AURORA FIRE DEPATMENT - City of Aurora

Supply Line
MAY 2004
From the Chief’s Office
As the result of funds received through a Homeland Security Grant, a mass casualty decontamination trailer has been ordered from
Modec-Inc. of Colorado, with an expected delivery date of approximately September 2004. Lt. Joe Bartholomew, Lt. Don Davids, and Lt. Andy
Silagyi are to be commended for the effort they put into the research needed for this purchase.
Personnel from our department’s TRT and Haz-Mat Teams responded with MABAS Division 13 to the Utica tornado disaster on April
20, 2004. We are very proud of the high level of skill and professionalism demonstrated by our department and appreciate the extra effort put
forth by everyone during this tragic event.
Congratulations to Lt. Chuck Martin on his April 13 th retirement after 22 years with the department. Greg Frieders was promoted to
Lieutenant effective April 17 th to fill the vacancy created by Lt. Martin’s retirement and we wish him the best of luck in his new position.
Fire Chief Roger Probst
TRAINING UPDATES
The following department members attended schools and/or conferences
recently:
• INSPECTION CLASS held March 2, 3, and 4 at Central Fire Station:
Attended by all Officers
• INSTRUCTOR II held March 13, 14, 20, 21 in North Aurora: Capt K.
Kreighbaum
• INCIDENT RESPONSE TO TERRORIST BOMBINGS held March 22-
25 in New Mexico: Lt. D. Davids
• BUILDILNGS WITH SMOKE VENTS / OPERATION OF ESFR
SPRINKLER HEADS seminar held March 26 in Countryside, IL: Fire
Marshal J. Smith, Fire Inspector G. Williams
• POLICE TRAINING INCIDENT ARSON INVESTIGATOR (PTI)
COURSE held March 22 – May 21 in Bolingbrook: Batt Chief Gary
Pozzi, Lt. Gary Avram, G. Krienitz
• TACTICS & STRATEGY I held March 29-April 2 in North Aurora: P.
Doyle
• RADIOLOGICAL TRAINING held April 5-8 in Nevada: Capt R.
Urbealis, Lt. T. Warren, P. Bray
• INCIDENT SAFETY OFFICER ACADEMY held April 19-20 in
Mundelein, IL: Batt Chief J. Lehman, Batt Chief J. Renninger, Batt
Chief K. Shannon
• ADVANCED BREATHING APPARATUS (SMOKE DIVERS) class
held April 19-23 at IFSI in Champaign: P. Bergeron, J. Rhodes
• UNDERSTANDING THE 2003 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE
advanced course held April 22-23 in Hoffman Estates: G. Williams
• RISK COMMUNICATION”TOOLS YOU CAN USE” seminar held April
27 in Crystal Lake: R. Glass
• SCOTT MAINTENANCE CLASS held April 27 th at Fire Station #4: D.
Love, J. White, J. Smitley, K. Kubisak, S. Buono, P. Bergeron, M. Tate
• ROADWAY EXTRICATION class held May 3-7 in Aurora: Lt. A.
Silagyi, B.Kulovitz, J. Rhodes
E.M.S.
EMS WEEK is May 16-22, 2004. The Emergency Services & Trauma Team
at Provena Mercy Center is hosting the 6 th Annual Fire Chief’s Dinner on
Wednesday, May 12 th to honor firefighters who were recognized as “Run of
the Month” recipients.
Paramedic Coordinator Russ Glass
was pleased to meet Congressman
Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House,
at the Greater Aurora Health Summit
held February 27 th .
HAZ-MAT
The Aurora Fire Department hosted a Haz-Mat Tech A class conducted by
the Illinois Fire Service Institute and Southern Kane County Training
Association during the week of April 19-23 rd . 23 area rescue workers
attended the training, including 3 from the DuPage County Bomb Squad.
WATER RESCUE TEAM
During their monthly drill, members of the
AFD Dive Team worked with the City of
Aurora Preservation Division to locate
portions of carved limestone that
originally formed an arched entryway to
the Aurora National Bank Building and
were later discarded into the Fox River

