Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Ben Franklin fire in 1973 is one of the great tragedies in Palatine history. Three firefighters lost their lives fighting it, and a memorial will be held Saturday to honor their sacrifice.
Saturday will mark 40 years to the day that three volunteer Palatine firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting a fire at a Ben Franklin store in downtown Palatine. The fire broke out in the early morning hours of Friday, February 23, 1973 at the store located on the west side of Brockway Street north of Slade Street, and quickly spread throughout the building. Volunteer firemen John Wilson, 40, who owned the Ben Franklin store, Warren Ahlgrim, 32, and Richard Freeman, 25, whose father owned Zimmer Hardware, all died from smoke inhalation as they fought the fire in the basement of the building. The Palatine Fire Department will host a memorial ceremony at 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 23 at the corner of Brockway and Slade …
42.11127
-88.04619
N Brockway St & W Slade St, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-salutes-40th-anniversary-of-firefighter-line-of-duty-deaths
/locations/8868222
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Firefighters encountered an object that landed by parachute on a Palatine homeowner's backyard deck. On it, it said it could be flammable and to call the fire department if found.
Palatine firefighters responded to a call Tuesday morning in the 100 block of Greenwood Avenue from a homeowner that found an unidentified object on her backyard deck, with an ominous warning on it. The woman called 9-1-1 around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and told dispatch she found a parachute, and an object that had verbiage on it that stated "the balloon may contain flammable gas so contact your fire department if found", said Bill Gabrenya, deputy fire chief. Gabrenya said firefighters were on the scene by 9:49 a.m., and when they got closer to the balloon, additional smaller wording stated it was a NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) weather instrument. The fire department took all the debris, which included a parachute, a broken balloon and…
42.095832
-88.048761
Palatine Fire Department Station 84
220 W Illinois Ave, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-fire-department-responds-to-unusual-call-tuesday
1373278
/locations/8847641
The fire occurred in the 100 block of N. Rohlwing Road, there were five residents and two dogs in the home at the time of the blaze.
The Palatine Fire Department was able to extinguish a substantial fire in the 100 block of Rohlwing Road in less than a half hour Monday night. The call came in at 10:22 p.m. regarding smoke coming from a second floor window of the home at 102 N. Rohlwing Road. The fire department arrived within five minutes and began to search the home, according to a Palatine Fire Department press release. Five residents and one dog has already escaped, while fire rescuers searched the home, they found and removed a second dog from the two-story wood frame single family home. In all, 24 firefighters from Palatine and Rolling Meadows battled the fire, Long Grove Fire Protection District provided an ambulance and coverage at a Palatine fire station during…
42.110218
-88.019533
Palatine Fire Department Station 83
987 E Palatine Rd, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-fire-department-knocks-out-monday-morning-fire
1373692
/locations/8841368
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Neighbors reported seeing fire and smoke coming from a second floor window, the residents were not at home at the time of the fire.
The Palatine Fire Department responded to a report of smoke and fire at a home in the 600 block of Thornhill Lane late Sunday morning. The residents were not home when neighbors reported seeing smoke and fire at 11:35 a.m. coming from a second floor window at 635 E. Thornhill Lane, according to a Palatine Fire Department press release. Initial crews arrived on the scene before 11:40 a.m. and observed heavy smoke from the second floor window, the release stated, firefighters were able to get the fire under control within seven minutes. The fire was contained to a hallway and an open office area, and the homeowners arrived home as crews were still on the scene. According to the release, smoke damage was considerable, causing the second …
42.095832
-88.048761
Palatine Fire Department Station 84
220 W Illinois Ave, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-fire-department-battle-house-fire-on-thornhill-lane-sunday
1373278
/locations/8861179
42.13594
-88.02767
635 E Thornhill Ln, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-fire-department-battle-house-fire-on-thornhill-lane-sunday
/locations/8861180
Monday, February 11, 2013
A pinning ceremony was held at the Palatine Village Council meeting for six promotions, four new firefighters, a new fire marshal and chaplain.
The Palatine Village Council Monday meeting was the setting for a number of official pinning ceremonies that highlighted promotions and new faces within the Palatine Fire Department. “These men have challenged themselves to go above and beyond to become leaders in the future. We’ve got a fire department in Palatine that is second to none,” said Mayor Jim Schwantz. The vacancies actually date back to July of 2012, but as Fire Chief Scott Andersen put it before the ceremony began, “this makes it official.” Among the promotions were: New firefighters: New fire department chaplain: After the pinning ceremony was completed, Chief Andersen expressed pride in his department, many of which filled the audience of more than 50 people. “I cannot tell…
42.11306
-88.038869
Village of Palatine
200 E Wood St, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-holds-ceremony-to-highlight-new-faces-roles-in-fire-department
299247
/locations/8792019
Monday, February 4, 2013
A woman entering southbound Route 53 from the on-ramp slid into a semi tractor trailer Dundee Road just before noon Monday. No one was injured.
