MABAS Division 39 News

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Meeting Notes

(July 30, 2008) No notes are available for this meeting.  For the official minutes please contact Chief Tom Weston. 

Meeting Notes

(May 28, 2008) MABAS Division 39 held its regular meeting at the Port Byron Fire Station.
 
An informative program on "Pandemic Flu and Bioterrorism" was presented by Betty McNaught of the Henry-Stark Health Dept.

It's that time of year again - dues notices have been sent by e-mail. If your agency has already sent in your dues, thank you. Follow up notices may be sent by regular mail.

The TRT Training in Woodhull went well. There was discussion on obtaining a paging system for TRT and HAZMAT Team members. Several options were mentioned and the Communications Committee will be working on this issue.

The new numbering system for Fire equipment and staff was presented. This information will be made available here on the web site. This numbering system is going to be required for any state-wide call-out, but is also being adopted by some agencies for daily operations.

Information was presented on a combined HAZMAT/TRT Drill that will take place October 3rd and 4th in Galesburg. Participating agencies will come from MABAS Divisions 31, 39, 53, and 62. A tabletop exercise is planned for administrative staff on July 18.

The next regular meeting will be on Wednesday, July 30, at the Viola Fire Station in Mercer County.

For the official minutes please contact Chief Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes

(Jan 30, 2008) MABAS Division 39 regular meeting at RICO ESDA Office. There was bad news on the grant that was going to provide a major equipment upgrade. It was announced that the grant had been turned down (despite our being given the initial indication that it was approved). There is another grant coming up that will be appiled for. Contact Chief Swan for more info.

A plan for assigning priority to Midamerican Energy calls was discussed. There are 3 levels of priority depending on the level of danger to life or property. The plan was approved and a motion passed to approach the other power companies in the area with the same plan.

There was discussion on the new IL law requiring CO detectors in all residences. It was pointed out that some past policies had been to have the resident ventilate their house prior to Fire Service arrival. This procedure makes it difficult to detect what, if any, leak is present. A better policy would be to advise the residents to leave the house and not open any doors or windows.

Election of officers was held, and all current officers will retain their positions pending confirmation at the next meeting.

Triage kits have been received as part of a statewide effort to standardize triage in Illinois. Contact Chief Weston to arrange delivery or pickup.

A new Training Coordinator was announced, Rick Ramsay from Colona FD. Thanks to Rollie for all his help as the past coordinator. Many new courses and events are on the Training page. There are also some HAZMAT and TRT team issues that will be addresses with the Chiefs of those departments with team members.

Brian Payne of Illini EMS gave a presentation on the practice of having Rehab Areas at structure fires. Experience at a recent fire in Carbon Cliff emphasised the need for this important topic. Illini is developing a coordinated Rehab response and copies are available by contacting Brian. Brian Stout of Orion EMS reminded us that MABAS Division 39 has a policy on Rehab Areas that is very similar to the Illini plan.

The MABAS/ITTF state conference is coming up later this month. Additional details are available at the MABAS website.

For the official minutes please contact Chief Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

(Nov 28, 2007) MABAS Division 39 regular meeting at Colona Fire Station. No Meeting Notes are available for this date. For the official minutes please contact Chief Tom Weston.

 Meeting Notes

(Sept 26, 2007) MABAS Division 39 regular meeting at Illini Hospital at 7 PM. 

New Box Card CD's were handed out by Chief Weston. Anyone who was not able to attend and would like a copy please contact Chief Weston.

Tentative dates were annouced for the Confined Space and Rope Rescue class: Oct 14 & 27, Nov 3 & 24, and Dec 15. This will be together with Galena FD.

Training for IS-300 will be offered at the Colona Fire Station on Sat & Sun, Oct 6 & 7, 8 AM to 5 PM. This is a FREE class, lunch will be provided. For more information or to register, contact Henry County ESDA Director Bill Philhower at 309-937-3418 or E-mail: zoning@henrycty.com or Colona Chief John Swan at 309-792-3231 or E-mail ColonaChief. 

Training for IS-300 and IS-400 will also be offered at the Rock Island County ESDA Center in December and January. Contact Rock Island County ESDA at 309-799-5166 for more information.

