SUV crashes into Orland Post Office, one injured: photos attached

SUV crashes into Orland Post Office, one injured: photos attached

Firefighters from the Orland Fire Protection District were dispatched at around 1:09 pm today (Thursday Oct. 24, 2013) to the Orland Park Post Office at 144th Street after a mid-sized SUV drove through the Post Office's front window. The driver was checked and released without any injuries but an Post Office customer inside the building sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment. 

Firefighters also inspected the damage to the building concluding there was no major structural damage to make the building unsafe. The Orland Fire Protection District worked with Postal employees to remove debris and salvage property.

The identity of the victim was not released.

RUSH UPDATE:

Update on SUV accident at Orland Post Office

The driver was an elderly woman, and her name and age were not immediately available.

The injured woman was reported in good condition with minor injuries.

Fire Chief Ken Brucki released this statement.

"We had paramedics on the scene immediately. Only one individual was taken to the hospital but I understand she is in good condition, with only minor injuries. We also had trained personnel on scene to assess the structure of the building itself to ensure it did not suffer structural damage. It did not so once it is cleaned up and the windows are boarded, it should be re-opened to the public," Chief Ken Brucki said.

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Orland Fire Protection District inaugurates new Senior Advisory Council

Orland Fire Protection District inaugurates new Senior Advisory Council

The Orland Fire Protection District introduced the newly reorganized Senior Advisory Council (SAC), promising the new group will focus all its energies on the interests of the Fire DIstrict and the needs of the Fire District's senior members.

The SAC was first created in 2009 to address the needs of seniors on issues of health and fire safety, explained SAC Liaison Rosemaria Genova who introduced each of the new board members at the October regular meeting of the OFPD Board of Trustees.

Chief Ken Brucki applauded the new Senior Advisory Council and their promise to make the district's seniors and the district's fire needs their number one priority.

"Seniors are a very important community for the Orland Fire Protection District. The Fire District is constantly evaluating its service and the needs of seniors," said Chief Ken Brucki.

"The new Senior Advisory Council will help the Fire District continue to meet the needs and the expectations of our senior community. We want to make sure that not only do we respond to the needs of seniors professionally, efficiently and successfully, but we also want to ensure that our senior community has a means of directly communicating with us what they expect and what they need."

The new senior group includes past members and new members and plans to grow to be as representative of the senior community as possible.

"We want more seniors to become involved. We know the fire district is very important to the senior community and that the seniors are an important group that the fire district strives to serve," Genova said.

In her remarks in introducing the new senior board, Genova added, "But, this Senior Advisory Council is unique because it is dedicated exclusively to the interests of the fire district by supporting  our mission to serve our residents, especially the seniors," Genova said.

"One of the most important and growing constituencies of the district is our senior population. SAC members believe it is our responsibility to make them our priority and service their interests and their interests alone. That sets us apart from others …that are also doing good things, and moves our group forward in a new direction. We have a lot of good volunteers who are very active in the community and whose backgrounds and talents will make this council productive."

Board of Trustees President Jim Hickey praised the organization saying the board is committed to supporting the Senior Advisory Council and to work with them in helping to ensure that the senior public is made aware of all of the services that the Orland Fire Protection District offers.

"I am glad that they now have a strong and effective voice. As the Fire District Board, we will listen and work with you closely," Hickey said.

The new Senior Advisory Council members include: 

Rosemary Ihle (Station 1);  Grace Fiorenza (Station2); Janice Pierhal (Station 3); Diana Husband (Station 5); Mane Pritza (Station 5); Caryl R. Tietz (Station 6); and, Joe Gleiter (Station 6). SAC hopes to have two volunteers representing each of the district's 6 Fire Stations.

The Senior Advisory Council also includes full-time members of the Fire District on its board including Fire Prevention Supervisor Mike Ercoli, Public Education Coordinator Betsy Dine, Administrative Assistant Gerry Strunka and Battalion Chief Raymond Kay.

"We are seeking more involvement of our Senior Community int he Senior Advisory Council and we encourage any senior in the Fire District to reach out to us at the Fire Headquarters and join as volunteers," Brucki said.

"Your involvement will help make our Fire District even more responsive and effective in serving our community."

Genova also submitted a copy of the new SAC "Code of Ethics" to ensure that the Senior Advisory Council remains focused on senior and fire district needs. (A copy is published below.)

Seniors interested in joining the Advisory Council can either stop in at the Fire District Headquarters at 9790 W. 151st Street, Orland Park, IL., 60462, or call 708-349-0074 for more information. You can also go online and download the application form at this link on the Orland Fire Protection District's website:

http://www.orlandfire.org/communityoutreach/senioradvisorycouncil

(The OFPD Website at www.OrlandFire.org has lots of information about the fire District. We hope you will also check it out.)

