Three injured (one pinned) in vehicle crash on 159th Street construction zone

Three injured (one pinned) in vehicle crash on 159th Street construction zone

On Saturday morning just past midnight (September 10), the Orland Fire Protection District and EMS responded to a motor vehicle accident on the 10400 block of 159th Street in the construction zone. A high speed head-on crash occurred around 12:35 am, involving an auto and a pick-up truck.

One person, a female in her early 20s, was pinned in the auto and two individuals, one male and one female, were in the pickup truck, ambulatory at the scene but requiring treatment. A “Pin-In” response was requested and Lifestar Medical helicopter was put on standby, but was not used.

The extrication took 15 minutes and all three victims were transported to Silver Cross Hospital via Orland Fire ambulances for trauma.

Names have not been released on the victims.

(Photos attached Courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District.)

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

9-10-16 Accident 159th Street

Orland Fire District program trains public in emergency procedures

Orland Fire District program trains public in emergency procedures

The Orland Fire Protection District Wednesday (August 10, 2016) held its first training class offering emergency response training to members of the public.

Fire Chief Michael Schofield said the CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program gives members of the public hands-on experience in dealing with emergencies they might face every day.

The CERT training class was led by Lt. William Leddin and the final session was held Wednesday at the district’s training center at 10728 W. 163^rd Place. It will be followed by another class that will opened to public enrollment this Fall.

Members of the First CERT Class hosted by the Orland Fire Protection District August 10, 2016

“We have seen many instances where the fast action of people who have emergency response training can make a difference in saving lives, like the most recent incident in which a boy almost drowned but was saved by a party-goer who was at the pool party who had emergency training,” Chief Schofield said.

“This first CERT class was a pilot program and I think it went very well."

Schofield was referring to the emergency call received on July 16 in Orland Park when a young boy was rescued from drowning by an off-duty Chicago Police officer, Cindy Guerra. Guerra was presented with the District’s William Bonnar Life Saving Award at a ceremony July 26 for saving the boy’s life.

Leddin said that the training provided during the CERT pilot program this week included CPR, extinguishing small fires and the proper and effective use of fire extinguishers, helping individuals who may have a wide range of injuries including heart attacks and injuries, and effective responses to severe weather crisis including tornadoes.

Lt. William Leddin (2nd from right) gives instructions to the first CERT Class on emergency responses August 10, 2016

“We hope that in the next emergency 9-1-1 call, and we dispatch our emergency team to respond, they will find that someone will be on scene with the victim offering emergency assistance,” Leddin said.

“Those first few seconds of an emergency can made a significant difference in saving someone’s life. The sooner emergency response is started, the better the chances someone in an emergency situation will survive.”

The 10-week pilot program consisted mostly of members from the District’s Senior Advisory Council (SAC) along with a few senior volunteers.  All volunteers who completed the course and passed the final exam will receive their certificates of completion at the next OFPD Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, August 23 at 5:00 p.m.

The district is planning to offer a new class for all district residents 18 and older sometime this fall.   For more information on the CERT Program, visit the Orland Fire Protection District website at www.OrlandFire.org.

Members of the public learned how to respond to emergency situations at a CERT Class offered to the public by the Orland Fire Protection District

Understanding the proper use of a fire extinguisher is critical in responding to a small house fire.

Orland Fire honors Chicago officer who saved pool drowning victim’s life

Chicago Officer presented with the Orland Fire Protection District's William Bonnar Life Saving Award

The Orland Fire Protection District Tuesday honored Chicago Police Officer Sgt. Cindy Guerra for her role in saving the life of a 12-year-old boy from drowning during a backyard pool party in Orland Park.

Guerra, a 22 year Chicago Police veteran, said she was overwhelmed by the public response to what she was “something that comes naturally” to first responders such as police and fire fighters who are trained to save people’s lives.

From left OFPD Trustee Blair Rhode, Trustee John Brudnak, Cortez’s mother, Cortez, Fire Chief Michael Schofield, Cortez’s sister Taylor, Sgt. Cindy Guerra, Cindy’s son Joseph, and OFPD Trustee Jim Hickey.

Orland Fire Chief Michael Schofield present Guerra with the William Bonnar Life Saving Award, named after a longtime Orland Fire battalion chief who before joining the Orland Fire Protection District was a paramedic with the city of Chicago in the 1970s.

“We are very honored to have Chicago Police Sergeant Cindy Guerra here today, and especially Cortez whose life Cindy saved,” Schofield said in presenting the award to Sgt. Guerra.

“Firemen, policemen, or paramedics. When we are on duty or off duty, we are always ready to respond.”

Guerra thanked the board for the honor and the audience for attending the meeting, saying that she just acted out of training and instinct to help. She said she became a police officer after being inspired by seeing women fighting crime in the popular TV series Charley’s Angels.

“I thought it looked cool and decided that helping and protecting people is what I wanted to do,” said Guerra, who worked in the police department's Special Investigations Unit as a sergeant before transferring to the Office of News Affairs a few weeks before the accident.

Cortez, the young boy who was involved in the pool incident, and Sgt. Cindy Guerra, who saved him using CPR

“You don’t do things to expect accolades or praise. You just do it. You act instinctively. To be recognized like this is overwhelming. I appreciate it and am so grateful.”

Guerra, worked as a police officer in a Chicagoland suburb before joining the Chicago police department, introduced Cortez.

“It wasn’t just me. Taylor [Cortez’s sister] came up and alerted an adult that Cortez was at the bottom of the pool,” Guerra recalled.

She said another police officer who was at the pool party celebrating a school graduation helped Cindy lift the boy out of the pool at a graduation party Saturday July 16, 2016 that was being held at Guerra’s cousin’s Orland Park home. Guerra gave the boy CPR, saving his life.

Cortez was with his mother, sister Taylor and relatives at the board meeting and said he was grateful to Sgt. Guerra for saving his life.

Schofield said it was important to remind the public that first responders like firefighters and police officers perform acts of heroism to save lives all the time.

The incident took special significance, Schofield said, in the wake of a series of violent attacks against police officers that has occurred across the country.

Sgt Cindy Guerra and Fire Chief Michael Schofield. Schofield presented Guerra with the William Bonnar Life Saving Award July 26, 2016

Photo: Orland Fire Protection District Battalion Chiefs receive Chief Fire Officer certifications

Photo: Orland Fire Protection District Battalion Chiefs receive Chief Fire Officer certifications

On May 26, 2016, Fire Chief/Administrator Mike Schofield (far right), Battalion Chief Bill Bonnar (2nd from right), Jr, Battalion Chief Nick Cinquepalmi (center) and Battalion Chief Greg Ferro (far left) received their Chief Fire Officer certification.  

This is the highest certification that the Office of the State Fire Marshall recognizes and the Orland Fire Protection District’s Command Staff now all hold this title, as Battalion Chief Dan Smith (2nd from left) completed his certification previously. 

The program consists of: Leadership, Communications, Personal & Professional Development, Community Relations, Intergovernmental Relations, Human Resources, Legal Issues, Strategic Planning, Emergency Management, Code Enforcement & Public Education, Budget & Finance, Life Safety Initiatives, and is designed and intended for Command level officers and/or Administrators who have the responsibilities of supervising and administrating a Fire Department or Fire District.

Fire Chief/Administrator Mike Schofield (far right), Battalion Chief Bill Bonnar (2nd from right), Jr, Battalion Chief Nick Cinquepalmi (center) and Battalion Chief Greg Ferro (far left). Battalion Chief Dan Smith (2nd from left)