the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

Station GossipBe on the lookout for hydrants that have been blocked by snow.

‘Keep the Wreath Red’ wrapped up with all red bulbs because there were no fi res in the district during December and the holiday season. Eric S. will be holding a 2-part lecture series entitled “What goes Up Must Come Down, obeying the law of Gravity”. Just kidding Eric....Overheard the Chief’s wife got him a new night light .....so he won’t trip...hmmmmIt seems that the saying, that if it snows on a Sunday it will snow on every Sunday is wrong. Change it to Tuesdays.Falls seem to be the big medical call this month. Please slow down and be careful. And have you checked on your elderly family or neighbors during this cold, ice, and heavy snow. Do they need help getting out to get medicines or food? Do they need help with shoveling or icing their walkway or driveway? Record snowfall for December...we were getting scared that we would see the 51 snowfalls Oscar has predicted in December alone. Then the rains came with ice, but now it’s back to snow. Oscar’s count is 34 snows left as of 01/09/09 - we think. He has to check with his offi cial counter. Keith was the Paramedic from last month’s question.Sorry Lukowski, it wasn’t the calendar you thought was it?

Instructions for Life

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your valuesRemember that silence is sometimes the best answer.Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before. Call your mother.

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Whoops!!!

Well the rumor was true. Here is the picture I told you about last month that was reported hanging on the wall at Finnegans RV.

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - Page 12

January 2009 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

www.harlemroscoefi re.com

Photo by Buzz Carlson

Firefi ghters Mike Baldwin & Reety Radke make the inital attack on a car fi re on Ventura Blvd. . . . see more on p.2

EMS Corner By Captain John Bergeron

Extreme Coldwww.coolantartica.com

A reduction in body temperature results in impaired body function. This is seen most easily in cold weather when you try to do something like tie a shoelace or do up an awkward button with fi ngers that are clumsy with cold. The nerve cells that transmit impulses work more slowly as do the muscles controlling your fi ngers. 12°C is the critical air temperature for good manual dexterity and 8°C for touch sensitivity.

Low temperatures also reduce the effi ciency of pain receptors, so putting an ice pack on a burn or sprain helps to reduce swelling and damage, but also helps with the pain.

A common symptom of cold weather is its effect on urine production. Exposure to cold causes a reduction in blood fl ow to the surface of the skin by constriction of blood vessels. This reduces the overall volume of the circulatory system so increasing the blood pressure. The body’s response to this is to reduce the fl uid volume by getting rid of water in the urine. So when you get cold, you want to pee.

Another reaction you may notice is that when the skin temperature falls below about 10°C, the surface blood vessels dilate (get wider) rather than constrict, If the temperature falls further, periods of blood vessel dilation alternate with periods of constriction, This is because your body is trying not to lose heat from the extremities, but at the same time wants to supply the skin with blood for oxygen and nutrients. This phenomenon explains the red cheeks and nose characteristic of frosty weather. Eventually however the body stops the dilation of the blood vessels to the skin and the skin falls to the surrounding temperatures when frost nip or frost bite may occur.

Goose pimples are an obvious sign that a person is feeling cold. They are caused by the tiny erector pili muscles attached to the base of the hair follicles covering the body. The scientifi c name for this is horripilation. In man it has no effect as we don’t have enough hairs to make a difference, but in animals with a dense coat of fur it improves the insulation considerably.

A fi nal response to decreasing temperature is the increase of heat production. Muscular contraction is an ineffi cient process and causes much heat to be produced, so when we start to feel cold, we may begin to shiver, movements that are useless in themselves, but that generate heat as a by-product and so help to warm us up. Shivering can increase the production of heat fi ve-fold.

The Sacrifi ce of Parts for the Greater GoodIn conditions when the body starts to lose more heat than it can easily generate to keep all parts at the normal 37°C it will start to allow the extremities, fi ngers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks start to get cooler. There is still a blood fl ow to these body parts, but not as much fl ows as does normally. In order to keep the extremities at normal body temperature, greater blood fl ow would be required which would bring cooled blood back to the body core so cooling the body even further. The extremities have a high surface area/volume ratio, so they lose heat very easily.

This reduction of blood fl ow is not normally a problem and happens to some extent for most people much of the time. In extreme or prolonged cold however it can lead to frost-nip and even frost-bite. These are situations in which the body has made the decision to risk or sacrifi ce some of the more expendable regions to preserve the core temperature and so avoid death from hypothermia.

Monitor Body TemperatureInfants less than one year old should never sleep in a cold room because (1) infants lose body heat more easily than adults; and (2) unlike adults, infants can’t make enough body heat by shivering. Provide warm clothing for infants and try to maintain a warm indoor temperature. If the temperature cannot be maintained, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere. In an emergency, you can keep an infant warm using your own body heat. If you must sleep, take precautions to prevent rolling on the baby. Pillows and other soft bedding can also present a risk of smothering; remove them from the area near the baby.