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Remarks of Rosemaria Genova introducing the new SAC Board members:

President Hickey, Board Members, Chief Brucki …ladies and gentlemen:

You may recall the Senior Advisory Council or SAC was established in 2009… for the purpose of identifying and addressing the specific needs of the senior residents of our district with respect to health and safety.

Last year, Chief Brucki asked the remaining senior council members to:

a)  Revamp the group

b)  Give it structure

c)   A defined purpose and

d)  Allow for more district-wide participation.

Those of us remaining…accepted the challenge…and in February, the board formally adopted the new Senior Advisory Council with:

a)  Written By-Laws

b)  Policies and Procedures and

c)   A new board comprised of two representatives from each of the six fire stations.

It's very important for me to stress that the Orland Fire Protection District recognizes and respects that there are many senior groups with a wide range of goals, objectives and priorities.

We support them all.

But, this Senior Advisory Council is unique because it is dedicated exclusively to the interests of the fire district by supporting  our mission to serve our residents, especially the seniors.

One of the most important and growing constituencies of the district is our senior population. 

SAC members believe it is our responsibility to make them our priority and service their interests and their interests alone.

That sets us apart from others …that are also doing good things, and moves our group forward in a new direction.

We have a lot of good volunteers who are very active in the community and whose backgrounds and talents will make this council productive.

Recently, we held an orientation led by Chief Brucki and Fire Prevention Supervisor Mike Ercoli where members learned about the administrative and fire service side of the district. 

It was a very comprehensive overview of district operations.

Each meeting, SAC members will participate in a different training session.  For instance…. 

At our last meeting, Battalion Chief Kay gave the group an overview of the Community Care Program and how SAC will help in promoting this program. 

At our last meeting the group also adopted a Code of Ethics which all of you should have… so the council will operate within the governing documents and in the best interests of the group as a whole.

Our next meeting will focus on the district’s Foundation and this weekend, SAC members will be on hand to assist district staff at our annual Open House.

We are also scheduling a CPR class for the council in the near future.

So on behalf of the SAC members, we want thank the Board of Trustees, Chief Brucki and all of the staff for their continued support and cooperation of this council.

At this time I would like to ask each of the SAC members to come forward and introduce themselves and tell us which Station they represent.

SAC Code of Ethics

It is the responsibility of council members to:

 Act within the governing documents of the council and the law – being aware of the contents of the organization’s governing documents and the law as it applies to the Orland Fire Protection District Senior Advisory Council (S.A.C).

 Act in the best interest of S.A.C. as a whole – considering what is best for the organization and its beneficiaries-the residents- and avoiding bringing S.A.C. into disrepute.

 Manage conflicts of interest effectively – registering, declaring and resolving conflicts of interest, not gaining materially or financially.

 Respect confidentiality – understanding what confidentiality means in practice for S.A.C. and the individuals involved with it.

 Have a sound and up-to-date knowledge of S.A.C. and its environment – understanding how S.A.C. works and the environment within which it operates.

 Attend meetings, appointments or other S.A.C assignments and advise if unable to fulfill obligations– be considerate of others’ time.

 Prepare fully for meetings for S.A.C. – reading papers, querying anything you don’t understand and thinking through issues in good time before meetings.

 Actively engage in discussion, debate and voting in meetings – contributing positively, listening carefully to the opinions of others, avoiding conflict and being respectful of others.

 Act jointly and accept a majority decision – making decisions collectively, standing by them and not acting individually.

 Work considerately and respectfully with all – respecting diversity, different roles and boundaries, and avoiding offending others.

Council members are expected to honor the content and spirit of this code.

# # #

Chinese exchange students get tour of OFPD facilities

Chinese exchange students get tour of OFPD facilities

On Thursday October 11, 2012, the Orland Fire Protection District hosted seven exchange students from Guangzhou, China in a cultural exchange cooperative. 

Visiting members viewed ongoing hazardous materials response training, cutting edge Emergency Medical Training using life-like simulators and mannequins, Incident Command Training and communications systems over a three hour period.  Visitors are participating in a program sponsored by The 21^st Century Institute, a non-profit organization working toward maximizing human potential by integrating intellectual, cultural, economic, scientific, and technological resources from different geographical regions of the world.

The 21st Century Institute was founded in the early 1990s and is a non-profit organization based in Oak Brook, Illinois with branch offices in New York and Los Angeles, and in Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming in China.

The goal of the institute is to maximize human potential by integrating intellectual, cultural, economic, scientific, and technological resources from different geographical regions of the world. The Institute strives to be a strong and vital link in bridging the diversity of nations. The current focus of the Institute is networking between the United States and Asia-Pacific region.