Chief Swan announced that the IFSI at the U of I is now the central point for all department and training records. In the past, there had been up to three different agencies keeping track of information. Having one central point of contact should make things alot easier.

For the official minutes please contact Chief Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (July 25, 2007) MABAS Division 39 regular meeting. No Notes are available due to illness.

  For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (May 27, 2007) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Colona Fire Station on Wednesday, May 23, 2007.  

Hand-held radiation detectors were passed out to each Fire Department. These are free through a program from the ITTF.  After being distributed, Chief Weston gave instructions on how to use them.  Anyone who was not present can contact Chief Weston to make arrangements for getting one for your department.
 
Chief Swan announced that there is a new type of burglar alarm appearing on the market that when activated fills the protected structure with smoke.  This could cause a serious issue if the smoke then sets off a fire alarm or smoke detector, and firefighters find themselves face-to-face with a burglar.  Something to keep in mind.
 
Rollie has been working on Training and Reimbursement issues and believes he has taken care all of the ones he knows about.  If anyone still has any Training or Reimbursement problems, contact Rollie for assistance.  Rollie also announced that the training certificates are now being sent to him for documentation and he will send them on out to the firefighters. 
 
In communications issues, we are still working on radio communications between our Primary and Seconday Dispatch Centers and some surrounding agencies.  Some ideas were discussed, and the Communications Committee will continue working on the problems.  One idea that got alot of support was to allow the Telecommunicators to suggest a MABAS Box on calls of a large or unusual nature.  If you are asked whether you want a Box on your call, please be prepared to specify which Box to use on the call.
 
The Hampton Fire Dept. now has a boat available.  It is still being outfitted, but is available for calls if needed. 
 
The next meeting will be Wednesday, July 25, 2007, with either the Colona or Hampton Fire Depts as the hosting agency.  Exact details will be sent out by e-mail and placed on the calendar here.

For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Mar 28, 2007) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Rock Island County ESDA Office.  
 
MABAS Division 31 had their D-con truck on display. 

There was discussion held on reimbursing the agencies that host the MABAS meetings for the food and drink they provide. After discussion a motion was passed to pay $60 to any agency that hosts a MABAS regular meeting.

There was discussion on the annual dues. Some agencies still have not paid. The dues were increased from $25 to $30 to cover operational costs of the Division.

Chief Swan announced that a meeting is being held between emergency service and public utility representatives to try to obtain a better understanding of the needs and requirements during emergency incidents.  A system for assiging priority to incidents will be presented.

Illini Medic ambulance service has joined MABAS Division 39 and has provided Box Cards.

There was considerable discussion on the State policy of reimbursement for training for volunteer firefighters. It had been $35 per hour, based on a policy regarding assisting outside agencies. There was some opposition in Springfield to keeping that amount which resulted in a new policy that authorizes an amount of $18.97 per hour. Some of the discussion in Springfield related to full-time versus volunteer fire services, and it was pointed out that while full-time departments may protect a higher total population, the volunteer services protect a greater geographic area. Chief Swan was a part of some of the discussions in Springfield and can be contacted if anyone has any questions or comments.

The HAZMAT and TRT Teams will be providing a demonstration at an upcoming MVFFA meeting. It was mentioned that the HAZMAT and TRT Teams meet in alternating months and that regardless of the date chosen there seems to always be team members who do not attend. All team members are reminded that training is required in order for the team to become certified. The training level to be able to respond outside our Division is FF-2.

Also, the original team members were required to sign contracts prior to beginning training. These have now expired and discussion was held on how to proceed. It was decided that anyone who has completed  one-half or less of the training will need to renew their contract.

RICO ESDA requested that any time a HAZMAT Team is called out that the local ESDA also be notified. It was also suggested that better overall communication with ESDA is needed in times of large scale incidents, such as the ice storm that caused widespread problems. ESDA can assist with shelters, warming stations, etc.

There is also the availability of what is sometimes called "reverse 9-1-1", where telephone notification to the public can be made over a large area. The Primary Dispatch Center at the Henry County Sheriff's Office uses a service call ACIM. It is primarily intended to be used for missing or abducted children but can also be used for emergency messages to the public.

