001-07:00

Orland Fire Protection District to begin job postings online

Will expand public participation at board meetings

Orland Park -- The Orland Fire Protection District board announced Tuesday that they will begin posting paid and volunteer job vacancies to encourage local residents to apply for the positions.

OFPD Board President Jim Hickey also said that the board is expanding the public participation policy at board meetings to encourage more transparency and also adding a new public records section on the Website called "Dollars & Sense".

Currently, Hickey said, the public can make comments and ask questions at board meetings during the public participation portion. But Hickey said that the OFPD will also ask residents who wish to be more specific about district policies to submit their questions ahead of time using the web site by email or by telephone.

"In the past, members of the public would ask questions but the board would not have the answers or just didn't answer. We're going to continue the existing policy but we also want to ask the public if they have specific questions about policies, contracts the budget to submit those questions in writing to the board so we can be prepared at board meetings to provide answers," Hickey said.

Hickey said he would personally ask personnel to provide answers. Residents would have to come to the board meetings, identify themselves by name and address, and their questions will be answered.

"Our goal is full transparency," Hickey explained noting that is one of the priorities of the board's two newest members, Blair Rhode and Christopher Evoy. "We want the public to see and understand everything. This is their tax money. We want them to get the answers to their questions."

Hickey noted that the OFPD has already begun posting contracts and detailed financial statements on the district's web site which is www.OrlandFire.org.

"We want to post everything that can be made public," Hickey said, noting that some issues involving real estate, criminal probes, personnel matters and lawsuits are exempt under state law from public disclosure to protect the privacy of individuals involved.

"But anything that falls within the range of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) should be made available as soon as possible for public access. We get a lot of FOIA requests and processing those requests require much personnel time. We can save money by allowing the public and the media to access the documents online directly."

Hickey said that job postings would include paid and volunteer positions.

"We have a position open on the Pension Board. In the past, one of the trustees served in that role," Hickey said noting the individual was former board trustee Salvatore Cacciato.

"We don't think that the position should be held by a trustee. We feel that there are members of the public who have experience in pension matters who would be interested in volunteering to join the pension board and provide an independent perspective on pension and district needs."

Hickey said the board is also looking to post future job openings and changes online to recruit qualified residents for the posts.

"We are putting a lot of emphasis on using the website to reach the public, to be an access portal for the public to get the answers they need and to be able to monitor the district's actions at their convenience.

Hickey said that the new board is "coming together" as a group.

"I think the board members all are committed now to saving taxpayer's money. We are looking at staffing requirements and also ways to save funds without impacting the quality of service. That's our mandate," Hickey said.

Hickey said the board will move forward with a study by the Illinois Fire Chief's Association to make recommendations on hiring. Hickey acknowledged that the board conducted a similar study in 2006 that recommended higher staffing levels of as much as 150 firefighters.

"But that was at a different time when the economy was better. They were looking at more tax dollars coming in back then. Today, it's a different story. We need to be conscious of costs and the burden on the taxpayers," Hickey said, noting he was not a member of the board when the study was commissioned.

Hickey said the 2006 study cost the district $56,000 to complete. "The study commissioned by the Illinois Fire Chief's Association will only costs $5,100 to complete and it will give us a better handle on what the district needs to provide the services to our residents," Hickey said.

Hickey said that like all public documents, the commission study will be posted online for the public to scrutinize and assess themselves.

In other business, the board voted to retire two existing bonds including one scheduled to be retired in 2016. Hickey said the board will save $110,000 in interest payments. Hickey also said that in the past, the board would re-issue bonds for projects but he said that practice would likely be stopped.

"Bonds should be retired when their purposes is accomplished. Extending a bond to cover other projects is a backdoor tax increase. When the bond is retired, it will reduce the need to increase taxes as was done in the past," Hickey explained. Most bonds are backed by property taxes.

The board also accepted a budget audit conducted by the districts accountants McCormick, Mulcahy, Pauritsch & Co.

Hickey said the audit will be published online as soon as possible to give the public a first ever direct look at how the district has spent money in the past.

The district is also planning to publish the entire budget on the web site in the coming weeks, once they are converted into a PDF format.

# # #

Orland Fire Protection District dedicates new headquarters Sunday June 26, 2011

2011-06-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ray Hanania

Sunday June 26, 2011 rayhanania@comcast.net

Orland Fire Protection District Headquarters officially dedicated

Orland Park -- The Orland Fire Protection District officially dedicated its new Headquarters with a ribbon cutting and reception Sunday.

Acting Fire Chief Raymond L. Kay told attendees at the new headquarters, 9790 W. 151st Street, Orland Park, that the facility will consolidate the district's fire services.

"It is important that you get a chance to see what takes place in the support building. Our people on the streets run 8,000 calls every year and they need support to get there. Things like dispatch, which is upgraded in our new building," Chief Kay said.

"Things like fire prevention which you will see when you take the tour. Part of keeping our buildings up to code so we have safe buildings in the community. And the administration is here to help make sure things run efficiently," Kay told the gathering.

