station funnies the firehouse scene...charlotte on the birth of their ﬁ rst child. mason jay alms...

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - 2www.harlemroscoefi re.com

August 2010 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

Photo by Marcia Soppe

Station Funnies Fill the boot for MDA will be on Fri. Aug. 27 & Sat. Aug. 28. Friday will be noon to 5 p.m. and Sat. will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Sorry again to Danielle and any of the other newest fi refi ghters that had their birthdays left off the birthday list the last couple of months. I have a new list now.Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel BakerCongratulations to our new Fire Apparatus Engineers - Lt. Alms, Adam Eich, Scott Jensen, Randy Lovelace, Paul Stanphill, & Rico VanderHeyden!We are still looking for old pictures and articles anyone may have of Harlem-Roscoe. Please bring them into Station One. We will scan them and get them right back to you.The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher. ~Thomas Henry Huxley

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Lightning Strikes 3 Times . . .See pages 6&7 inside

1:41 am garage hit on Pin Oak Rd.

1:38 am - gas line hit on Wild Deer Trail

1:31 am - Gas line hit on Huntsboro Ln.

Something’s just not right ??

Do you see what I see...

Nick, Nick, Nick...

Antique Car Restored After Fire

From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

Congratulations to FF Chris Scott. Chris was recently promoted to Lieutenant. It was an honor to promote Chris and watch his father, a retired HRFD Deputy Chief, pin his son’s badge on him. I have full confi dence in Chris’ ability, dedication, and

commitment to succeed in his new position.

It’s hard to believe, but where did summer go? Before we know it school will be starting. Please remember to drive safely as our children will be on their way to school whether it is walking, waiting for the bus or driving. Remember children’s actions are unpredictable. This will add to the already crowded roads with all the construction still in progress

Your fi re department continues to be active this past month with responding to calls for our services as well as out and about at community events. We just fi nished with Roscoe Community Days and National Night Out. We have begun planning for the Roscoe Lions Fall Festival. This will be 100th anniversary. Congratulations on their milestone. We are also hard at work planning our Annual Fire Prevention Open House. This year it will be held at Station 2 on 10/10/10. More information will be coming in the near future.

We also have quite a few classes starting up as well. Our personnel continue to expand their knowledge and I thank them all for that. They all have a dedication and commitment to the excellence, integrity, and caring in the performance of our services.

Please continue to check out our website www.harlemroscefi re.com. We greatly appreciate all of your continuous support. If you have any questions or I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me.

Gone, but not forgottenSome people come into our lives, and quickly go.Some stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts.And, we are never, ever the same.

DC John Bergeron and Captain Tim Bergeron’s father, Robert Bergeron, passed away August 3, 2010

Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to John and Tim and their family and friends!

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New LieutenantPhotos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire would like to announce that on July 11, Harlem-Roscoe Fire Trustee Jerry Ocker administered the oath of offi ce to Chris Scott, promoting him to the rank of

Lieutenant. The honor of pinning went to Chris’s father, retired HRFD Deputy Chief Mike Scott.

Chris joined the fi re department in October of 2002. Chris was promoted to Lieutenant on July 11, 2010.

He is state certifi ed FFII, Instructor I, and a Fire Apparatus Engineer. He has taken numerous classes through IFSI at Fire College in Champaign and classes such as Helicopter Safety, Haz Mat Awareness, and is NIMS compliant.

Chris is in the training division for HRFD and has been involved in instructing the recruit classes. He runs out of Station Two on Ralston Road.

L-r Trustee Jerry Ocker, Chief Don Shoevlin, Chris, Mike Scott.

Chris poses with his wife April, children Makenzie, Paige, & Tyler, and parents Darlene & Mike Scott.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 11 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Birthdays

August

7th Tom Lake9th Jeff Morris11th Rico VanderHeyden14th Tim Schrader15th John Barth16th Danielle Baumgartner22nd Brad Knipp ‘40th’25th Dona Zopp ‘80th’26th Bob Clark27th Mike Sherbon28th Tom Person

September

3rd Ramona Baldoni-Lake5th Adam Eich12th Bart Munger13th Marty Green Mike Powell ‘50th’ Joe Koeninger23rd Debbie Rykowski ‘50th’25th Carmella Young

September Breakfast ListCoffee and donuts will be served

with a short meeting before the Fall Festival Parade .