There was continuing discussion over the use of Fire Ground channels by mobile units in Division 43. The response to informal discussions has been marginal, and it was decided to send a letter to Div. 43 asking for a formal resolution to the problem. Fire Ground is only for use at the scene of an incident and is limited (by FCC rule) to 10 watts of radio power. If no formal resolution can be obtained, the next step would be to request the involvement of the State MABAS Board, who holds the actual FCC license for the Fire Ground frequencies.

The next regular meeting will be Wedensday, May 23, 2007 at 7 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.

For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Jan 31, 2007) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Rock Island County ESDA Office.  Updated information has been added to the Training Schedule and the MABAS Calendar.
 
The Galena FD has expressed an interest in joining MABAS Div 39 for the purposes of cooperating on training.  They have outdoor locations available for TRT training and adding their numbers to our TRT team would make it much easier to meet the minimum students required for many classes.  A motion was made to accept their offer and it passed unanimously.
 
The Toulon FD in Stark County has also expressed an interest in joining MABAS Div 39.  Their territory touches the southeastern corner of Henry County.  No action was taken as the inquiry has not yet been formalized.
 
A roster is being created to list all personnel who are qualified to repsond to a state-wide incident.  This Deployment Roster would be the official list when responding to state-wide call outs.  Anyone not on the list would not be allowed to proceed past the Reception Area.
 
There is concern with Department Rosters and training.  Please make sure that your name on your department's roster is the exact same name that you use for training.  These names must match for your training to be properly documented.  In the future we may have to provide our Illinois drivers license number, so one way to insure you use the same name would be to use it as it appears on your drivers license.
 
The Geneseo FD now has a truck and trailer for hauling TRT equipment.
 
Communications continues to be an issue, especially between the Primary Dispatch Center and farther out agencies.  Some suggestions were a remote radio system similar to what IL State Police have or a repeater system that feeds the IFERN traffic onto a different channel.  Repeaters are not allowed on IFERN except for the ones that connect a portable to the mobil radio in a vehicle.  For those not familiar, IL State Police in this area have two physical transmit sites, one at their headquarters and one in Andover.  The Telecommunicators select which tower to use based on the location of the Trooper.  A repeater system is in use in DuPage County (DU-COMM) that forwards the IFERN traffic onto a local UHF repeater network.  Discussion will continue on this issue.
 
Inter-Divisional Box Cards were approved for Division 43 (Quad Cities metro area).  A copy of these will also be sent out by e-mail asking for comment.
 
A representative from Illini Ambulance Service was present and discussion was held on how best to integrate Illini into the world of MABAS. 
 
Thanks to RICO ESDA for hosting the meeting.  The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 28,  2007 at 7:00 PM at the same location.

For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Nov 29) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Colona Fire Dept.  Updated information has been added to the Training Schedule.
 
The HAZMAT and TRT Team Rosters have been updated and submitted to the State.  Contact Rollie Peterson or John Swan when you have any changes or updates.  The HAZMAT / TRT equipment has also been audited.
 
A lengthy discussion was held on Communications issues.  The 3 county area covered by Division 39 has caused some difficulty in communicating with the Primary Dispatch Center at the Henry County Sheriff's Office.  Discussion included the policy change approved at the September meeting.  That policy allows Local Dispatch Centers to page responding agencies when they are the dispatch center for all agencies due to respond, prior to the MABAS Page.  That Local Dispatch Center then passes the information along to Henry County.
 
The discussion also included applying for a grant to cover the cost of a Division-wide upgrade to the communications system.  A committee was formed to audit our current communications ability and provide data for a possible application for a Fire Prevention and Safety grant.  That grant has a  deadline of January 12, 2007, so time is important.  Member agencies may be contacted by a committee member in the next few weeks for information.
 
For the present situation, Local Dispatch Centers will have to handle communications in the event that there is a problem.  Work will continue on this matter until a permanent solution can be found.
 
A letter was received from MABAS Division 43 with a proposal for Inter-Divisional Box Cards.  Three types of events were proposed: Structure Fire, HAZMAT, and TRT.  Division 43 has offered a "Task Force" type response and is asking Division 39 for the same in return.  It was pointed out that by the time Div 43 needs an Inter-Divisional Box that many of our agencies adjacent to them will have already been called out.  A possible solution would be to draw resources from agencies further out, such as Geneseo, Cambridge, Osco, Orion, and Aledo.  The next level of response would then come from agencies even further away.  Discussion will continue on this matter at the next meeting.  Inter-Divisional Box Cards will probably also become an issue sometime in the future with our other neighboring Divisions.
 