Your ability to feel a change in temperature decreases with age, and older people are more susceptible to health problems caused by cold. If you are over 65 years old, place an easy-to-read thermometer in an indoor location where you will see it frequently, and check the temperature of your home often during the winter months. Also, check on elderly friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated.

It was so cold...when I dialed 911, a recorded message said to phone back in the spring!words froze in the air. If you wanted to hear what someone said, you had to grab a handful of sentences and take them in by the fi re!we pulled everything out of the freezer and huddled inside it to warm up!the snowfl akes froze in the air. Birds hopped from one snowfl ake to another to get into the trees.the politicians had their hands in their OWN pockets!

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From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

Another year has past and a new one has begun. As we have been hearing for months in the media, it will be the beginning of change. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends.

As I stated last month, it is hard to believe that I have been the Chief for a year. The

time has gone by so quickly. It has been a year of learning (in many more ways then one), transition, and adjustments. Our approach I feel has been a successful one to date. We continue to build and improve upon our foundation. This continues to be possible because of the dedication and commitment of all of our offi cers, fi refi ghters and the support staff of the Fire District. I am honored to be able to represent all of you at various functions that I attend. I remain committed to the continued growth and success of the Harlem Roscoe Fire Protection District.

We fi nished the calendar year of 2008 with 2434 calls. That is the most calls that Harlem Roscoe FPD has responded to. As the communities continue to grow so will the needs for our services. As the needs grow, I can assure everyone we will remain proactive to our commitment to provide excellence, integrity and caring in our performance of our emergency fi re, medical and rescue services.

We have just started a new recruit class. We have 11 individuals in the class with a completion date in March. These individuals will devote Tuesday evenings and all day Sunday to be trained prior to being placed on probation. I would like to thank all the instructors in advance for them taking time out of their personal lives to teach these individuals.

We are fully entrenched in the winter season now so stay warm and be safe but remember each day that passes we are that much closer to spring.

Remember to check out our website www.harlemroscoefi re.com to keep up with the progress of the department, individuals and call we have had. As always don’t hesitate to contact me or stop by if I can be of any assistance.

Electric Transformer BurnsPhoto by Sheryl Drost

December 29, a passing motorist reported that a transformer on McCurry Road was smoking. Firefi ghters found the transformer was actually burning and called in the electric company. The

electric company was happy to locate the reason for the power outage in the area. After they were able to take this transformer out of the loop, power was restored to the area.

SUV Destroyed by FirePhotos by Buzz Carlson & Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters fi nd the front end of an SUV totally involved with fi re when they arrive on Ventura Blvd. on January 5.

Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake checks on fi refi ghters Paul Stanphill, Reety Radke, and Mike Baldwin as they fi nish putting out the engine area of the SUV.

Chimney FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

The resident on Moorewoods Dr. kept saying she was embarrassed to have called the fi re department on January 8 when her fi replace started smoking up the house. Chief Shoevlin assured her it was OK, that he was glad she called. She said they use the fi replace to heat the home, but think they might have gotten the fi re too hot; she was right. Firefi ghters checked

the attic for fi re and put out the one in the fi replace - the fi re in the chimney was already out. The chimney above the roof was damaged from the heat, and the residents were advised to have the chimney checked by a professional before using it again.

Chief Shoevlin and fi refi ghters fi nd that the driveway to the home is covered in ice; a very common problem this winter.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 2 The Firehouse Scene - Page 11 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Birthdays

January 3rd Jim Johnson4th Bill Hyde5th Matt Bush13th Clint Evans17th John Presley21st Brian Mayer25th Jerry Lund “60th”26th Reety Radke “21st”31st Mark Soppe

February

10th Rob Gonia Neil Roe12th Ken O’Dell15th Scott Jensen23rd Brian Szilagyi25th Tom Ricotta

February Breakfast ListDon Shoevlin & the

HRFA Auxiliary Members

Total Calls for 20082434

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor, Layout, Writer, Photo - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.com

Email submissions to: Firefoto4@aol.com

Happy Birthday

Jerry Lund 60thJanuary 25th

Public Educationby the Pub Ed Division

Happy New Year! It’s time to think about public education for 2009. WAIT!!! We should always be thinking about public education. As busy as we were last year, all should be educated; but of course, that’s not the case. Public education is not just limited to fi re prevention; it also includes water safety, home safety, disaster and emergency preparedness, CPR, EMS, CO monitoring and much more. So, please don’t mistake public education as strictly fi re prevention.

We had good feedback at the open house regarding the side-by-side burn rooms. New laws now require sprinkler systems in specifi c residential dwellings. We are planning another demonstration for village offi cials to help us enforce these new laws. The demonstration speaks for itself. It can be also seen on our website at www.harlemroscoefi re.com in the photo section. Look for side-by-side demo video.

Public education is a big part of most of our events. The younger we start educating the public, the better for all concerned. From station tours to festivals, the message should be the same. So your attendance is very important

Station UpdatesBy Assistant Chief Ken O’Dell

Well another year has passed and here we go with 2009. Has anyone else besides me, put down 2008 on a report yet?