Orland Fire Protection District Board President James Hickey applauded the dedication but reminded the audience that the ribbon cutting for the headquarters symbolizes a new era in which the district will focus on maintaining and supporting the fire district's high quality of services, and the call of voters and taxpayers to better manage costs.

"I think everyone knows that the Orland Fire Protection District is changing. We're moving forward with a mission given to us by the voters and the taxpayers. In the last election they spoke out loud and clear. They want to preserve the high quality services that the Fire Protection District offers, but they want us to do it with an eye to cost-savings and fiscal efficiencies that make sense," Hickey said to applause.

"They are not just saying cut. They are saying cut where we can to bring down the burden on the taxpayers. That's what this new board is doing. We're doing it with precision and respect. We're trimming down some salaries on some positions. We're working closely with the Fire leadership to find ways to maximize what we can get out of every dollar."

Hickey said the board is committed to "preserving the highest quality fire services that the taxpayers have come to expect. So today, as we inaugurate this new headquarters building, let's look at this as a beginning of a new era to rein in costs while exceeding performance and maintaining quality."

Dedication emcee Battalion Chief Dan Smith also introduced Orland Park Village Trustee Patricia Gira, who attended the dedication, and former trustee Salvatore Cacciato who also briefly spoke about the years he spent helping to bring the headquarters to realization.

Smith said the new headquarters will improve work flow and provide more room to allow more employees to work out of the centralized fire headquarters.

The new State-of-the-Art headquarters building replaces the smaller office property located behind Fire Station 1, Smith said. The new headquarters accommodates about 25 staff (compared to 10 previously). The new board room accommodates up to 80 people and replaces the older room which accommodated about 30 people.

The new building features an expanded training room, the Fire Prevention Bureau and all administration functions and services (parts of which in the past were distributed among the various fire houses). The lower level features a renovated dispatch center which not only services the Orland Fire District but also services Oak Forest and Calumet City Fire Departments. It also provides MABAS (Mutual Aide Box Alarm System) services for extra alarm fire/EMS calls in Division 19 (Orland/Frankfort /Manhattan area) and also Division 22 (Alsip/Blue Island area) and Division 24 (Tinley Park, Lansing area).

The building received a blessing from Pastor Shawn Nettleton of Christ Lutheran Church.

About 100 people attended the ceremony.

You can view the video of the dedication by clicking this address:

On Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzsh0G7oVLs

On Vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/channels/217924

Below are the full remarks of President Hickey:

I want to welcome all of you today to the formal opening of the Orland Fire Protection District headquarters. This new building allows the district to concentrate many of its services and brings together a lot of talent that is dedicated to providing you with the best firefighting services in the region.

I think everyone knows that the Orland Fire Protection District is changing. We're moving forward with a mission given to us by the voters and the taxpayers. In the last election they spoke out loud and clear. They want to preserve the high quality services that the Fire Protection District offers, but they want us to do it with an eye to cost-savings and fiscal efficiencies that make sense.

They are not just saying cut. They are saying cut where we can to bring down the burden on the taxpayers.

That's what this new board is doing. We're doing it with precision and respect. We're trimming down some salaries on some positions. We're working closely with the Fire leadership to find ways to maximize what we can get out of every dollar.

It isn't just the taxpayers who are demanding this. It is mandated by the economic times in which we live. We can't ignore this very important mission.

It can be done and it can be done in a way that will preserve the highest quality fire services that the taxpayers have come to expect.

So today, as we inaugurate this new headquarters building, let's look at this as a beginning of a new era to reign in costs while exceeding performance and maintaining quality.

OFPD Board President James Hickey

end

Dedication of OFPD Headquarters Bldg Sunday 2 pm -- Open to the Public: 9790 W. 151st Street

2011-06-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Orland Fire Protection District will host an Open House and a Dedication of the newly completed OFPD Headquarters & Administration building, 9790 W. 151st Street beginning at 2 pm Sunday, June 26.

There will be a Welcome Ceremony at 2:30 pm.

Battalion Chief Dan Smith, who served as OFPD Project Manager during the three year construction, will emcee and welcome guests

Smith will then introduce dignitaries and turn the podium over to Acting Chief Raymond Kay for remarks

Smith will then introduce and turn the podium over to OFPD Board President James Hickey for remarks

The new State-of-the-Art headquarters building replaces the smaller office property located behind Fire Station 1. The new headquarters accommodates about 25 staff (compared to 10 previously). The new board room accommodates up to 80 people and replaces the older room which accommodated about 30 people.

It features an expanded training room, the Fire Prevention Bureau and all administration functions and services (parts of which in the past were distributed among the various fire houses). The lower level features a renovated dispatch center which not only services the Orland Fire District but also services Oak Forest and Calumet City Fire Departments. It also provides MABAS (Mutual Aide Box Alarm System) services for extra alarm fire/EMS calls in Division 19 (Orland/Frankfort /Manhattan area) and also Division 22 (Alsip/Blue Island area) and Division 24 (Tinley Park, Lansing area).