In other discussion, there was mention made that several recent fire calls could have been a MABAS Box.  Whether due lack of training, hesitancy to use the system, or some other reason, the MABAS system is not being used as much as it could be.  MABAS was created to make calling for mutual aid as easy as possible.  Under MABAS, the on-scene commander need only decide which Alarm Card to request and can then turn their attention back to the fire scene.  Everything else is handled for them.  Since any firefighter can find themselves in the position of on-scene commander, please make sure everyone at your agency knows what MABAS is and how it works.  There is also an excellent training session offered by Don Adams called MABAS 101 that can be given at your station.  Don also offers an Accountability Class.  Contact Don for information.
 
Responses to large-scale incidents of Statewide and National nature have been modified to include a "Reception Area" for responding units prior to the Staging area.  Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other incidents have shown the need for an area for registration and reception, and then one or more staging areas closer to the scene.
 
Thanks to Chief John Swan and the Colona Fire Department for hosting the meeting.  The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 7:00 PM at a location To Be Announced.

For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Sept 27) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Colona Fire Dept.  Some agencies have not paid their dues.  Another reminder will be sent to those agencies.
 
Training has been completed for the TRT Rope Rescue class.  Only a few classes remain until we have fully certified TRT Team.  The next class is Vehicle Machinery Ops, which will require funding to complete.  Several options were discussed including possibly applying for a grant.  Anyone with any funding ideas or availability should contact TRT Training Officer Rollie Peterson (Click to e-mail).
 
Upcoming training activities include a HAZMAT equipment inspection and inventory on Oct 14 from 08:00-12:00, and a TRT general meeting on Nov 4 from 08:00 to 12:00.  Todd McChurch also has some classes coming up and details will be forwarded when they are available.  Rollie also pointed out that Team Leaders will be monitoring the training sessions more closely to insure the safety of the session.  A TRT/HAZMAT drill is planned for the later part of October.
 
The Primary Dispatch Center at Henry County Sheriff's Office proposed a change in the dispatching policy which was approved by the membership.  Previously whenever there was a MABAS call the procedure was to do a MABAS page followed by paging the local agencies.  In cases where the Dispatch Center handling the MABAS call is also responsible for paging all of the agencies due to respond, the MABAS page only served to increase the amount of time before the local agencies were notified.  The policy was changed so that when the Dispatch Center also dispatches all of the local agencies due on the call, that the local agencies are to be paged first followed by the MABAS page.
 
The General Operating Procedures for Fire and EMS calls for the Henry County Sheriff's Office and 9-1-1 Center were presented and adopted.  While not specifically a MABAS issue, the types of events covered in the document could easily become a MABAS call.
 
It was proposed that the Division begin regular Radio Drills each Monday at 10 AM and 7 PM.  The membership was receptive and more discussion will likely follow.  Don't be surprised if your pager activates and it is a MABAS test page.
 
The 2006 Annual Conference of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and the Illinois Society of Fire Service Instructors is coming up on October 15-18, 2006 in Peoria, IL.  A meeting for all MABAS Divisions is also planned for Wednesday afternoon at this conference.  Click here for Conference information or contact Chief Tom Weston (click to e-mail) for more info.  Alot of important decisions are being made as MABAS continues to grow within Illinois and expands into surrounding states.  MABAS is now present in IL, WI, IA, MO, and IN. 
 
Information was presented on "Incident Management Assistance Teams" being created by the Illinois Terrorism Task Force with assistance from MABAS, ILEAS, IESMA and IEMA.  These teams would respond to an area stricken by a major disaster and provide relief for the on-scene commanders.  Qualifications and Application information are available by clicking here.
 
Sheriff Cady announced that the there is a "real world" practice for Search and Rescue planned for the last weekend in March of 2007.  A 1200 acre site has been obtained for this training and is being mapped from the air.  It was suggested that MABAS could benefit by participating in the exercise, especially the TRT and HAZMAT Teams.  More information will be announced closer to the actual date.
 
