The *Daily Herald* recently published an article highlighting the challenges faced by the Mount Prospect Fire Department due to budget cuts. According to Chief John Malcolm, the department has had to implement unusual strategies to maintain quick response times after losing six full-time firefighter positions since 2010. Both the chief and the village board are worried about the long-term sustainability of the department.
One of the most concerning issues is the decision to send the tower ladder on every emergency call, rather than returning to the station to retrieve it. This policy, while intended to save time, has raised safety concerns among officials.
In 2010, the fire department’s full-time sworn personnel dropped from 72 to 66 as part of a 10% village-wide budget cut. To compensate, Chief Malcolm initially relied on a "jump" company—three personnel, including a lieutenant and two firefighters, who would respond with either the engine or the tower ladder depending on the situation. This meant staffing two vehicles with just three people.
However, this approach led to delays. In July 2011, during a major fire at a three-story apartment building struck by lightning, the tower ladder was left unstaffed at the station. “So I had no ladder truck at three o’clock in the morning,†Malcolm recalled. He couldn’t get mutual aid at the time, so the crew had to return to the station, grab the tower ladder, and then go back to the scene.
Eventually, the department decided to send Tower 13 on every call. This move significantly increased its workload, tripling its responses. In 2012, Tower 13 responded to 1,894 calls, while the entire department handled 5,777 incidents that year.
At a recent Committee of the Whole meeting, trustees voiced concerns about the strain on the tower unit, the risk of it being unavailable when needed, and the impact on mutual aid agreements. The numbers show a growing reliance on outside help:
- In 2011: Received 314, gave 142
- In 2012: Received 300, gave 235
- In 2013: Received 218, gave 185
- In 2014: Projected to receive 338, give 150
These figures highlight a shift in the department's ability to support other areas, raising questions about the future of emergency response in Mount Prospect.
Thanks Ron & Chris.
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