Total Calls for 2010

1307

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor & Layout - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s web site after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.comE-mail submissions to: sdrost@harlemroscoefi re.com

New BabyCongratulations to Lt. Ryan Alms and his wife Charlotte on the birth of their fi rst child. Mason Jay Alms was born on July 2, 2010. He measured in at 7lbs. 12oz. and 20” long. Mom and baby are doing great. Charlotte says Ryan is a great daddy, and he loves spending time with Mason. Mason is also grandson to Capt. Jay Alms and nephew to FF Megan Alms. Congrats again Ryan and Charlotte, he is adorable!

Grandpa Jay with Mason

Lynn Pond stopped by the fi re station with his granddaughter to give us an update after his antique car had caught fi re back on April 5. (Pictured below) He says its all been restored and is running great!

Out in the Community Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

The 2nd Annual Hooks and Ladders Kids Fishing Tournament was held on July 10 out at Rock Cut State Park. The kids had a great time fi shing and then were treated to a hot dog lunch provided by the Firefi ghters Association. Austin Wagner caught a record 16 fi sh and Collin Bjork (7) caught the biggest fi sh, a 13” bass. Even Rocko from the Rockford River Hawks came out to fi sh. Firefi ghters also participated in Roscoe Community Days, a local Vacation Bible School, The Boy Scout’s Day Camp, and both the Village of Machesney Park and Village of Roscoe’s National Night Out Celebrations.

Dumpster FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters extinguish a fi re in a dumpster beside the Family Video Store on July 18. The cause of the fi re is undetermined at this time.

Crash Causes FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

A small car was engulfed in fl ames after it crashed into a SUV on Hwy 173 in front of Rock Cut State Park. The driver was helped from her vehicle by a passing motorist and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The driver of the SUV was also transported. Below fi refi ghters Bryson Knox and Josh Hoffl and work to extinguish the fi re.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 10 The Firehouse Scene - www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Fatal FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

A passing motorist was burned when he stopped and tried to rescue a woman that was trapped under an over-turned burning lawn mower on Prairie Hill Rd. Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death and how the accident happened is under investigation.

Golf Cart FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters Ken Boris and Steve Shoevlin quickly had a fi re in a golf cart knocked down on July 16 on Glen Forest Drive.

Area FloodingPhoto by Chief Don Shoevlin

Recent rains have again fl ooded the section of Edgemere Terrace that runs along the river. Residents are used to fl ooding though and most have boats they use to get to their homes.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene -Page 9 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

One call that stands out in Kay’s mind is the time a young man came driving fast down Harrison St. on a motorcycle and she watched him crash into a car on Main St. severing both his legs. She set off the siren and got the fi remen there, but the traffi c on Main St. wasn’t stopping. So she went out and started directing traffi c. She says this one car came barreling down on her and she got so mad that she stood her ground, pointing and staring at the man to stop. Now just picture a small 5’2” woman weighing under 100lbs stopping a speeding car; but she did!

Paul said back then we didn’t have medics or an ambulance yet, but they had all had to take First Aid and some took Advanced First Aid. He remembers having to hold a victim’s head that had crashed into the creek until an ambulance could come out of Beloit.

Paul says he reads the calls in the local paper and it totally amazes him how now, over 70% of the emergency calls are medical. He says there is no comparison to how great the fi re department is today from what it was when he was on.

They both spoke fondly of the times when they have used the department’s ambulances. They were so impressed with the empathy the medics showed to them. With tears in her eyes, Kay recalled the time she was allowed to ride in the front of the ambulance as they transported Paul. She said the driver was so compassionate and it sure helped to calm her down.

Some of the pictures used in this article are from a scrapbook Paul shared with us a few years back. We were able to scan them and add them to our growing history archive. Thank you, Paul & Kay.