The meeting was adjourned with the next scheduled meeting To Be Announced.   For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (July 26) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Colona Fire Dept.  A reminder to all member agencies that dues are due now.  Notices have also been sent by e-mail. 

Training is continuing for the TRT and HAZMAT Teams. Contact Rollie Peterson, E-mail , for more information.  Someone is also needed to help coordinate training, contact Rollie for info. 

Secretary Weston reports that the state MABAS organization is undergoing changes due to the rapid growth of MABAS in Illinois and neighboring states.  Another reason it is so important to pay dues is to help cover the costs at the state level, including training, equipment, and other expenses.  The state MABAS just recently signed an agreement to provide insurance coverage for member agencies.  This would not be possible without the support of the membership.
 
Discussion was held on purchasing a machine to create ID tags for all members.  The cost of purchasing the machine was comapred to the cost of having the ID's made.  Information will be sent to all member agencies for their review.
 
Communications issues were discussed, including the migration of four agencies away from IFERN for everyday operations.  Only one agency is left, and dispatching is continuing on IFERN until they make the move.  One other communications concern that was discussed was the use of the Red channel by some Quad City agencies at more than the ten watt power limit allowed by the FCC.
 
A guest presentation was provided by IL Dept of Natural Resources Officer Laura Petreikis.  There have been several water accidents recently where MABAS might have been able to help.  It was agreed to begin work on some division-wide Box Cards for use in such special operations as water rescue and wilderness search.  The DNR also has access to equipment such as boats and all-terrain vehicles.
 
The meeting was adjourned with the next meeting scheduled at the Colona Fire Station on Wednesday, Sept 27, 2006 at 7:00 PM.   For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (May 24) MABAS Division 39 held a regular meeting at the Colona Fire Dept.  For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (May 3) MABAS Division 39 is participating in the statewide Disaster Drill.  Click Here for a news article describing the exercise. 

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes

  (Nov 30) MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Wednesday November 20, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.  It was preceeded by an Officer's Meeting at 6:30 PM. 
 
Several items were on the agenda for this meeting.  Training is continuing for the TRT and HAZMAT Teams.  The TRT team is now trained on Confined Space and Trench Rescue.  It was discussed that more involvement was needed from the Mercer County agencies.  Team Leaders, Training, and Safety Officers will be selected for each team.  It was suggested that regular drills and demonstrations be planned in the near future.  Dispatching for the teams was also discussed and it was decided to dispatch them using Henry County SIRT procedures. 
 
Election of Officers was held and the membership voted to retain all current Officers in their respective titles. 
 
The State MABAS organization now has a dues structure.  More information will be coming on this.
 
The equipping of a supply trailer was discussed at length.  As a result of the Hurricane Katrina event it is apparent that basic supplies need to be kept in reserve.  A list of suggested items was provided by the State MABAS organization and will be reviewed by the membership.  It was suggested that the items be placed in a trailer for ease of transport.  Brian Stoudt of Orion Ambulance Service was selected to coordinate local supply collection.  Each department was asked to provide something from the list.
 
It was decided to plan a Box Card training session sometime in the near future.

These are not official Meeting Minutes.  For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Aug 10) MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Wednesday July 27, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.  It was preceeded by an Officer's Meeting at 6:30 PM.  

  The Colona FD has received the 2nd allotment of equipment from MABAS.  This is HAZMAT gear and is mostly detection equipment.  Colona FD is working to try to reduce duplication of items and may be able to stock a 3rd or 4th trailer.  It was suggested that all agencies with an equipment trailer  should develop a common policy on disposable items.  The Geneseo FD has picked up the equipment from the state for the TRT Team and is also working on a trailer. 
 
  Classes are coming up for TRT Rope Rescue at Geneseo FD.  Kewanee FD will be hosting HAZMAT Tech A and Tech B classes in March and April of 2006. 
 
  Chief Weston presented the membership with a computer CD containing the Box Cards.  All are asked to review it for accuracy and let Chief Weston know if anything needs to be changed.  The Henry County 9-1-1 answering points at Cambridge, Geneseo, and Kewanee will be switching to a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system in the near future and the Box Cards need to be completed.