Road conditions likely contributed to a black sedan sliding down the southbound on-ramp to Route 53 just before noon Monday, causing the vehicle to clip a semi. Fortunately, the driver of the black sedan was not injured in the accident that occurred at the Dundee Road on-ramp. Lt. Nate Paulsberg with the Palatine Fire Department said the call came in at 11:46 a.m. and crews were on the scene at 11:49 a.m. The woman was heading southbound onto Route 53 as the semi was already on the expressway travelling southbound. After sliding down the ramp, her sedan hit the front end of the semi, Paulsberg said. Traffic was moving slowly at the time due to congestion and the weather, according to Paulsberg, and the truck driver reporteldy saw the …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The current data system dates back to the 1990’s; Verizon Wireless will provide an upgraded communications system expected to increase reliability for emergency communications and overall enhance public safety provided by Palatine police and fire.
The Palatine Village Council recently approved a bid to provide a new in-car data system to fortify emergency communications in a total of 43 public safety vehicles. Island Tech Services won the bid to supply the in-car wireless data equipment. The company was the lowest bidder at a price of $41,052.00. The current systems dates back to the early 1990's and a change was needed for the system to run at full potential, according to Larry Schroth, director of information technology for the Village of Palatine. Palatine police and fire will now utilize the Verizon Wireless 4G private network, allowing for quicker, real-time updates in emergency situations, in addition to information being sought for running plates during traffic stops, and …
42.11306
-88.038869
Village of Palatine
200 E Wood St, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-public-safety-vehicles-to-be-equipped-with-new-wireless-system
299247
/locations/8715865
42.120884
-88.033818
Palatine Police Department
595 N Hicks Rd, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-public-safety-vehicles-to-be-equipped-with-new-wireless-system
1373254
/locations/8715866
42.11488
-88.042413
Palatine Fire Department Station No. 85
39 E Colfax St, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-public-safety-vehicles-to-be-equipped-with-new-wireless-system
1373280
/locations/8715867
Thursday, January 10, 2013
The homeowner sustained burns and smoke inhalation, the fire started in the living room and there was extensive smoke damage.
A Palatine townhouse fire which started late Thursday night left the home uninhabitable. The homeowner suffered injuries and was transported to the hospital. Acccording to a Palatine Fire Department press release, the fire was reported by a neighbor, and occurred at 1360 Knollwood Drive just before midnight Thursday. When Palatine police and firemen arrived at midnight, fire was observed coming out of the front door and first floor windows, the press release stated. The fire was extinguished and under control by 12:07 a.m., the release stated. The homeowner, who was the only occupant, was attempting to extinguish the fire with a garden hose as police and firemen arrived, and did sustain smoke inhalation and burns on his hands. He was …
42.13701
-88.033871
Palatine Fire Department Station 82
1475 N Hicks Rd, Palatine, IL
/articles/townhouse-fire-in-palatine-causes-150k-in-damage-home-uninhabitable
1373691
/locations/8578105
All three departments will expand intergovernmental agreements to enhance training, efficiency and performance in an effort to streamline operations and improve service to the communities they cover.
The Village of Palatine Fire Department, the Palatine Rural Fire Protection District and the City of Rolling Meadows are fortifying their current partnerships to further enhance the services they provide to residents of the three jurisdictions. The three departments have intergovernmental agreements already in place, but new opportunities to partner are expected to increase overall efficiency and firefighter safety while producing a costs savings for all three departments. “This is a concerted effort to train together more often; this ensures all three departments are trained at the same level on the same topics,” Scott Andersen, Palatine fire chief said. Andersen explained not every training must be done in the same physical location, but…
42.095832
-88.048761
Palatine Fire Department Station 84
220 W Illinois Ave, Palatine, IL
/articles/palatine-fire-department-strengthens-relationship-with-palatine-rural-rolling-meadows
1373278
/locations/8563969
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The fire in the 1200 block of Long Valley Drive at Rand Road occurred around 11 a.m. Monday, and is currently under investigation.
Firefighters responded Monday to reports from multiple passers-by regarding a fire in the 1200 block of Long Valley Drive in Palatine Township, according to a press release from the Palatine Fire Department. No one was injured in the apartment fire at 1213 Long Valley Drive, and the tenants were not in the residence at the time of the incident. Firefighters arrived at 11:01 a.m., the press release stated, and observed smoke coming from the ground-floor apartment in the 3-story, 6-apartment building. As excessive smoke and heat were present throughout, a third floor resident was assisted out of the building to safety. Due to heat and smoke damage, the apartment was deemed uninhabitable, but the five other units sustained no damage, the …
42.133804
-88.006876
1213 E Long Valley Dr, Palatine, IL
/articles/fire-leaves-palatine-township-apartment-uninhabitable
/locations/8406095
Justin B
1:42 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
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