Beloit Daily NewsFeb. 14, 1958

Caption reads: Smoke billowed up from a fi re raging in a Roscoe store building at noon today as Harlem-Roscoe and Rockton Firemen fought to keep the blaze from spreading to the Butts Royal Blue Grocery (left) and the Roscoe Garage.

(Daily News photo by Bill Behling)

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

07/27/10 - I-90 07/21/10 Gleasman Road - Fatal Rollover

07/13/10 Belvidere Road 07/22/10 Elevator Road

07/16/10 Glen Forest 07/20/10 Hwy 251 Frontage Rd. - Wires down on truck

07/17/10 Prairie Hill Road

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like DrowningPublished: June 16th, 2010 by Mario Vittone

Mario Vittone has nineteen years of combined military service in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. His writing on maritime safety has appeared in Yachting, Salt Water Sportsman, On-Scene, Lifelines, and Reader’s Digest magazines. He has lectured extensively on topics ranging from leadership to sea survival and immersion hypothermia. He is a marine safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfi sher and the beach.

“I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fi ne, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fi ne!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fi fty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television.

If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you know what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfi lled, before speech occurs.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and re-appear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water levelHead tilted back with mouth openEyes glassy and empty, unable to focusEyes closedHair over forehead or eyesNot using legs – VerticalHyperventilating or gaspingTrying to swim in a particular direction but not making headwayTrying to roll over on the backLadder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a person falls overboard and looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and fi nd out why.

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The Firehouse Scene -Page 8 The Firehouse Scene - www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Times RekindledBy Sheryl Drost

This month’s interview is with retired Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghter Paul Barmore and his wife Kay. Paul is now 90 years young and lives with his wife in a retirement complex in Loves Park. Paul says he served on Harlem-Roscoe Fire from 1953 to 1971. Paul and Kay lived across the street from the fi re station and owned and operated the local hardware store there as well. Paul also served as one of the fi rst Village of Roscoe Trustees and was a Director for the Bank of Roscoe. After he sold the hardware store he became a real estate broker.

Paul said they also had one of the fi re phones and were able to set off the fi re siren from the hardware store. Both Paul and Kay had to be licensed to talk on the radios.

One of Paul’s most memorable memories was how hot it was up on the roof when the Royal Blue Grocery Store burned on Main St. He said sparks were fl ying everywhere. He also remembers the barn fi re at the Pete Burton Farm on Belvidere Rd. He said the barn was fully involved and he remembers being frustrated standing there watching it burn with just a trickle of water coming out of his fi re hose. He remembers the famous Flying Dutchman Stables fi re, which was also out that way, but he wasn’t at the fi re.

And then he remembers how it was freezing cold during a fi re on Ventura Blvd. where there had been an explosion. He said there was another explosion when they were fi ghting it that gave them quite a scare, and how they couldn’t get their fi re coats off after the fi re because they were covered in ice.

They both talked about the time downtown Roscoe fl ooded. Kay said the water stopped just at their threshold. Paul said he spent a lot of time out in the boats helping people, or just getting around.He said you could almost set your clocks to the noon train in those days. The train would come through and almost always start a grass fi re. He said they had a lot of grass fi res in those days. They remembered the time the train derailed. They said they don’t remember anyone being hurt or exactly what year it was. The train tracks have since become a bike path.

Paul said their hardware store housed a community freezer. They had one and there was another one in Rockton. People from all around would then rent space in the freezer. He said the hunters would bring in the raccoon for the fi re department’s Coon and Ham Dinner and pile them up on the top shelf in the freezer. Kay said if you have a community freezer, you had a big responsibility to keep it working 24 hours a day. You had to make sure everything worked and if it broke, to get someone out there quickly to fi x it. She said people would be scared to go in to the freezer and shut the door behind them, but she said you had to keep the door shut to keep it cold enough in there.

They fondly remember the coon and ham dinners. They said people would be lined up down the street whether it was raining or snowing. Everyone supported the fi re department.

Although Paul’s wife Kay was not offi cially a fi refi ghter, she was an integral part of the fi re department as were many spouses throughout the years. Kay said when a call came in, Paul headed to the fi re station and she would set off the siren and then would start calling fi remen to notify them there was a fi re; there were no pagers back then.