  The next general meeting is Thursday September 29, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Andalusia Fire Station.  The Officers meet at 6:30 PM.
 
    For a copy of complete meeting minutes, click here, or contact Chief Weston at Kewanee FD.  Note:  This is a .ZIP file, and once Unzipped the minutes can be viewed using Wordpad or MS-Word.

Meeting Notes

  (May 23) MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Monday May 23, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Barstow Fire Dept.  It was preceeded by an Officer's Meeting at 6:30 PM.  

  A second roster application is being sent out to all Depts. to verify member's interests.  Please get them back to Chief Liebovitz at Silvis FD as soon as possible.  New classes have been added to the Training web page.  Training reimbursement is available through MABAS for the 40 hour classes.

  Todd McChurch of Colona FD has been serving as Team Leader for both the HAZMAT and TRT teams.  He is stepping down as Team Leader of TRT.  Chief Lodge of Geneseo FD will seek a replacement.  Most of the equipment will be kept at the Geneseo station.

  Equipment from the HAZMAT grant is now at the Colona station and is being inventoried. 

  The second reading of the proposed Bylaws and it was suggested that language be added stating that our Division is NIMS-compliant and intends to follow all state organizational bylaws.  The committee will continue working on this.  Final approval should be voted on at the next meeting.

  The air cascade system is now at Kewanee FD and is being re-painted. 

  There are only five depts. left to complete their box cards.  Chief Weston is working with the Rock Island County Sheriff's Office to obtain a computer program to use the box cards in our dispatch centers.

  For a copy of complete meeting minutes, click here, or contact Chief Weston at Kewanee FD.  Note:  This is a .ZIP file, and the minutes are in both MS-Word and Plain Text format.

Meeting Notes

  (Mar 28) MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Monday March 28, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Osco Fire Dept's Andover Station.  It was preceeded by an Officer's Meeting at 6:30 PM.  

  In training news the state is adding more hours to some of the training classes with an emphasis on practical application of what is learned.  The Incident Command class is being expanded to 3 days and a Train-the-Trainer type of program is being developed.

  In other training news, a training session is coming up on April 30 in Kewanee coordinated by Kewanee Hospital EMS System Coordinator Adam Reading that will involve Fire, EMS, and law enforcement in a simulated HAZMAT / Crime Scene incident.  Contact Kewanee Fire Chief Tom Weston or Adam Reading at Kewanee Hospital for more information.

  Several volunteers returned from a recent trip to Chicago with a truckload of equipment.  There will need to be another trip in the near future.  Anyone interested in helping should contact Colona Fire Chief John Swan.  Once inventoried and stored, this equipment will be available to all members.

  The Bylaws Committee distributed copies of the proposed Bylaws.  Some discussion was held on them and members were asked to take them home and study them for the next meeting.  Anyone who was unable to attend can get a copy from Kewanee Fire Chief Tom Weston.

  In the Communications report, progress is continuing in getting the agencies in our area who use the IFERN frequency for daily operations to move to a new frequency.  There are about a dozen agencies currently affected by this situation.

  The Box Cards are almost done, with 20 of 24 departments complete.  The information is being entered into a computer program that will be at each dispatch center for use by the telecommunicators.  Look for some testing to start around the end of April.

  The mobile cascade system donated by Coal Valley FD is still available to any member agency that wants to house it.  It is currently at the Colona Fire Station.

  The next regular meeting will be on Monday May 23, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Barstow Fire Dept.  The Officers will meet at 6:30.

    These are not official Meeting Minutes.  For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Jan 31) MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Monday January 31, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Geneseo Fire Dept.  It was preceeded by an Officer's Meeting. The roll-call recorded 18 agencies attending. Box cards have been completed for 13 agencies and copies were passed out to those agencies in attendance.

  It was mentioned that clarifications may be needed on how equipment is referred to in the box cards. For example, what had been thought of as a "truck" or a "squad" by your agency may not be how it is defined by MABAS.

  Any agency that has not turned in box cards can contact Tom Weston for help getting them completed. A Box Card meeting will be held this Thursday, Feb. 3, in Aledo to help get them done. Contact Tom Weston for more info.