Information below/website for the 21^st Century non-for profit organization   http://www.tci21.org/

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(Photos: Chief Ken Brucki and Battalion Chief Raymond Kay lead the visitors on a hands-on tour of OFPD Emergency response services from fighting fires to applying CPR. Photos Courtesy OFPD)

Orland Fire District offers classes for babysitters

Orland Fire District offers classes for babysitters

Orland Park, IL -- The Orland Fire Prevention District is hosting its annual babysitter latchkey kid program for district children.

The program training is designed to help babysitters better understand and prepare for potential emergencies, and address issues including communications, first aid, fire safety, crime safety, weather awareness, and child interaction.

“The need for this program: is ever present as families are started and grow through life,” said Fire Inspector Patrick G. Collier, who is with the Fire Prevention Bureau.

“There are reasonable needs for properly trained babysitters.  A trained babysitter plays an integral part of early child development.  Little children are not self-sufficient and a trained babysitter can be a great asset to the child and the child’s family.”

Participation is limited to 30 students. Applications can be found online at the Fire District website at www.OrlandFire.org. Applicants should download and complete the application and return it to the OFPD Administration Building at 9790 W. 151^stStreet in the Main Conference Room.

Fire Chief Ken Brucki said that too often, babysitters often receive no training to deal with emergencies. He praised Collier for his dedication to bringing this issue to the public's attention.  

"I was excited to learn that Pat Collier was so passionate in his presentation for support to host the program.  Pat, as well as our entire public safety division, continually work on efforts to pass along public safety and education information for the residents we serve," Brucki said.

"A babysitter is a very responsible position watching over our most valuable assets, our children.  We are proud to be able to offer some additional safety education and experiences for the young adults looking to take on the responsibility of watching our children."

The classes shall be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm October 30, November 6, 13, 20 and December 4.

A $30 fee is required for each participating student.

For more information, contact Patrick Collier at 708-873-2741 or by email at p.collier@orlandfire.org.

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ORLAND FIRE DISTRICT REVIVES ROLE FOR SENIORS; Newly created group to work to address senior needs

ORLAND FIRE DISTRICT REVIVES ROLE FOR SENIORS

Newly created group to work to address senior needs

The Orland Fire Protection District launched the new Senior Advisory Council (SAC) this week at a member orientation, promising to engage the district's seniors in the its many services.

The new Senior Advisory Council succeeds the district’s old committee, which was consumed by politics and political bickering, Fire Officials said. It's founding was coordinated by OFPD Senior Liaison Rosemaria Genova.

Fire Chief Ken Brucki and Fire Prevention Supervisor Mike Ercoli addressed the Senior Advisory Council at a “member orientation” held on Thursday, Sept. 26. They emphasized the mandate of the new SAC is to educate seniors and the community about Fire District Services.

“We have a large senior community and we need to not only make them all aware of the services we have for them, and for the community at large, but to also encourage their feedback so we can constantly improve and be more responsive to their real needs,” Brucki said.

“Seniors rely on the Fire District services and we take this responsibility seriously. The new Senior Advisory Council is going to focus on ensuring that these services are delivered and that the Orland Fire Prevention District gets the feedback it needs to continue to address the needs of our senior community.”

The council was officially formed a few months ago and serves as a bridge between OFPD officials and the large senior population in the district. 

During the orientation, Chief Brucki stressed the importance of engaging seniors directly into the fire district administration.

“Our goal in the district is to preserve life and property.  Having a council in place, with representatives from all six fire stations, enables us to communicate life-saving strategies to a growing senior population,” stated Brucki.

“One of our most important functions as a Fire District is not only to respond to fire emergencies, but to also respond to emergency health needs. Our seniors, who are most important in our community, face many of these health problems and we want to ensure we are doing everything we can to address their needs.”

The council will perform studies and research on issues related to seniors, participate in district activities, support the fire foundation and its fundraising efforts, educate seniors about health and safety issues, and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on policy matters affection the senior population.

Brucki urged seniors in the Fire District to join the Senior Advisory Council. SAC members must be 55 years of age, live within the district’s boundaries for at least one year, be persons of good moral character, and have legal citizenship in the country.

“What we need is for seniors to become active in the district. We value their experience and their insight in how the Fire District can best serve their needs,” Brucki said.

OFPD Board Chairman Jim Hickey said that seniors have always played an important role in the Fire District.

“It’s unfortunate that politics disrupted this important role a few years back. But that’s behind us. The past two elections have shown that the majority of residents, especially seniors, want the Fire District to focus on providing the highest quality emergency services and that is what this board is committed to doing,” Hickey said.

“The majority of Fire District residents want firefighters to stay focused on providing the highest quality emergency care services and response, not to be a political lobbying group. There are other places to talk about politics. The new Senior Advisory Council is committed to serving our senior community and to help the district continue to provide the best emergency services of any fire district in the Midwest. Because our firefighters are the best at what they do.”