Answering the fi re phone fell to many a fi refi ghter’s wife throughout the years. Kay said you had to be quick and use short words because it was so important to get the fi remen going as quickly as possible. She said even if she was waiting on a customer, they had to wait until she got the fi refi ghters moving; she would just say, “I’ll be back!”

They lived on Main Street in the days when it was part of Hwy 51, before the new Hwy 251 was built just west of town. She remembers the day a car came driving down Main St. with the rear end on fi re and pulled into the gas station where Lucky Lock is today. She said she quickly set off the siren and luckily the fi refi ghters got the fi re out before anything exploded.

Kay said most of the fi refi ghters lived close to the fi re station and if there was a fi re, they all came running. She says as they ran to the fi re station they would be stripping off clothes so they could put their gear on quickly. She doesn’t remember how many times she had to go pick up shoes, shirts, and pants lying in the middle of the road in front of the fi re station!

She also remembers all the times fi refi ghter Hall would come fl ying down Harrison St. in his little red car and make the turn onto Main St. on two wheels. He always got to drive the lead truck out though!

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 7

Lightning Hits - Strike ThreePhotos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

Around 1am, on July 24, a strong storm struck the fi re district with heavy rains and multiple lightning strikes. Firefi ghters were dispatched to three storm-related calls within a few minutes of each other. (The three calls are also pictured on the front page)

The fi rst two calls were for underground gas lines that were struck by lightning and caught fi re. We were lucky the gas did catch fi re, because it helped stabilize the situation by burning the gas before it could do any damage. Firefi ghters protected exposures from the fi re and let the gas burn until the gas company employees arrived.

The third call was a lightning strike at a home that caused a fi re in the garage. In heavy rainfall and lightning all around, fi refi ghters attacked the fi re and were able to keep the fi re from entering the home. A neighbor heard the lightning strike and looked outside to see smoke coming from the garage. He then alerted the homeowners and everyone was out and safe when fi refi ghters arrived.

Besides the garage fi re, a light pole was hit and several homeowners reported their electrical equipment was hit as well.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 6 The Firehouse Scene -

Lightning Hits - Strike ThreePhotos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

Around 1am, on July 24, a strong storm struck the fi re district with heavy rains and multiple lightning strikes. Firefi ghters were dispatched to three storm-related calls within a few minutes of each other. (The three calls are also pictured on the front page)

The fi rst two calls were for underground gas lines that were struck by lightning and caught fi re. We were lucky the gas did catch fi re, because it helped stabilize the situation by burning the gas before it could do any damage. Firefi ghters protected exposures from the fi re and let the gas burn until the gas company employees arrived.

The third call was a lightning strike at a home that caused a fi re in the garage. In heavy rainfall and lightning all around, fi refi ghters attacked the fi re and were able to keep the fi re from entering the home. A neighbor heard the lightning strike and looked outside to see smoke coming from the garage. He then alerted the homeowners and everyone was out and safe when fi refi ghters arrived.

Besides the garage fi re, a light pole was hit and several homeowners reported their electrical equipment was hit as well.

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like DrowningPublished: June 16th, 2010 by Mario Vittone

Mario Vittone has nineteen years of combined military service in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. His writing on maritime safety has appeared in Yachting, Salt Water Sportsman, On-Scene, Lifelines, and Reader’s Digest magazines. He has lectured extensively on topics ranging from leadership to sea survival and immersion hypothermia. He is a marine safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfi sher and the beach.

“I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fi ne, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fi ne!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fi fty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television.

If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you know what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfi lled, before speech occurs.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and re-appear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water levelHead tilted back with mouth openEyes glassy and empty, unable to focusEyes closedHair over forehead or eyesNot using legs – VerticalHyperventilating or gaspingTrying to swim in a particular direction but not making headwayTrying to roll over on the backLadder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a person falls overboard and looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and fi nd out why.