APRIL-MAY ANNIVERSARIES
5/20 30 YEARS 4/04 10 YEARS
Roger Probst Toby Gill
Steve Glass Steve Szilage
5/12 29 YEARS Ed Heitz
Brad Westrom Ed Clark
John Moisa Darrin Richardson
Ron Urbealis Randy Kramp
4/19 28 YEARS Steve Chivari
Dale Hoorelbek Dan Aloisio
Bob Lukach Larry Nelson
Ray Pfeiffer Kevin Noble
4/18 21 YEARS Angelo Minneci
Randy Brokaw Chris Oros
Al Cinto Tim Pogue
Tom Wagner, Jr. John Barrett
Norb Weber Dave Trammell
Jerry Womack Luanne Murray
5/9 20 YEARS 4/04 9 YEARS
Mike Chomiak Glen Hasenheyer
5/1 18 YEARS Randy Rieckert
Don Jackley Chuck Przybylski
Jerry Groesch Mark Classen
Joe Bartholomew Dave Hurd
Dave Rygh John Paul
4/13 17 YEARS John Nagy
Mark Robinson Pete Doyle
Ron Thomalla
Mike McCue
MAY-JUNE BIRTHDAYS
5/3 John Hopkins 6/3 Lou Popp
" Jerry White 6/8 Mark Robinson
5/4 John Schick 6/10 Steve Chivari
5/13 Dan Aloisio " Jason Equi
" Ed Heitz 6/18 Ric Olson
" Dave McCabe 6/19 Aaron Garcia
" Joe Bledsoe 6/21 Hal Carlson
5/14 Jason Larson 6/24 Roger Probst
" Jeff Smitley 6/25 Craig Mateski
5/15 Toby Gill " Ric Torres
5/17 Al Cinto 6/27 Mark Classen
5/24 Steve Weatherly " Dave Strobert
5/28 Eric Calkins 6/28 Jeremy Allway
" Dave Rygh
6/29 Russ Glass
6/30 John Nagy
FIRE PENSION BOARD ELECTION
As the result of the April 19 th election, Jim Maynard was elected to
represent, along with Captain Greg Peters and Steve Whitmer, Active
Firefighters on the Fire Pension Board.
We would like to thank Battalion Chief Gary Pozzi for his 12 years of
dedicated service to Board and wish Jim the best of luck in his new position.
SERVICE YEAR AWARDS
Pictured at right:
Marty O’Brien (20 years
on February 20 th ),
Jim Maynard and John
Nolan (15 years on March
6 th ),
and Kevin Wolsfelt (25
years on February 26 th )
Page 2
Right: Captain Bob Wirtz
receives an award for 15
years.
Below, Angelo
Minneci
celebrates 10
years on the
department.
Left: Battalion Chief Greiner
receives an award for 15
years.
At left, Dennis Schmitz is
congratulated on the
completion of 15 years.
Below, Randy Kramp, Ed
Heitz, Chris Oros, Tim
Pogue, Lt. Steve Chivari
& John Barrett celebrate
10 years.
Below, Kein Noble, Dave
Trammell and Larry
Nelson celebrate 10 years
on the department.

FIREFIGHTERS OF THE YEAR
Aurora firefighters were honored by the Exchange Club of Aurora
at an awards luncheon held on March 23 rd at Gaslite Manor.
Nominees included Jim Rhodes and Paul Smith, Matt Anslow and
Jason Equi, Jason Larson, and Bill Nutter.
Jim Rhodes and Paul Smith were named Aurora Fire Department
“Firefighters of the Year” for their actions at a structure fire on January
18, 2003. Deputy District Chief Ed Enright of the Chicago Fire
Department was the keynote speaker.
Pictured at right, Aurora Fire
Department Honor Guard
members who were present at
the ceremony were (pictured left
to right) Dwayne Love, Will
Torres, Randy Leek, Ed Heitz,
and Clint Rafac.
Congratulations to these
winners and all the nominees
for their professionalism and
dedication to the fire service.
Bagpiper Joe Marella of
the Elgin Fire
Department (pictured at
left) was also present.
Page 3
WALKING, RUNNING & BICYCLING
2004 leaders in the mileage club are:
Running/Walking: Hal Carlson 853 miles
Linda Hansen 736 miles
Bicycling: Bob Kulovitz 255 miles
Jerry Renninger 184 miles
NEW ARRIVAL !
Congratulations to . . .
Dave and Megan McCabe on the birth of their daughter, Shaelynn,
on March 27 th . Shaelynn was 6# 9 oz and 19 ½ “ long.
Everyone’s doing fine!
“RUN OF THE MONTH” RECIPIENTS
Provena Mercy Center informs us that the Aurora Fire Department
has been recognized for “RUN OF THE MONTH” for March 2004:
“Paramedics on this call were Bob Chance, Dwayne Love, and Kris
Tappendorf. Their run on March 1 st involved an unresponsive infant,
the nature of which touches us all deeply. Their unselfish dedication
toward patient care was exemplified by the care given.”
CONGRATULATIONS
BOB, DWAYNE & KRIS!
WELL DONE!
CONDOLENCES
The Department extends its condolences to Greg and Kathy
Jackman on the death of Kathy’s brother, Kurt Buschbacher on April
th
12 .
401 S. LAKE STREET
Photo courtesy of Steve Rosenberg
BEACON-NEWS Staff Photographer
A large loss fire
made worse by
intense winds
occurred
Wednesday, April
28 th at 401 S. Lake
Street. No injuries
were reported.

RETIREMENT
EXPLORER POST #99
Members of Aurora Firefighters Explorer Post #99 who were enrolled
in the EMT-B Class took their Practical the week of March 8-12 th .
STATION VISITORS
Lt. Chuck Martin retired
from the department on
April 13, 2004 after 22
years on the job.
Friends were on hand
April 12 th to say
goodbye and enjoy
cake and ice cream on
his last day.
Members of Brownie
Troop #791 from
Freeman School toured
Central Fire Station on
March 26 th .
Page 4
UTICA TORNADO
Members of the Department’s Technical Rescue and Hazardous
Materials Teams responded to mutual aid request for assistance in
Utica, LaSalle County, Illinois after a devastating tornado swept
through their town on April 20, 2004. Eight civilian deaths occurred,
as well as extensive property damage.
APPARATUS
AFTER
BEFORE
Pictured above: Rescue 1, the Technical Rescue Team Vehicle. The
chassis was purchased in part with a $20,000 donation from
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. The box was manufactured
by Sauber Manufacturing and delivered in January 2004.
11 TH ANNUAL FIREFIGHTING
MEDAL OF HONOR
AWARDS
&
ILLINOIS FALLEN FIREFIGHTER
MEMORIAL CEREMONY
Held Thursday, May 13, 2004
SW Corner of the State Capitol
11:00 a.m.
Medal of Honors Ceremony will immediately
follow in the State of Illinois Armory Building
Second & Monroe Streets, Springfield