Three La Grange children will again get their names emblazoned on the passenger side windows of the Fire Department's two engines and ladder truck after next weekend's Fire Prevention Week Open House.
The names of winners, culled from entries in a first to third grade coloring contest, will be announced during the open house, to be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Fire Station, on Burlington Avenue between Ashland and Kensington avenues.
In addition to getting their first name and last initial and grade level set in a decal on the firetruck windows for a full year, mb financial of La Grange will provide each child a $25 U.S. Savings bond.
Because of insurance liability issues, children can no longer climb on firetrucks like they did back in the day. So after the firetrucks get the name decals pasted on them, each child's family is invited to the station to take pictures with their kids by the truck with their name on it.
"It's a little thing we're doing to get the community more involved in what we do," said Fire Leiutenant Dave Rapp. "I think the families and the kids think it's a real neat thing."
He said it is just as important for children to know their local firefighter/paramedics as the local police officers, cause they can look to them for help if they are ever in need.
One of the most popular attractions at the Open House is when folks get to witness two live room fires, as firefighters set two different types of blazes in the two "houses" built out of plywood, steel studs and drywall and allow kids to shoot water at them with a real fire hose -- and, of course, the assistance of real firefighters.
Rapp said visitors get to see the fire and how it spreads from a "fourth wall" inside view almost as if they were watching a movie or TV show filmed. One fire spreads in a faux bedroom with a mattress and the other replicates a living room with couches and a TV set.
Other attractions include the department's technical rescue specialists rappeling off the firehouse roof, hazardous materials technicians suiting up and stopping a chemical leak using a 150-pound chlorine storage cylinder and firefighters using the Jaws of Life to extricate a would-be accident victim from inside a crashed-up vehicle -- all the while viewing Fire Department apparatus such as Engines 1111 and 1112, ladder truck 1119 or ambulances 1114 and 1115
Hot dogs will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served all day.
Prizes including CO detectors, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers will be given away and balloons and other gifts will be provided by mb financial bank, located at the southeast corner of Burlington and Kensington avenues in La Grange.
Representatives will also be on hand from Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, the La Grange Police Department, the Park District of La Grange, Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad (which runs freight trains through the East Side of town), ComEd and Nicor. IHB, says Rapp, has a "fabulous" display on their Operation Life Saver program.
Patrol Officer Eric Berg and the LPD's resident canine, Dak, were scheduled to be there, and while their appearance is promoted on Open House flyers, they are currently involved in an out-of-town investigation and may not make it, says Rapp.
Children were already treated to Fire Department visits to their classrooms, in preparation for Fire Prevention Week scheduled from Oct. 5 to 11. Last week, firefighters stopped by St. Francis Xavier and the Park District preschool.
"We certainly hope people and kids walk away having enjoyed themselves ... but also knowing we do much more than put out fires," Rapp said.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
COPS AND ROBBERS
The past week or so has not sparked too much serious crime in and around La Grange. Here's a sampling of a few of the police and fire reports of late:
A fence alongside a home occupied by a Village of La Grange department head in the 700 block of South 10th Avenue was started on fire by an unknown vandal, it was reported shortly after 8 a.m. Sept. 28. The fence was extinguished before the Fire Department arrived.
An 18-year-old Brookfield man taunted by a group of fellow teens who tried to start a fight with him while he played basketball in Gordon Park behind the old YMCA was able to run to safety at a nearby fast-food restaurant at about 525 p.m. Sept. 27. The teens fled before police arrived.
The contents of a wallet were stolen from the bedside of an 83-year-old La Grange man while he was being treated at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, 5101 S. Willow Springs Road, between Sept. 22 and 25. The stolen driver's license and insurance cards were reported to police at 4:40 p.m. Sept. 27.
Two unknown subjects were reported to be lying on the sidewalk at La Grange Road and Hillgrove Avenue shortly before 12:30 a.m. Sept. 26, but were gone when police arrived.
A stolen vehicle was reported parked for a few days behind Wyckoff Studios, 602 W. Burlington Ave., at about 5 p.m. Sept. 25. The vehicle was reported stolen from a La Grange resident in the 300 block of South Kensington Avenue.
A resident in the 200 block of Washington Avenue reported hearing someone telling her barking dogs to be quiet on the morning of Sept. 25. Believing someone had broken in downstairs, she locked herself in an upstairs bedroom until the arrival of police -- who found a basement and back door open, but nothing missing.
A 10-year-old boy suffering from an anxiety disorder allegedly attempted to stab a La Grange Area Department of Special Education employee with a pen, then ran southbound toward Ogden Avenue after she picked him up from school in the 200 block of South Waiola Avenue at 8:22 a.m. Sept. 25. The boy was located, but the disposition of the case was not immediately known.
A 48-year-old man who allegedly admitted to police he went to Sawyer Park in the 0-100 block of Lincoln Avenue reported he was beat up and robbed of $80 cash and his bicycle by three subjects about 5:45 p.m. Sept. 24. After the incident, the victim got into a vehicle and left and his bike was located in an alley in the 1oo block of Sawyer Avenue. The victim refused medical
attention and would not cooperate any further with police, according to reports. The suspects had two outstanding warrants in Washington and California, which reports indicated were not serviceable in Illinois.
Police were belatedly notified Sept. 24 that an unknown vehicle struck a guardrail in the alley behind the Desplaines Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters, 811 W. Hillgrove Ave., on Sept. 4. Damage was estimated at more than $500.
A brick was thrown through a window in the 900 block of South Madison Avenue, it was reported at 8:45 p.m. Sept. 23.