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Times RekindledBy Sheryl Drost

This month’s interview is with retired Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghter Paul Barmore and his wife Kay. Paul is now 90 years young and lives with his wife in a retirement complex in Loves Park. Paul says he served on Harlem-Roscoe Fire from 1953 to 1971. Paul and Kay lived across the street from the fi re station and owned and operated the local hardware store there as well. Paul also served as one of the fi rst Village of Roscoe Trustees and was a Director for the Bank of Roscoe. After he sold the hardware store he became a real estate broker.

Paul said they also had one of the fi re phones and were able to set off the fi re siren from the hardware store. Both Paul and Kay had to be licensed to talk on the radios.

One of Paul’s most memorable memories was how hot it was up on the roof when the Royal Blue Grocery Store burned on Main St. He said sparks were fl ying everywhere. He also remembers the barn fi re at the Pete Burton Farm on Belvidere Rd. He said the barn was fully involved and he remembers being frustrated standing there watching it burn with just a trickle of water coming out of his fi re hose. He remembers the famous Flying Dutchman Stables fi re, which was also out that way, but he wasn’t at the fi re.

And then he remembers how it was freezing cold during a fi re on Ventura Blvd. where there had been an explosion. He said there was another explosion when they were fi ghting it that gave them quite a scare, and how they couldn’t get their fi re coats off after the fi re because they were covered in ice.

They both talked about the time downtown Roscoe fl ooded. Kay said the water stopped just at their threshold. Paul said he spent a lot of time out in the boats helping people, or just getting around.He said you could almost set your clocks to the noon train in those days. The train would come through and almost always start a grass fi re. He said they had a lot of grass fi res in those days. They remembered the time the train derailed. They said they don’t remember anyone being hurt or exactly what year it was. The train tracks have since become a bike path.

Paul said their hardware store housed a community freezer. They had one and there was another one in Rockton. People from all around would then rent space in the freezer. He said the hunters would bring in the raccoon for the fi re department’s Coon and Ham Dinner and pile them up on the top shelf in the freezer. Kay said if you have a community freezer, you had a big responsibility to keep it working 24 hours a day. You had to make sure everything worked and if it broke, to get someone out there quickly to fi x it. She said people would be scared to go in to the freezer and shut the door behind them, but she said you had to keep the door shut to keep it cold enough in there.

They fondly remember the coon and ham dinners. They said people would be lined up down the street whether it was raining or snowing. Everyone supported the fi re department.

Although Paul’s wife Kay was not offi cially a fi refi ghter, she was an integral part of the fi re department as were many spouses throughout the years. Kay said when a call came in, Paul headed to the fi re station and she would set off the siren and then would start calling fi remen to notify them there was a fi re; there were no pagers back then.

Answering the fi re phone fell to many a fi refi ghter’s wife throughout the years. Kay said you had to be quick and use short words because it was so important to get the fi remen going as quickly as possible. She said even if she was waiting on a customer, they had to wait until she got the fi refi ghters moving; she would just say, “I’ll be back!”

They lived on Main Street in the days when it was part of Hwy 51, before the new Hwy 251 was built just west of town. She remembers the day a car came driving down Main St. with the rear end on fi re and pulled into the gas station where Lucky Lock is today. She said she quickly set off the siren and luckily the fi refi ghters got the fi re out before anything exploded.

Kay said most of the fi refi ghters lived close to the fi re station and if there was a fi re, they all came running. She says as they ran to the fi re station they would be stripping off clothes so they could put their gear on quickly. She doesn’t remember how many times she had to go pick up shoes, shirts, and pants lying in the middle of the road in front of the fi re station!

She also remembers all the times fi refi ghter Hall would come fl ying down Harrison St. in his little red car and make the turn onto Main St. on two wheels. He always got to drive the lead truck out though!


One call that stands out in Kay’s mind is the time a young man came driving fast down Harrison St. on a motorcycle and she watched him crash into a car on Main St. severing both his legs. She set off the siren and got the fi remen there, but the traffi c on Main St. wasn’t stopping. So she went out and started directing traffi c. She says this one car came barreling down on her and she got so mad that she stood her ground, pointing and staring at the man to stop. Now just picture a small 5’2” woman weighing under 100lbs stopping a speeding car; but she did!

