Village of Schiller Park - Fire Department

Under the direct command of the Shift Commanders, fire suppression and EMS services are maintained by three (3) shifts, each working 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off duty. Our initial response consists of one engine, one tower ladder, one rescue squad and two ambulances, with two engines, and one ambulance in reserve. These reserve units are to be utilized by call-back personnel and paid on call personnel. An engine, with firefighting personnel responds and assists on all EMS responses. This engine is equipped with EMS equipment so that it can provide medical care when an ambulance is not readily available. The rescue squad and engine is normally staffed with fire-fighter/ paramedics.

SPFD MISSION STATEMENT

All department members, resources and activities are dedicated to providing the highest quality fire suppression, emergency medical care and hazard abatement, together with aggressive code enforcement and effective public education.

The Fire Department will actively participate in our community, serve as role models, and strive to effectively and efficiently utilize all of the necessary resources at our command to provide a service deemed excellent by our community and our members.

VISION

GOALS

EMS Bureau Overview

Rick Nosek, EMS Coordinator rnosek@villageofschillerpark.com

“The mission of the EMS bureau is to provide highly skilled, yet compassionate care to the sick and injured, resident and visitor alike; to provide adjunct and direct assistance at the scene of a fire, manmade or natural disaster; to provide public education in areas of medical care..."

Schiller Park has been providing pre-hospital medical care at the paramedic level for over twenty-six years. The Bureau of EMS consists of the EMS Coordinator, firefighter/paramedics and the civilian paramedics of the fire department. In addition, the EMS Coordinator serves as the Village Privacy Officer, the Infection Control Officer and on other boards and committees.

During the past quarter century many changes have occurred in the delivery of pre-hospital life support. From the bygone volunteer days of the Emergency Squad, the Schiller Park Fire Department currently staffs two advanced life support ambulances and has one basic life support unit in reserve. Firefighter/paramedics are also assigned to the engine and truck companies to assist in treating patients. Our department has been a member of the Northwest Community EMS System since 1977. This was the first EMS System in the State of Illinois and today provides medical direction to 20 fire departments and 4 private ambulance companies.

Some of the diagnostic equipment carried by the Schiller Park paramedics includes 12-lead ECG monitor/defibrillators; devices that measure oxygen levels in the blood as well as measuring a patient’s carbon dioxide levels. Capnography allows our paramedics to monitor the effectiveness in treating patients in severe respiratory distress or cardiac arrest. These high tech machines help the paramedics provide cutting edge medical care. Schiller Park was the first department in the area to provide 12-lead ECG monitoring and has been using this technology for several years. Other local municipalities are just now beginning to invest in this type of equipment. Our paramedics now perform tests that a couple of years ago could only have been performed in a hospital’s emergency room. This means the patient is now being diagnosed faster and definitive treatment is rapidly being administered.

We also provide advanced, full featured, cardiac monitor/defibrillators on our first response fire vehicles. These machines are more advanced than AEDs (semi-automatic defibrillators). Our machines allow a paramedic assigned to that vehicle to perform procedures such as cardiac pacing that cannot be done with an AED. Even though it would be unusual for one of our ambulances to be delayed in arriving at a patient's location, multiple emergencies could cause this to occur. By having this equipment on the fire engine, advanced care can begin before an assisting ambulance arrives.

The EMS Bureau has adapted to prepare for domestic terrorism. The bureau has updated equipment to protect personnel and the public in the event of biological or chemical attacks. While it is unlikely that Schiller Park would become a target, the fire department prepares for any contingency. The fire department works with other communities in the area to ensure the safety of both the public at large and the emergency responders. Crews are trained to recognize and manage events involving weapons of mass destruction.

Public education is critical is critical in preventing needless death and injury. The bureau offers public CPR classes as just one way of informing the public. EMS related articles are a regular part of the village newsletter. Also, educating village staff is part of our mission. The EMS Coordinator works with the emergency responders to make sure they are safe from infectious diseases. This not only protects them, it also protects the public.

We are also concerned about protecting the privacy of our patients. We follow the rules of the Health Insurance Portability Privacy Act (HIPAA). This law limits the way your medical information may be used. To view the Notice of Privacy please click on the Notice of Privacy link.

If you have any questions about the programs offered by the bureau, please send an e-mail to the EMS Coordinator. He will be happy to assist you.