Saturday, August 13, 2011

OFPD responds to house fire

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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.)

Thursday, July 28, 2011

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

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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.




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Sunday, July 24, 2011

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

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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.

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Saturday, July 23, 2011

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

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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.

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Friday, July 22, 2011

Orland Fire Protection District posts salary, compensation and benefits listing

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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

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Southtown/Star news report on OFPD wages and insurance costs

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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.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011