  It was agreed to go ahead and implement the box cards turned in so far. The first step will be a Box Card / Dispatch training session on Feb 16th hosted by Rock Island County ESDA. This is primarily for dispatch center personnel, but is also open to the general membership.

  The State MABAS is doing a study on the availability of portable lighting in the state. Everyone should have gotten a letter or e-mail. For any questions please e-mail Jay Reardon.

  The Coal Valley Fire Dept. has an 8 unit cascade air tank system that they are willing to donate to anyone in Division 39 who has a place to store it.

  The next general meeting will be Monday March 28, 2005 and will be hosted by the Osco Fire Dept. at their Andover station.

  These are not official Meeting Minutes.  For the official minutes please contact Tom Weston.

Meeting Notes

  (Nov 29)  MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Monday, November 29, at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.   It was preceeded by a Communications Committee meeting.  At the General Meeting several items were mentioned.  

  New Division Member Sherrard Fire was welcomed aboard.

  The 2005 Annual Dues of $25 are due now.  Any member agency that has not paid yet, please forward $25 as soon as possible to Sec/Treas Tom Weston.   

  Box cards are coming along slowly, a tentative deadline of Jan 1, 2005 has been set to get them all in.  If you have yours ready or need help with them, contact Sec/Treas Tom Weston.  A CD will be compiled in early January in order to begin testing the system with the local Communications Centers.  A training session is tentatively set for Jan 31 at 6:30 PM at the Geneseo Fire Dept. for Communications Supervisors, Telecommunicators, and MABAS to begin learning the Box Cards. 

  There was discussion on the need for Bylaws, and a Bylaws Committee was formed to create a set of bylaws for MABAS Div. 39. 

  Several classes were announced.  See the Training page for updates.

  The HAZMAT trailer will be stationed at Colona Fire Dept.  The search for a location for the TRT Equipment has been narrowed down to a few locations, with the final decison to be made shortly. 

  Chief John Swan provided a legislative update, listing many items coming up in Springfield that are of interest to the firefighting community.

  Special announcement for HAZMAT and TRT Special Operations Team Members:  As a team member of a special operations team, you have agreed to attend several training classes.   This is to inform you of upcoming training that is scheduled.  The first is the Technical Awareness class which is a prerequisite class for anyone on the TRT team.  This is an 8 hour class and will be offered at the Colona Fire Dept. on Saturday Dec 11, 2004 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  This class is also open to anyone else who would like to attend.  The second class is in Kewanee on January 8th and 9th, 2005.  This is a 16 hour class and will satisfy both the HAZMAT Incident Command class (HAZMAT Team) and the Incident Management System class (Technical Rescue Team).  Please register with the IFSI before attending these classes.  A list of team members who are required to attend is available from Training Chairman David Leibovitz at E-mail or phone 309-792-9553. 

Letter to all MABAS Divisions from CARMA

  (Jul 1)  The Chicago Area Radio Monitoring Association, or CARMA, is a club of radio hobbyists who enjoy following the activities of public safety radio.  The CARMA board has drafted a letter to all MABAS Divisions regarding one of its members requesting copies of Box Cards and then sharing them with others.  CARMA has the opinion that this is not in the best interests of the club, and the letter details their opinion.  To read a copy of the letter, click here (requires Adobe Reader).

Meeting Notes

  (Jun 30)  MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting on Tuesday, June 29, at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.  It was preceeded by an officers meeting.  Members were given a presentation by ACE/Security Laminates.  ACE/Security Laminates manufactures a micro-thin polyester film/laminate that, when applied to glass, forms an invisible barrier to protect against breakage.  There will be another demonstration of this product on Friday, July 30, 2004 at 9:00 AM at the Kewanee Fire Dept. 

  Two new committees were formed:  Communications and Box Cards.  The Communications Committee will be looking at radio frequencies and equipment and the "re-farming" being done by the FCC.  For more info on re-farming of frequencies, click here for the current status.  The Box Cards Committee will be collecting and coordinating the Box Cards for Division 39.

  The deadline for APR air mask lists is July 31, and Division 39 is meeting again on July 29.  Please get your lists in at the next meeting.  APR Coordinators are also needed for each fire department, and Kewanee Chief Weston is our Division APR Coordinator.  Please make sure that all your neighboring agencies are also aware of the deadline. 