Paul said back then we didn’t have medics or an ambulance yet, but they had all had to take First Aid and some took Advanced First Aid. He remembers having to hold a victim’s head that had crashed into the creek until an ambulance could come out of Beloit.

Paul says he reads the calls in the local paper and it totally amazes him how now, over 70% of the emergency calls are medical. He says there is no comparison to how great the fi re department is today from what it was when he was on.

They both spoke fondly of the times when they have used the department’s ambulances. They were so impressed with the empathy the medics showed to them. With tears in her eyes, Kay recalled the time she was allowed to ride in the front of the ambulance as they transported Paul. She said the driver was so compassionate and it sure helped to calm her down.

Some of the pictures used in this article are from a scrapbook Paul shared with us a few years back. We were able to scan them and add them to our growing history archive. Thank you, Paul & Kay.

Beloit Daily NewsFeb. 14, 1958

Caption reads: Smoke billowed up from a fi re raging in a Roscoe store building at noon today as Harlem-Roscoe and Rockton Firemen fought to keep the blaze from spreading to the Butts Royal Blue Grocery (left) and the Roscoe Garage.

(Daily News photo by Bill Behling)

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

07/27/10 - I-90 07/21/10 Gleasman Road - Fatal Rollover

07/13/10 Belvidere Road 07/22/10 Elevator Road

07/16/10 Glen Forest 07/20/10 Hwy 251 Frontage Rd. - Wires down on truck

07/17/10 Prairie Hill Road

Out in the Community Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

The 2nd Annual Hooks and Ladders Kids Fishing Tournament was held on July 10 out at Rock Cut State Park. The kids had a great time fi shing and then were treated to a hot dog lunch provided by the Firefi ghters Association. Austin Wagner caught a record 16 fi sh and Collin Bjork (7) caught the biggest fi sh, a 13” bass. Even Rocko from the Rockford River Hawks came out to fi sh. Firefi ghters also participated in Roscoe Community Days, a local Vacation Bible School, The Boy Scout’s Day Camp, and both the Village of Machesney Park and Village of Roscoe’s National Night Out Celebrations.

Dumpster FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters extinguish a fi re in a dumpster beside the Family Video Store on July 18. The cause of the fi re is undetermined at this time.

Crash Causes FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

A small car was engulfed in fl ames after it crashed into a SUV on Hwy 173 in front of Rock Cut State Park. The driver was helped from her vehicle by a passing motorist and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The driver of the SUV was also transported. Below fi refi ghters Bryson Knox and Josh Hoffl and work to extinguish the fi re.


Fatal FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

A passing motorist was burned when he stopped and tried to rescue a woman that was trapped under an over-turned burning lawn mower on Prairie Hill Rd. Sadly, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death and how the accident happened is under investigation.

Golf Cart FirePhotos by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters Ken Boris and Steve Shoevlin quickly had a fi re in a golf cart knocked down on July 16 on Glen Forest Drive.

Area FloodingPhoto by Chief Don Shoevlin

Recent rains have again fl ooded the section of Edgemere Terrace that runs along the river. Residents are used to fl ooding though and most have boats they use to get to their homes.

Antique Car Restored After Fire

From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

Congratulations to FF Chris Scott. Chris was recently promoted to Lieutenant. It was an honor to promote Chris and watch his father, a retired HRFD Deputy Chief, pin his son’s badge on him. I have full confi dence in Chris’ ability, dedication, and

commitment to succeed in his new position.

It’s hard to believe, but where did summer go? Before we know it school will be starting. Please remember to drive safely as our children will be on their way to school whether it is walking, waiting for the bus or driving. Remember children’s actions are unpredictable. This will add to the already crowded roads with all the construction still in progress

Your fi re department continues to be active this past month with responding to calls for our services as well as out and about at community events. We just fi nished with Roscoe Community Days and National Night Out. We have begun planning for the Roscoe Lions Fall Festival. This will be 100th anniversary. Congratulations on their milestone. We are also hard at work planning our Annual Fire Prevention Open House. This year it will be held at Station 2 on 10/10/10. More information will be coming in the near future.

