BY JENNIFER BAILEY
Commercial-News
DANVILLE —
With little city official interest in a fall Fire Ops 101 course, Danville Firefighters Local 429 has canceled its planned Oct. 2 event.
Union president Sean O’Kane said Mayor Scott Eisenhauer and Corp. Counsel Dave Wesner were the only two to express interest in attending the event.
Now with the upcoming city election early next year, in which at least three aldermen are not seeking re-election, O’Kane said this gives the firefighters the chance to focus on some of the new faces by having the hands-on program in the spring.
“We’ll reschedule it sometime in the spring,” O’Kane said.
“We’re disappointed there was not more participation with some of the aldermen,” he added.
But they do appreciate Eisenhauer’s and Wesner’s interest.
O’Kane announced to aldermen and city officials in July about this second planned program, this time to be conducted in Danville at Fire Station No. 3 on Griffin Street.
The first hands-on program was in June at the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.
The workshop demonstrated fire and emergency medical operations, from suiting up in the proper protective gear to putting out fires. Participants learned how to use a self-contained breathing apparatus and to respond to anticipated events of fire behavior such as flashover.
Those participating in the first program were Ward 1 Alderman Rickey Williams Jr., Ward 6 Alderman Jon Cooper, Danville Human Resources Manager Bill Westphal, and Public Safety Director Larry Thomason observed some of the program.
“I learned a lot about the legal requirements, about safety procedures so everyone comes out alive and (about) saving property …,” Williams said.
He added that he wishes more city officials would take advantage of learning more about the firefighters’ duties.
“We have to make decisions every year about the fire department — manning and allocations …,” Williams said. “I do my very best to make more informed decisions.”