A suspicious person and truck was spotted inside the fence of La Grange Material, 223 Tilden Ave., shortly before 2:15 a.m. Sept. 22. When police arrived, they found the padlock of the yard cut, but nothing missing or out of place inside.
A day earlier, at 9:21 a.m. Sept. 21, a vehicle was reported burglarized in the 900 block of South Ashland Avenue.
Sometime during the night of Sept. 19 & 20, a mailbox was knocked down in the 0-100 block of Wood Lane. A similar incident reportedly occurred at a neighbor's house down the street, but went unreported until then.
A young girl and a friend were riding their bicycles in the 700 block of Madison Avenue at about 7:40 p.m. Sept. 20 when a black Chevrolet Tahoe pulled up to them and a 16- to 18-year-old inside told them he was going to kidnap them. The vehicle then drove northbound on Madison towards 47th Street, but they did not get his license number.
Landscapers were reported working in the 500 block of Spring Avenue 15 minutes prior to the 8 a.m. minimum start time allowed on Saturdays by village ordinance on the morning of Sept. 20. When an officer arrived, they were gone.
Someone smeared dog feces on a car window in the 100 block of South Catherine Avenue, it was reported at 8:05 a.m. Sept. 20.
Later that morning, at 11:12 a.m. Sept. 20, a driver allegedly lost control outside of Fantastic Sam's, 16 E. Burlington Ave., and ran the front end of his vehicle into the building and store window. The driver, 16-year-old Christopher A. Canales, was transported to Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital for treatment and cited for driving without a valid license and speeding.
A fence alongside a home occupied by a Village of La Grange department head in the 700 block of South 10th Avenue was started on fire by an unknown vandal, it was reported shortly after 8 a.m. Sept. 28. The fence was extinguished before the Fire Department arrived.
An 18-year-old Brookfield man taunted by a group of fellow teens who tried to start a fight with him while he played basketball in Gordon Park behind the old YMCA was able to run to safety at a nearby fast-food restaurant at about 525 p.m. Sept. 27. The teens fled before police arrived.
The contents of a wallet were stolen from the bedside of an 83-year-old La Grange man while he was being treated at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, 5101 S. Willow Springs Road, between Sept. 22 and 25. The stolen driver's license and insurance cards were reported to police at 4:40 p.m. Sept. 27.
Two unknown subjects were reported to be lying on the sidewalk at La Grange Road and Hillgrove Avenue shortly before 12:30 a.m. Sept. 26, but were gone when police arrived.
A stolen vehicle was reported parked for a few days behind Wyckoff Studios, 602 W. Burlington Ave., at about 5 p.m. Sept. 25. The vehicle was reported stolen from a La Grange resident in the 300 block of South Kensington Avenue.
A resident in the 200 block of Washington Avenue reported hearing someone telling her barking dogs to be quiet on the morning of Sept. 25. Believing someone had broken in downstairs, she locked herself in an upstairs bedroom until the arrival of police -- who found a basement and back door open, but nothing missing.
A 10-year-old boy suffering from an anxiety disorder allegedly attempted to stab a La Grange Area Department of Special Education employee with a pen, then ran southbound toward Ogden Avenue after she picked him up from school in the 200 block of South Waiola Avenue at 8:22 a.m. Sept. 25. The boy was located, but the disposition of the case was not immediately known.
A 48-year-old man who allegedly admitted to police he went to Sawyer Park in the 0-100 block of Lincoln Avenue reported he was beat up and robbed of $80 cash and his bicycle by three subjects about 5:45 p.m. Sept. 24. After the incident, the victim got into a vehicle and left and his bike was located in an alley in the 1oo block of Sawyer Avenue. The victim refused medical
attention and would not cooperate any further with police, according to reports. The suspects had two outstanding warrants in Washington and California, which reports indicated were not serviceable in Illinois.
Police were belatedly notified Sept. 24 that an unknown vehicle struck a guardrail in the alley behind the Desplaines Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters, 811 W. Hillgrove Ave., on Sept. 4. Damage was estimated at more than $500.
A brick was thrown through a window in the 900 block of South Madison Avenue, it was reported at 8:45 p.m. Sept. 23.
A suspicious person and truck was spotted inside the fence of La Grange Material, 223 Tilden Ave., shortly before 2:15 a.m. Sept. 22. When police arrived, they found the padlock of the yard cut, but nothing missing or out of place inside.
A day earlier, at 9:21 a.m. Sept. 21, a vehicle was reported burglarized in the 900 block of South Ashland Avenue.
Sometime during the night of Sept. 19 & 20, a mailbox was knocked down in the 0-100 block of Wood Lane. A similar incident reportedly occurred at a neighbor's house down the street, but went unreported until then.
A young girl and a friend were riding their bicycles in the 700 block of Madison Avenue at about 7:40 p.m. Sept. 20 when a black Chevrolet Tahoe pulled up to them and a 16- to 18-year-old inside told them he was going to kidnap them. The vehicle then drove northbound on Madison towards 47th Street, but they did not get his license number.
Landscapers were reported working in the 500 block of Spring Avenue 15 minutes prior to the 8 a.m. minimum start time allowed on Saturdays by village ordinance on the morning of Sept. 20. When an officer arrived, they were gone.
Someone smeared dog feces on a car window in the 100 block of South Catherine Avenue, it was reported at 8:05 a.m. Sept. 20.
Later that morning, at 11:12 a.m. Sept. 20, a driver allegedly lost control outside of Fantastic Sam's, 16 E. Burlington Ave., and ran the front end of his vehicle into the building and store window. The driver, 16-year-old Christopher A. Canales, was transported to Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital for treatment and cited for driving without a valid license and speeding.
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