Light refreshments will be served

Personnel Changes announced by Orland Fire Protection District Board

2011-06-17T14:23:00.001-07:00

Personnel Changes announced by Orland Fire Protection District Board

OFPD -- The OFPD Board announced two additional personnel changes at the Orland Fire Protection District this week, in an effort to drive down costs and spending.

As a part of an effort to get a stronger handle on hiring and personnel as we move forward to find ways to save money while preserving the OFPD's ability to perform with the highest quality of service, the OFPD Board has announced personnel changes. The changes so far have realized $91,000 in savings to taxpayers. The board feels that this can be done in part by doing a comprehensive examination of all aspects of the OFPD and by taking a different direction in HR. There will be some personnel changes that the board feels better aligns with these goals.

Joanne Chavez was released as Human Resources Director on Wednesday. Joanne is being replaced by Lucy McGlynn Murray as Human Resources Director. Lucy began working Thursday in the Headquarters building. This is a cost-cutting move, board officials said. Chavez's salary is $73,000 and McGlynn's salary will be $68,000.

The board also released Kathy Donofrio who headed the OFPD Public Education program. The change was made in an effort to cut costs. Ms. Donofrio's employment release was made Thursday. Donofrio's salary is $47,000.

Board Chairman Jim Hickey said the Public Education position will remain open, at this time. Acting Fire Chief Raymond Kay said he is working within the parameters to develop a new public education program under the current budget constraints set by the board.

"There are two tracks for ways in which the board can make savings, cutting long term spending and identifying waste, and in reducing personnel costs. The personnel costs unfortunately take center stage because they can be realized in the short term while larger savings through the elimination of waste will take a focused look by the board at the district's overall budgeting and spending," Hickey explained.

"I believe a close review of the budget and operations of the OFPD by Cynthia Katsenes and our representation in Springfield by Cheryl Axley to identify grants and other ways to support the interests of our district will save far more for the taxpayers. That was the mandate that was given to us by the taxpayers and we are intent on meeting those demands," Hickey added. He said the change in law firms will also realize significant change over the coming year.

The total personnel cost-cutting savings is $91,000 and includes the reduction in salaries for the position of board executive secretary ($27,000 salary reduction) and the media consulting contract, ($12,000 fee reduction), Hickey said.

Kay and Hickey praised the work of both Chavez and Donofrio, thanking them for their public service.

"Public Service is about working in the service of the public and we all know that oftentimes these positions change in order that government can continually assess its direction," Hickey said. "We thank Joanne and Kathy for their service and wish both of them the best as they pursue other opportunities."

END

Statement sent to the SouthtownStar regarding hiring needs

2011-06-17T06:55:00.001-07:00

Statement on recent contracts adopted by the board of trustees

Jim Hickey, Board President

Questions have been raised about the decision to bring on a consultant to help us target waste and a lobbyist to protect the interests of the Orland Fire Protection District in Springfield.

Cynthia Katsenes has both the experience from serving on the OFPD board and knows the ins and outs of the system. She provides a critical eye to address the concerns raised by the voters and residents of the OFPD in the last election. This is a part of a major review of the OFPD to insure that it is maximizing its financial resources to produce the highest quality firefighting services possible. Again, this is what I believe the voters demanded and we plan to address the voter's concerns without any hesitation. We owe it to the taxpayers.

Her salary of $500 per week ($25 an hour) was determined based on a fair wage charged by other consultants; her fee comes out to be $25 an hour which is well below the typical consultants' rates which oftentimes exceed $75 and $100 an hour. She is an Orland District resident and we feel strongly about tapping our local resources and talents first.

Cheryl Axley's work for the OFPD will be to protect the interests of the OFPD in Springfield and in so doing will be constantly vigilant to identify any opportunities to benefit the OFPD including in terms of identifying grant funding sources to strengthen our Firefighting services. Her fee also reflects what we feel is below the typical fee charged by other lobbyists.

The change in the law firms will bring a difference and long term savings to the Orland Fire Protection District from our old firm, Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins and our new law firm Del Galdo Law Group. Although the Del Galdo hourly rates are slightly lower than the KTJ rates, producing a savings, the real savings comes in from the far lower rates for the people who actually do the legal administrative work and research. The senior partners at KTJ also charge a far higher rate than Del Galdo Law Group and we expect overall that there will be a significant savings in the long run.

More importantly, we wanted an independent legal firm representing the OFPD district that does not have the sometimes conflicting ties to local politics. They represent the Village of Orland Park and other political entities. It gives us a fresh perspective on how to deal with issues that confront the OFPD.

Overall, I also want to say that while these savings may seem incremental at first, the fact is that we have engaged in an overview of spending and the total savings to the taxpayers will be significant in a cumulative way including other savings that we have initiated in personnel, communications and PR, etc. So while someone might single out one example to compare contracts, the real perspective would be to look at the bigger picture of overall savings that the cumulative impact of all the actions will bring.

Click to view SouthtownStar story

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