On January 2, we had our fi rst house fi re of the year and I had command. Thanks for everyone that showed up. You did a great job! We did have a couple little incidents though that could have been serious. Please let your offi cer know if you do any damage outside of the immediate fi re zone. The homeowners and their insurance company were very appreciative of the care everyone took in putting down the tarps and taking down the TV and pictures off the wall before breaking into the chimney wall, thus creating the least amount of damage as possible. Again, good job to everyone; but remember sometimes it’s the little things that make us look good.

We are looking for drivers for M.D.A. Lockup at the Firehouse Pub. It will be February 5 from 9am-5pm. If you can help for 2-3 hours, please contact me.

Take Time. . .Take time to chase the snowfl akes.

Take time to live your own life.

Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience

and invest them in the future.

Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste. Benjamin Franklin

Gone, But not forgotten

Some people come into our lives, and quickly go.

Some stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts.

And, we are never, ever the same.

• Doug Wolfe’s mom, Rose Shreve, passed away December 12 at the age of 65.

Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Doug and his family.

Attic FireStory & Photos by Sheryl Drost

January 2, children in a home on Country Ct. kept telling their dad they smelled something burning, but he couldn’t fi nd anything. When smoke fi nally became visible, they called 9-1-1. Firefi ghters found the fi re in the attic above the fi replace. It seems the insulation tight up against the fi replace chimney pipe had been smoldering and fi nally caught fi re. This is a reminder to check that any combustibles have the proper clearance from the chimney stack pipes in your home.

Firefi ghters check for fi re extension on the roof and in the attic.

Firefi ghters check areas on the roof for heat and fi re extension around the fi replace chimney pipe.

Firefi ghters enter the attic through the scuttle hole in the garage to check part of the attic for smoke and fi re.

Firefi ghter Mike Huffman opens up the area in the wall near the ceiling to check for fi re extension.

Fire damage was contained to the area around the fi replace chimney pipe.

Christmas Visitors Photos by Sheryl Drost

Two tykes stopped by Station One with their parents to drop off home-baked Christmas treats for the fi refi ghters. It was really cute when the little girl saw fi refi ghter Megan Alms she squealed, “Mom, a fi re lady!” Thanks for the treats, the fi refi ghters loved them!

The Firehouse Scene - Page 10 The Firehouse Scene - Page 3 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s Christmas Needy Family DriveLocal residents and Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters got into the Christmas spirit as they donated monies, food, and toys to the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Needy Family Christmas Drive. A list was created of 20 families with a total of 64 children in the fi re district that could use a little help at this time of the year. Donations were collected and then the fi refi ghters went shopping. Each family received a basket of food complete with a turkey and all the fi xings, as well as staples such as milk and bread. And then each child in the family received presents of toys and clothes. Michelle, a divorced mother of three said, “I saw a fi re truck pull up out front and thought oh no, something has happened. But, when I opened the door, here were fi refi ghters with a huge food basket and presents for all my kids. They made our Christmas something special. Thank you Harlem-Roscoe Fire!”

Welcome, New Recruits!By Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson

Over the next several weeks, you will be seeing some new faces within our organization. The Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District has started its annual recruit training. We started with 20 applicants but now have 11 that are currently in the class.

Some of these individuals already have past fi re experience and are eager to start their educational journey with our organization. It takes an individual who is dedicated to his/her community to take part in such a special organization like ours.

I ask all fi re personnel to show respect and treat these individuals as fellow brothers and sisters. Help them on their journey of becoming part of one of the best organizations in Northern Illinois. Our new recruits are our future and we must see that they receive the very best training from you and our team of dedicated instructors. I know we all like to give the new people a hard time but don’t forget we were all once the “new person”. Never forget where you came from!

The current recruit class schedule is posted and I ask all fi re personnel to get involved with sharing your experiences with these new individuals. Those who are interested with assisting with the recruit class, contact the lead instructor posted on the class schedule. As always, train safe. Thank you for your cooperation and dedication.

Probie Sworn In

Left, Trustee Jim Burdick gives the Firefi ghter Oath to Greg Wernick after he sucessfully completed his 6-month probration period. Right, Greg had his Captain, Tim Bergeron pin him.

State Certifi cations Awarded

Deputy Chiefs John Presley and Kirk Wilson are presented with their Fire Offi cer II certifi cates by Chief Don Shoevlin.

Chief Don Shoevlin presented Randy Lovelace, Joe Koeninger, Mark Schaffman, Chris Farr, Rico VanderHeyden, and Greg Wernick with their FFII & Hazmat Awareness certifi cates.

Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson and Chief Don Shoevlin presented Captain John Bergeron with his Instructor II and Offi cer I certifi cates.

Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson and Chief Don Shoevlin presented Captain Tim Bergeron with his Emergency Vehicle Operator Ceriifi cate.

