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Uprighting Semi-truck, Trailer: Fire Department Report June 18-24, 2017


uprighting semi-truck trailer university park
A semi-truck and trailer was blown on its side last week in University Park. (PFFD)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Park Forest Fire Department responded to simultaneous accidents last Tuesday. One involved an accident at Sauk Trail and Peach Street, the other involved uprighting a semi-truck and trailer which was blown over by high winds in University Park.

Details follow below.

The total responses for the week were 58. Of these, 12 were for fire/service, 46 were EMS calls.

Response Activity

On Tuesday, June 20, the department responded to simultaneous accidents just as the weather turned stormy.

Shortly after 3 p.m. units were dispatched to Sauk Trail at Peach Street and to an assist to University Park for accidents possibly related to high winds and storms.

The injuries were minor; however, the traffic impact was significant from both of these accidents.

The University Park accident resulted from a single semi-truck and trailer which was blown over by high winds near the I-57 ramp. The driver only needed assistance in exiting the truck cab; however, the operation to upright the semi took some time.

Just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, Park Forest and Matteson units were dispatched to Juniper Tower for a fire alarm. Units arrived to find a small stove fire with extension to the cabinets above in one of the apartment units.

The fire was quickly extinguished limiting damage in this incident and there was no need to evacuate residents from the building. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental and building maintenance was contacted to assist the resident with the clean-up.

On Friday evening, June 23, Park Forest units, along with automatic aid partners Matteson, Richton Park and South Chicago Heights, were dispatched to a possible fire in the basement in the 100 block of Forest Boulevard.

Units arrived to find white smoke coming from two cooperative units. Firefighters quickly determined it was a dryer fire in the basement of one unit and quickly extinguished the fire. Smoke was ventilated from two units and crews were quickly back in service.

Training Activities

On Monday, June 19, members of “Red” shift completed coordinated fire attack training at the training site. In this training, members completed hands-on scenarios attacking a grade level fire, upper level fire and basement fire.

On Tuesday, June 20, “Gold “shift completed ladder rescue training. In this session, members demonstrated techniques used to remove both conscious and unconscious victims from a second floor using ground ladders.

Wednesday, June 21, thru Friday, June 23, career members participated in the National Safety Stand Down day. The event is coordinated by the International Association of Fire Chiefs Safety, Health and Survival Section and the National Volunteer Fire Council, and is supported by national and international fire and emergency service organizations as well as health and safety-related organizations and agencies.

During this year’s event, members trained on topics including Mayday, firefighting rules of engagement and physical fitness.

Other Activities

On Wednesday, the Fire Chief attended the monthly meeting of the regional fire chief’s association. These meeting allow the chiefs to share their experience and issues and work towards the common good of the area fire service. Key topics in this meeting included the relocation of the box alarm dispatch center and the transfer and updating of each departments’ box alarm cards. Box Alarm Cards detail a pre-planned response to larger incidents inside a specific jurisdiction by neighboring fire departments.

On Friday, members of the Park Forest Fire Department gathered to celebrate the retirement of Paid on Call 2nd Lieutenant/Paramedic Pam Frey. With more than 33 years of service to the community as a member of the Paid-On-Call division, Pam’s contributions to the department will be missed. Pam Frey was currently the 3rd most senior member of the POC division; a division that contains approximately 17 POC’s and volunteers, who supplement the career division during emergency responses and other activities.


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