Brucki said he is planning to introduce the new Senior Advisory Council at the next meeting of the Orland Fire Protection District on Tuesday, October 22. The meeting begins at 5 pm.

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Photo Captions: Chief Brucki meets with founding members of the Orland Fire Protection District Senior Advisory Council. Picture from left to right are:Photo: Mane Pritza, Caryl Tietz, Rosemary Ihle, Chief Brucki, Grace Fiorenza, Diana Husband, Joe Gleiter, and Mike Ercoli. (Janice Pierhal not pictured).

Vehicular arson focus of latest training at Orland Fire Protection District

Vehicular arson focus of latest training at Orland Fire Protection District

The Orland Fire Protection District hosted an Advanced Vehicle Fire Investigation class offered by the International Association of Arson Investigators, instructed by Special Agent Barry Grimm ATF and Capt. Chris Elrod from the Wilmington North Carolina Fire Department. 

The Orland Fire District working in conjunction with the Illinois Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators secured the necessary salvaged vehicles from Auto Medics Orland Park, IL, West and Sons Towing Addison, IL, State Farm Insurance, and Quad City Salvage Auction (QCSA) Hammond, IN. Without the donations of these businesses this type of class would have not been possible.  

Orland Fire District, Fire and Arson Investigators and members of the IL-Chapter of the IAAI worked with the instructors to develop 11 vehicle fire scenarios for the students to determine the origin and cause of the vehicle fires during the practical portion of this advanced class. During the preparation for this class a pre-burn of the vehicles was conducted. 

“The Orland Fire Protection District remains committed to train and continually educate its personnel to ensure the safety of each other and the residents we serve," said OFPD Fire Chief Ken Brucki. " This is a testament to the experience of our personnel not only in the region but the state and national level as well.  We have a very active origin and cause team that investigates every fire in the District and within our division.”

The vehicles were set on fire using different methods to simulate mechanical malfunctions as well as incendiary causes of fire. Students from across the Untied States and Canada converged on Orland Park to attend this class. Students consisted of municipal and private fire investigators, Insurance claims representatives, and Mechanical and Electrical Engineers from General Motors and Chrysler Automotive. 

For there assistance with providing and the preparation of this advanced class, 4 Orland Fire Protection District Fire and Arson investigators attended this class free of charge.

(Photos courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District. Visit their website at www.OrlandFire.org for more details and information.)

Orland Fire Protection District provides training to emergency medical personnel from Advocate Christ Hospital

Orland Fire Protection District provides training to emergency medical personnel from Advocate Christ Hospital

The Orland Fire Protection District hosted it's 15th annual emergency training workshop for doctors and medical personnel from Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn to strengthen emergency response tactics in the region.

The training was held Tuesday at the OFPD Training Facility at 10728 W. 163rd Place in Orland Park, and was supervised by Battalion Chief Raymond Kay.

Orland Firefighters created five typical emergency scenarios and worked with the medical personnel that included emergency room responders to explore the most up-to-date response techniques and strategies.

More than 35 emergency and medical personnel attended the workshop which featured training in  five specific and common scenarios including: providing resuscitation in a closed setting for a victim in a home; providing emergency care to a victim trapped in an underground pipe; extricating and providing emergency care to an individual trapped in a vehicle; provide emergency care to someone tangled on outdoor window cleaning or maintenance equipment several stories up outside a building; and, providing emergency care to victims in collapsed building structures.

Kay set recreating the scenarios would help the emergency personnel gain invaluable experience in dealing with the environmental circumstances of where incidents occur, such as in a vehicle, cramped space, collapsed environment and even four stories above the street on the side of a building.

"Each scenario represents an actual incident that has happened and that the emergency personnel might experience," Kay explained.

"We want to bring the emergency personnel into the situation that Orland firefighters and paramedics encounter frequently."

Battalion Chief Michael Schofield who assisted in supervising the training workshop noted that the emergency hospital personnel are used to working in a controlled environment in the emergency room where patients are brought, but appreciate the opportunity to work in uncontrollable and unpredictable settings outside of the hospital.

During the training sessions, mannequins were used and the doctors inserted tubes, provided resuscitation while inside the simulation training environments that the Orland Fire Protection District maintains at their training center, including a simulated underground sewer pipe system, collapsed building, four story building, burning vehicles and a replica of a typical home front room.

One group worked at the OFPD underground sewer pipe simulation

An emergency room doctor enters the "sewer" pipe to perform a rescue simulation

Inside the underground pipe training system

Fire Personnel use the "Jaws of Life" to open a jammed door on a vehicle during an accident rescue simulation

Trainees work inside this building to replicate collapsed building structure scenarios

A trainee assists in performing a rescue from the top of a building

Resuscitation techniques are discussed in an actual "front room" setting in cramped quarters

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