Chief Don Shoevlin and Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson presented the following certifi cates: Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake-Trench Rescue Operations, Reety Radke-Technical Rescue Awareness, Scott Jensen-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Lindsey Wierick-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Jordan Stark-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Jason Schmeling-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Andrew Yastrab-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Ken Boris-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Eric Schweitzer-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Gina McCauley-Technical Rescue Awareness, Chris Farr-Technical Rescue Awareness, and Brandon Tietz-Technical Rescue Awareness.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 4 The Firehouse Scene -Page 9

The Firehouse Scene -Page 8 The Firehouse Scene - Page 5 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

12/17/08 McCurry Rd. & Hwy 251 12/17/08 Hononegah Rd.

12/25/08 Hononegah Road and Tresmer

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost Fire Scene Investigation Overhaul & Preserving EvidenceBy Captain Mike Drost – CFI

When it comes to the origin and cause of a fi re, the Fire Chief is mandated by law that he, or a person appointed by him, must do an investigation of the fi re to fi nd the cause of that fi re. With that said, when we are in the heat of the battle, we sometimes tend to get over zealous with putting the wet stuff on the red stuff. This can make fi nding the origin and cause very hard to do. There are some things that can be done or not be done when fi ghting a fi re to help with the investigation to not only preserve evidence but show respect and professionalism while fi ghting the fi re.

During the extinguishment, be mindful that if it is not a hazard, or in the way of getting to the seat of the fi re, leave it in place or just move it aside. Yes, we do what is needed to put out the fi re; but try not to do any more damage to contents or the structure than necessary. Be careful when moving about in areas so that you do not fall through or make any unnecessary openings.When it is time for the overhaul of the fi re, it is important to leave as much of the original contents and structure in place. The reason is to preserve the scene for any evidence.

We had a large industrial fi re that, upon investigation, we found the fi re was set to cover up a burglary. We didn’t know for sure until we found evidence that the door lock had been forcibly removed from an entry door. We were able to recover it because that area was not torn apart during the overhaul. And one of the persons involved did go to prison for arson!

Another case was a residential fi re that was caused by a toaster oven, and a lot of expensive birds died in the fi re. We did our overhaul of the kitchen fi re without removing the three items that were on the counter top: a coffee maker, ice maker, and toaster oven. The insurance company had the items tested and found out that it was the toaster oven. This did go to subrogation, and the insurance company did sue the maker of the toaster oven for their losses from the fi re. If the item had not been preserved, it is a possibility that the fi re department or fi refi ghters involved could have taken the place of the manufacturer of the toaster oven in the lawsuit. It has happened and could happen to any of us if they deem it to be willful neglect.

The last one was an accidental fi re in a house caused by the break down of an electrical cord to a house lamp. A teenage child at the home was off school for the day and decided to do house cleaning as a surprise for her parents. She did the bedrooms, kitchen, and started on the family room. She pulled out the couch and cleaned, then pushed the couch back against the wall. On that wall was a small space heater that was not in use, but still had power to it. She left the room, and in a short time, found that a fi re had started around the couch. After the fi re was out, she stated that she may have started the fi re by pushing the couch up to that wall heater. She felt it was her fault and that her parents were going to hate her forever. I was told that there was no need to investigate the fi re because the girl said she thought she had accidentally turned on the heater. But, the burn patterns were telling me another story.

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After some reconstruction of what was left of the couch and the items around the couch, we found the real cause. We found that an electric cord for a lamp had been pinched between the leg of the couch and the carpet for a long time and the electric cord had fi nally shorted out and started the fi re. Although it would have been an accidental fi re either way, I will always remember the look of relief on the young girls face that she didn’t cause the fi re.

So I hope that in the future we will continue to do our job in a professional way, preserving what we can. And if anyone has a question on overhauling a fi re scene in the least damaging way, please ask for help from the investigators. I know in the old days we were taught to overhaul a room by completely throwing everything out the window. Now, the contents need to remain in the room and that old idea needs to be thrown out the window. You just never know when a fi re could turn out to be a set fi re (arson), a mechanical failure, or just an accident.

What’s Missing?

There are items missing in the second picture of Engine 701 on a recent call. Can you fi nd all 20?

01/07/09 Hwy 251 West Frontage Road - 9 students, no injuries 01/08/09 Banyan Dr. & Apple Jack - no kids on bus

It’s Going to Be a Cold Winter

It was autumn, and the Indians on a remote reservation asked their new Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society he had never been taught the old secrets, so when he looked at the sky he couldn’t tell what the weather was going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was

indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service

and asked, “Is the coming winter going to be cold?” “It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold indeed,” the Meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.

One week later he called the National Weather Service again. “Is it going to be a very cold winter?” “Yes,” the man at National Weather Service again replied, “it’s going to be a very cold winter.” The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect Every scrap of wood they could fi nd.

Two weeks later he called the National Weather Service again. “Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?” “Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s going to be one of the coldest winters ever.” “How can you be so sure?” the Chief asked. The weatherman replied, “The Indians are collecting wood like crazy.”