  A yearly dues schedule was discussed.  Funds are going to be needed for administrative costs as well as the annual MABAS membership fee. 

  IEMA offers reimbursement for training expenses.  A form is available from their website or contact Todd McChurch at Colona Fire Dept.

  We have approximately 25 departments on board and we are growing in Henry, Rock Island and Mercer Counties . When completed there will be approximately 1000 or more firefighters in MABAS Division 39.

  The next general meeting of MABAS 39 will be on Thursday, July 29, 2004 at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.

New Members and Meeting Notice

  (Jun 16)  Three agencies have joined MABAS Division 39.  They are the  Alexis, Hillsdale, and New Boston-Eliza Fire Departments.    The next general meeting for Division 39 will be on Tuesday, June 29, at 7:00 PM at the Colona Fire Dept.  It will be preceeded by an officers meeting at 6:30 PM.

MABAS 39 General Meeting

  (Apr 10)  On Saturday, April 10, 2004 a combined meeting was held for MABAS Divison 39 and Henry County SIRT at the Colona Fire Station.  The primary purpose of the meeting was to make final arrangements for HAZ-MAT and TRT Training.  Other topics discussed included gas masks, box cards, the new National Incident Management System, and other issues.  For a copy of the minutes of this meeting, click here.  This is a .ZIP file, and the minutes are in both MS-Word and Plain Text format.  Many new items have also been added to the Training list.

New Agencies Added

  (Mar 1)  Two more agencies have officially joined MABAS 39, they are the Cambridge, IL Fire Department and the Rock Island County ESDA.  Membership in MABAS 39 is open to all emergency agencies in the Henry, Mercer, and Rock Island county areas.

Representatives Attend ITTF-MABAS Seminar

  (Feb 11)  Divison 39 was strongly represented at this year's annual ITTF-MABAS state seminar. Making the trip were Sheriff Gib Cady and two Henry County Telecommunicators, Kewanee Fire Chief Tom Weston and Kewanee Police Dept's Communications Supervisor, and Colona Fire Chief John Swan and Firefighter Todd McChurch.  Highlights of this year's seminar were reviews of basic MABAS operation and the Illinois Statewide Mutual Aid Plan.  If you have never been to the ITTF-MABAS seminar, this is a very informative and highly educational event. 

New Agencies Added

  (Jan 14)  Five more agencies have officially joined MABAS 39, they are Aledo, Andalusia, Coyne Center, Oxford (Alpha) and Port Byron fire departments.  Membership in MABAS 39 is open to all fire departments in the Henry-Mercer-Rock Island county area.  There are also other MABAS divisions adjacent to ours.  For information on how to join MABAS, contact the Fire Chief of any member agency, or any of the MABAS 39 Officers: 

President John Swan at 309-792-3231 or e-mail ColonaChief
Vice-President Larry Scott at 309-792-5449 or e-mail Carbon Cliff Chief
Secretary-Treasurer Tom Weston at 309-852-2115 or e-mail Kewanee Chief

MABAS 39 General Meeting

  (Dec 24)  On Monday, December 22, MABAS Division 39 held a general meeting at the Colona Fire Dept.  The general session was preceeded by an Executive Committee meeting to discuss the status of current grants. 

  The general session included discussion of an agreement with the statewide MABAS to form both a HAZMAT and a Technical Rescue Team (TRT) within 3 years.  Current grant money will go toward the training and equipment necessary to create these teams.  Anyone currently on a MABAS 39 department who is interested is urged to contact your local fire chief to request more information. 

  The HAZMAT Team training is 157 hours and the TRT is 392 hours.  You may already have some of the core training.  We were the only group in the state to receive this grant that has volunteer services, all the rest were full-time departments.  It is essential that this training be completed to make a good showing for all the volunteer services across the state.

  There was also some discussion regarding expanding Division 39 to include more departments.  Several board members have received inquiries, and have also tried to reach out to neighboring departments.  Any neighboring department wishing to know more about MABAS is encouraged to contact one of the members listed under "Contacts" at the bottom of the main MABAS 39 page.  There may also be some more attempts at offering membership to surrounding departments who have been slow to respond.

  Thanks to the Colona Fire Department for hosting this event.

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