The Firehouse Scene - Page 6 The Firehouse Scene - Page 7

2008- A Year in Review

The Firehouse Scene -Page 8 The Firehouse Scene - Page 5 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

12/17/08 McCurry Rd. & Hwy 251 12/17/08 Hononegah Rd.

12/25/08 Hononegah Road and Tresmer

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost Fire Scene Investigation Overhaul & Preserving EvidenceBy Captain Mike Drost – CFI

When it comes to the origin and cause of a fi re, the Fire Chief is mandated by law that he, or a person appointed by him, must do an investigation of the fi re to fi nd the cause of that fi re. With that said, when we are in the heat of the battle, we sometimes tend to get over zealous with putting the wet stuff on the red stuff. This can make fi nding the origin and cause very hard to do. There are some things that can be done or not be done when fi ghting a fi re to help with the investigation to not only preserve evidence but show respect and professionalism while fi ghting the fi re.

During the extinguishment, be mindful that if it is not a hazard, or in the way of getting to the seat of the fi re, leave it in place or just move it aside. Yes, we do what is needed to put out the fi re; but try not to do any more damage to contents or the structure than necessary. Be careful when moving about in areas so that you do not fall through or make any unnecessary openings.When it is time for the overhaul of the fi re, it is important to leave as much of the original contents and structure in place. The reason is to preserve the scene for any evidence.

We had a large industrial fi re that, upon investigation, we found the fi re was set to cover up a burglary. We didn’t know for sure until we found evidence that the door lock had been forcibly removed from an entry door. We were able to recover it because that area was not torn apart during the overhaul. And one of the persons involved did go to prison for arson!

Another case was a residential fi re that was caused by a toaster oven, and a lot of expensive birds died in the fi re. We did our overhaul of the kitchen fi re without removing the three items that were on the counter top: a coffee maker, ice maker, and toaster oven. The insurance company had the items tested and found out that it was the toaster oven. This did go to subrogation, and the insurance company did sue the maker of the toaster oven for their losses from the fi re. If the item had not been preserved, it is a possibility that the fi re department or fi refi ghters involved could have taken the place of the manufacturer of the toaster oven in the lawsuit. It has happened and could happen to any of us if they deem it to be willful neglect.

The last one was an accidental fi re in a house caused by the break down of an electrical cord to a house lamp. A teenage child at the home was off school for the day and decided to do house cleaning as a surprise for her parents. She did the bedrooms, kitchen, and started on the family room. She pulled out the couch and cleaned, then pushed the couch back against the wall. On that wall was a small space heater that was not in use, but still had power to it. She left the room, and in a short time, found that a fi re had started around the couch. After the fi re was out, she stated that she may have started the fi re by pushing the couch up to that wall heater. She felt it was her fault and that her parents were going to hate her forever. I was told that there was no need to investigate the fi re because the girl said she thought she had accidentally turned on the heater. But, the burn patterns were telling me another story.

•

•

•

•

After some reconstruction of what was left of the couch and the items around the couch, we found the real cause. We found that an electric cord for a lamp had been pinched between the leg of the couch and the carpet for a long time and the electric cord had fi nally shorted out and started the fi re. Although it would have been an accidental fi re either way, I will always remember the look of relief on the young girls face that she didn’t cause the fi re.

So I hope that in the future we will continue to do our job in a professional way, preserving what we can. And if anyone has a question on overhauling a fi re scene in the least damaging way, please ask for help from the investigators. I know in the old days we were taught to overhaul a room by completely throwing everything out the window. Now, the contents need to remain in the room and that old idea needs to be thrown out the window. You just never know when a fi re could turn out to be a set fi re (arson), a mechanical failure, or just an accident.

What’s Missing?

There are items missing in the second picture of Engine 701 on a recent call. Can you fi nd all 20?

01/07/09 Hwy 251 West Frontage Road - 9 students, no injuries 01/08/09 Banyan Dr. & Apple Jack - no kids on bus

It’s Going to Be a Cold Winter

It was autumn, and the Indians on a remote reservation asked their new Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society he had never been taught the old secrets, so when he looked at the sky he couldn’t tell what the weather was going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was

indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service

and asked, “Is the coming winter going to be cold?” “It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold indeed,” the Meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.

One week later he called the National Weather Service again. “Is it going to be a very cold winter?” “Yes,” the man at National Weather Service again replied, “it’s going to be a very cold winter.” The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect Every scrap of wood they could fi nd.

Two weeks later he called the National Weather Service again. “Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?” “Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s going to be one of the coldest winters ever.” “How can you be so sure?” the Chief asked. The weatherman replied, “The Indians are collecting wood like crazy.”

Harlem-Roscoe Fire’s Christmas Needy Family DriveLocal residents and Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters got into the Christmas spirit as they donated monies, food, and toys to the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Needy Family Christmas Drive. A list was created of 20 families with a total of 64 children in the fi re district that could use a little help at this time of the year. Donations were collected and then the fi refi ghters went shopping. Each family received a basket of food complete with a turkey and all the fi xings, as well as staples such as milk and bread. And then each child in the family received presents of toys and clothes. Michelle, a divorced mother of three said, “I saw a fi re truck pull up out front and thought oh no, something has happened. But, when I opened the door, here were fi refi ghters with a huge food basket and presents for all my kids. They made our Christmas something special. Thank you Harlem-Roscoe Fire!”

Welcome, New Recruits!By Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson

Over the next several weeks, you will be seeing some new faces within our organization. The Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District has started its annual recruit training. We started with 20 applicants but now have 11 that are currently in the class.

Some of these individuals already have past fi re experience and are eager to start their educational journey with our organization. It takes an individual who is dedicated to his/her community to take part in such a special organization like ours.

I ask all fi re personnel to show respect and treat these individuals as fellow brothers and sisters. Help them on their journey of becoming part of one of the best organizations in Northern Illinois. Our new recruits are our future and we must see that they receive the very best training from you and our team of dedicated instructors. I know we all like to give the new people a hard time but don’t forget we were all once the “new person”. Never forget where you came from!

The current recruit class schedule is posted and I ask all fi re personnel to get involved with sharing your experiences with these new individuals. Those who are interested with assisting with the recruit class, contact the lead instructor posted on the class schedule. As always, train safe. Thank you for your cooperation and dedication.

Probie Sworn In

Left, Trustee Jim Burdick gives the Firefi ghter Oath to Greg Wernick after he sucessfully completed his 6-month probration period. Right, Greg had his Captain, Tim Bergeron pin him.

State Certifi cations Awarded

Deputy Chiefs John Presley and Kirk Wilson are presented with their Fire Offi cer II certifi cates by Chief Don Shoevlin.

Chief Don Shoevlin presented Randy Lovelace, Joe Koeninger, Mark Schaffman, Chris Farr, Rico VanderHeyden, and Greg Wernick with their FFII & Hazmat Awareness certifi cates.

Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson and Chief Don Shoevlin presented Captain John Bergeron with his Instructor II and Offi cer I certifi cates.

Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson and Chief Don Shoevlin presented Captain Tim Bergeron with his Emergency Vehicle Operator Ceriifi cate.

Chief Don Shoevlin and Deputy Chief Kirk Wilson presented the following certifi cates: Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake-Trench Rescue Operations, Reety Radke-Technical Rescue Awareness, Scott Jensen-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Lindsey Wierick-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Jordan Stark-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Jason Schmeling-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Andrew Yastrab-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Ken Boris-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Eric Schweitzer-FFII & Hazmat Awareness, Gina McCauley-Technical Rescue Awareness, Chris Farr-Technical Rescue Awareness, and Brandon Tietz-Technical Rescue Awareness.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 4 The Firehouse Scene -Page 9

Birthdays

January 3rd Jim Johnson4th Bill Hyde5th Matt Bush13th Clint Evans17th John Presley21st Brian Mayer25th Jerry Lund “60th”26th Reety Radke “21st”31st Mark Soppe

February

10th Rob Gonia Neil Roe12th Ken O’Dell15th Scott Jensen23rd Brian Szilagyi25th Tom Ricotta

February Breakfast ListDon Shoevlin & the

HRFA Auxiliary Members

Total Calls for 20082434

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor, Layout, Writer, Photo - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s website after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.com

Email submissions to: Firefoto4@aol.com

Happy Birthday

Jerry Lund 60thJanuary 25th

Public Educationby the Pub Ed Division

Happy New Year! It’s time to think about public education for 2009. WAIT!!! We should always be thinking about public education. As busy as we were last year, all should be educated; but of course, that’s not the case. Public education is not just limited to fi re prevention; it also includes water safety, home safety, disaster and emergency preparedness, CPR, EMS, CO monitoring and much more. So, please don’t mistake public education as strictly fi re prevention.

We had good feedback at the open house regarding the side-by-side burn rooms. New laws now require sprinkler systems in specifi c residential dwellings. We are planning another demonstration for village offi cials to help us enforce these new laws. The demonstration speaks for itself. It can be also seen on our website at www.harlemroscoefi re.com in the photo section. Look for side-by-side demo video.

Public education is a big part of most of our events. The younger we start educating the public, the better for all concerned. From station tours to festivals, the message should be the same. So your attendance is very important

Station UpdatesBy Assistant Chief Ken O’Dell

Well another year has passed and here we go with 2009. Has anyone else besides me, put down 2008 on a report yet?

On January 2, we had our fi rst house fi re of the year and I had command. Thanks for everyone that showed up. You did a great job! We did have a couple little incidents though that could have been serious. Please let your offi cer know if you do any damage outside of the immediate fi re zone. The homeowners and their insurance company were very appreciative of the care everyone took in putting down the tarps and taking down the TV and pictures off the wall before breaking into the chimney wall, thus creating the least amount of damage as possible. Again, good job to everyone; but remember sometimes it’s the little things that make us look good.

We are looking for drivers for M.D.A. Lockup at the Firehouse Pub. It will be February 5 from 9am-5pm. If you can help for 2-3 hours, please contact me.

Take Time. . .Take time to chase the snowfl akes.

Take time to live your own life.

Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience

and invest them in the future.

Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste. Benjamin Franklin

Gone, But not forgotten

Some people come into our lives, and quickly go.

Some stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts.

And, we are never, ever the same.

• Doug Wolfe’s mom, Rose Shreve, passed away December 12 at the age of 65.

Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to Doug and his family.

Attic FireStory & Photos by Sheryl Drost

January 2, children in a home on Country Ct. kept telling their dad they smelled something burning, but he couldn’t fi nd anything. When smoke fi nally became visible, they called 9-1-1. Firefi ghters found the fi re in the attic above the fi replace. It seems the insulation tight up against the fi replace chimney pipe had been smoldering and fi nally caught fi re. This is a reminder to check that any combustibles have the proper clearance from the chimney stack pipes in your home.

Firefi ghters check for fi re extension on the roof and in the attic.

Firefi ghters check areas on the roof for heat and fi re extension around the fi replace chimney pipe.

Firefi ghters enter the attic through the scuttle hole in the garage to check part of the attic for smoke and fi re.

Firefi ghter Mike Huffman opens up the area in the wall near the ceiling to check for fi re extension.

Fire damage was contained to the area around the fi replace chimney pipe.

Christmas Visitors Photos by Sheryl Drost

Two tykes stopped by Station One with their parents to drop off home-baked Christmas treats for the fi refi ghters. It was really cute when the little girl saw fi refi ghter Megan Alms she squealed, “Mom, a fi re lady!” Thanks for the treats, the fi refi ghters loved them!

The Firehouse Scene - Page 10 The Firehouse Scene - Page 3 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

EMS Corner By Captain John Bergeron

Extreme Coldwww.coolantartica.com

A reduction in body temperature results in impaired body function. This is seen most easily in cold weather when you try to do something like tie a shoelace or do up an awkward button with fi ngers that are clumsy with cold. The nerve cells that transmit impulses work more slowly as do the muscles controlling your fi ngers. 12°C is the critical air temperature for good manual dexterity and 8°C for touch sensitivity.

Low temperatures also reduce the effi ciency of pain receptors, so putting an ice pack on a burn or sprain helps to reduce swelling and damage, but also helps with the pain.

A common symptom of cold weather is its effect on urine production. Exposure to cold causes a reduction in blood fl ow to the surface of the skin by constriction of blood vessels. This reduces the overall volume of the circulatory system so increasing the blood pressure. The body’s response to this is to reduce the fl uid volume by getting rid of water in the urine. So when you get cold, you want to pee.

Another reaction you may notice is that when the skin temperature falls below about 10°C, the surface blood vessels dilate (get wider) rather than constrict, If the temperature falls further, periods of blood vessel dilation alternate with periods of constriction, This is because your body is trying not to lose heat from the extremities, but at the same time wants to supply the skin with blood for oxygen and nutrients. This phenomenon explains the red cheeks and nose characteristic of frosty weather. Eventually however the body stops the dilation of the blood vessels to the skin and the skin falls to the surrounding temperatures when frost nip or frost bite may occur.

Goose pimples are an obvious sign that a person is feeling cold. They are caused by the tiny erector pili muscles attached to the base of the hair follicles covering the body. The scientifi c name for this is horripilation. In man it has no effect as we don’t have enough hairs to make a difference, but in animals with a dense coat of fur it improves the insulation considerably.

A fi nal response to decreasing temperature is the increase of heat production. Muscular contraction is an ineffi cient process and causes much heat to be produced, so when we start to feel cold, we may begin to shiver, movements that are useless in themselves, but that generate heat as a by-product and so help to warm us up. Shivering can increase the production of heat fi ve-fold.

The Sacrifi ce of Parts for the Greater GoodIn conditions when the body starts to lose more heat than it can easily generate to keep all parts at the normal 37°C it will start to allow the extremities, fi ngers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks start to get cooler. There is still a blood fl ow to these body parts, but not as much fl ows as does normally. In order to keep the extremities at normal body temperature, greater blood fl ow would be required which would bring cooled blood back to the body core so cooling the body even further. The extremities have a high surface area/volume ratio, so they lose heat very easily.

This reduction of blood fl ow is not normally a problem and happens to some extent for most people much of the time. In extreme or prolonged cold however it can lead to frost-nip and even frost-bite. These are situations in which the body has made the decision to risk or sacrifi ce some of the more expendable regions to preserve the core temperature and so avoid death from hypothermia.

Monitor Body TemperatureInfants less than one year old should never sleep in a cold room because (1) infants lose body heat more easily than adults; and (2) unlike adults, infants can’t make enough body heat by shivering. Provide warm clothing for infants and try to maintain a warm indoor temperature. If the temperature cannot be maintained, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere. In an emergency, you can keep an infant warm using your own body heat. If you must sleep, take precautions to prevent rolling on the baby. Pillows and other soft bedding can also present a risk of smothering; remove them from the area near the baby.

Your ability to feel a change in temperature decreases with age, and older people are more susceptible to health problems caused by cold. If you are over 65 years old, place an easy-to-read thermometer in an indoor location where you will see it frequently, and check the temperature of your home often during the winter months. Also, check on elderly friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated.

It was so cold...when I dialed 911, a recorded message said to phone back in the spring!words froze in the air. If you wanted to hear what someone said, you had to grab a handful of sentences and take them in by the fi re!we pulled everything out of the freezer and huddled inside it to warm up!the snowfl akes froze in the air. Birds hopped from one snowfl ake to another to get into the trees.the politicians had their hands in their OWN pockets!

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From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

Another year has past and a new one has begun. As we have been hearing for months in the media, it will be the beginning of change. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends.

As I stated last month, it is hard to believe that I have been the Chief for a year. The

time has gone by so quickly. It has been a year of learning (in many more ways then one), transition, and adjustments. Our approach I feel has been a successful one to date. We continue to build and improve upon our foundation. This continues to be possible because of the dedication and commitment of all of our offi cers, fi refi ghters and the support staff of the Fire District. I am honored to be able to represent all of you at various functions that I attend. I remain committed to the continued growth and success of the Harlem Roscoe Fire Protection District.

We fi nished the calendar year of 2008 with 2434 calls. That is the most calls that Harlem Roscoe FPD has responded to. As the communities continue to grow so will the needs for our services. As the needs grow, I can assure everyone we will remain proactive to our commitment to provide excellence, integrity and caring in our performance of our emergency fi re, medical and rescue services.

We have just started a new recruit class. We have 11 individuals in the class with a completion date in March. These individuals will devote Tuesday evenings and all day Sunday to be trained prior to being placed on probation. I would like to thank all the instructors in advance for them taking time out of their personal lives to teach these individuals.

We are fully entrenched in the winter season now so stay warm and be safe but remember each day that passes we are that much closer to spring.

Remember to check out our website www.harlemroscoefi re.com to keep up with the progress of the department, individuals and call we have had. As always don’t hesitate to contact me or stop by if I can be of any assistance.

Electric Transformer BurnsPhoto by Sheryl Drost

December 29, a passing motorist reported that a transformer on McCurry Road was smoking. Firefi ghters found the transformer was actually burning and called in the electric company. The

electric company was happy to locate the reason for the power outage in the area. After they were able to take this transformer out of the loop, power was restored to the area.

SUV Destroyed by FirePhotos by Buzz Carlson & Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters fi nd the front end of an SUV totally involved with fi re when they arrive on Ventura Blvd. on January 5.

Lt. Ramona Baldoni-Lake checks on fi refi ghters Paul Stanphill, Reety Radke, and Mike Baldwin as they fi nish putting out the engine area of the SUV.

Chimney FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

The resident on Moorewoods Dr. kept saying she was embarrassed to have called the fi re department on January 8 when her fi replace started smoking up the house. Chief Shoevlin assured her it was OK, that he was glad she called. She said they use the fi replace to heat the home, but think they might have gotten the fi re too hot; she was right. Firefi ghters checked

the attic for fi re and put out the one in the fi replace - the fi re in the chimney was already out. The chimney above the roof was damaged from the heat, and the residents were advised to have the chimney checked by a professional before using it again.

Chief Shoevlin and fi refi ghters fi nd that the driveway to the home is covered in ice; a very common problem this winter.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 2 The Firehouse Scene - Page 11 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

Station GossipBe on the lookout for hydrants that have been blocked by snow.

‘Keep the Wreath Red’ wrapped up with all red bulbs because there were no fi res in the district during December and the holiday season. Eric S. will be holding a 2-part lecture series entitled “What goes Up Must Come Down, obeying the law of Gravity”. Just kidding Eric....Overheard the Chief’s wife got him a new night light .....so he won’t trip...hmmmmIt seems that the saying, that if it snows on a Sunday it will snow on every Sunday is wrong. Change it to Tuesdays.Falls seem to be the big medical call this month. Please slow down and be careful. And have you checked on your elderly family or neighbors during this cold, ice, and heavy snow. Do they need help getting out to get medicines or food? Do they need help with shoveling or icing their walkway or driveway? Record snowfall for December...we were getting scared that we would see the 51 snowfalls Oscar has predicted in December alone. Then the rains came with ice, but now it’s back to snow. Oscar’s count is 34 snows left as of 01/09/09 - we think. He has to check with his offi cial counter. Keith was the Paramedic from last month’s question.Sorry Lukowski, it wasn’t the calendar you thought was it?

Instructions for Life

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your valuesRemember that silence is sometimes the best answer.Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before. Call your mother.

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Whoops!!!

Well the rumor was true. Here is the picture I told you about last month that was reported hanging on the wall at Finnegans RV.

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - Page 12

January 2009 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

www.harlemroscoefi re.com

Photo by Buzz Carlson

Firefi ghters Mike Baldwin & Reety Radke make the inital attack on a car fi re on Ventura Blvd. . . . see more on p.2