We also have quite a few classes starting up as well. Our personnel continue to expand their knowledge and I thank them all for that. They all have a dedication and commitment to the excellence, integrity, and caring in the performance of our services.

Please continue to check out our website www.harlemroscefi re.com. We greatly appreciate all of your continuous support. If you have any questions or I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me.

Gone, but not forgottenSome people come into our lives, and quickly go.Some stay awhile and leave footprints in our hearts.And, we are never, ever the same.

DC John Bergeron and Captain Tim Bergeron’s father, Robert Bergeron, passed away August 3, 2010

Our deepest sympathies and prayers go out to John and Tim and their family and friends!

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New LieutenantPhotos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire would like to announce that on July 11, Harlem-Roscoe Fire Trustee Jerry Ocker administered the oath of offi ce to Chris Scott, promoting him to the rank of

Lieutenant. The honor of pinning went to Chris’s father, retired HRFD Deputy Chief Mike Scott.

Chris joined the fi re department in October of 2002. Chris was promoted to Lieutenant on July 11, 2010.

He is state certifi ed FFII, Instructor I, and a Fire Apparatus Engineer. He has taken numerous classes through IFSI at Fire College in Champaign and classes such as Helicopter Safety, Haz Mat Awareness, and is NIMS compliant.

Chris is in the training division for HRFD and has been involved in instructing the recruit classes. He runs out of Station Two on Ralston Road.

L-r Trustee Jerry Ocker, Chief Don Shoevlin, Chris, Mike Scott.

Chris poses with his wife April, children Makenzie, Paige, & Tyler, and parents Darlene & Mike Scott.


Birthdays

August

7th Tom Lake9th Jeff Morris11th Rico VanderHeyden14th Tim Schrader15th John Barth16th Danielle Baumgartner22nd Brad Knipp ‘40th’25th Dona Zopp ‘80th’26th Bob Clark27th Mike Sherbon28th Tom Person

September

3rd Ramona Baldoni-Lake5th Adam Eich12th Bart Munger13th Marty Green Mike Powell ‘50th’ Joe Koeninger23rd Debbie Rykowski ‘50th’25th Carmella Young

September Breakfast ListCoffee and donuts will be served

with a short meeting before the Fall Festival Parade .

Total Calls for 2010

1307

The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Chief Don ShoevlinEditor & Layout - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s web site after the second Sunday each month.

www.harlemroscoefi re.comE-mail submissions to: sdrost@harlemroscoefi re.com

New BabyCongratulations to Lt. Ryan Alms and his wife Charlotte on the birth of their fi rst child. Mason Jay Alms was born on July 2, 2010. He measured in at 7lbs. 12oz. and 20” long. Mom and baby are doing great. Charlotte says Ryan is a great daddy, and he loves spending time with Mason. Mason is also grandson to Capt. Jay Alms and nephew to FF Megan Alms. Congrats again Ryan and Charlotte, he is adorable!

Grandpa Jay with Mason

Lynn Pond stopped by the fi re station with his granddaughter to give us an update after his antique car had caught fi re back on April 5. (Pictured below) He says its all been restored and is running great!

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - www.harlemroscoefi re.com

August 2010 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

Photo by Marcia Soppe

Station Funnies Fill the boot for MDA will be on Fri. Aug. 27 & Sat. Aug. 28. Friday will be noon to 5 p.m. and Sat. will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Sorry again to Danielle and any of the other newest fi refi ghters that had their birthdays left off the birthday list the last couple of months. I have a new list now.Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel BakerCongratulations to our new Fire Apparatus Engineers - Lt. Alms, Adam Eich, Scott Jensen, Randy Lovelace, Paul Stanphill, & Rico VanderHeyden!We are still looking for old pictures and articles anyone may have of Harlem-Roscoe. Please bring them into Station One. We will scan them and get them right back to you.The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher. ~Thomas Henry Huxley

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Lightning Strikes 3 Times . . .See pages 6&7 inside

1:41 am garage hit on Pin Oak Rd.

1:38 am - gas line hit on Wild Deer Trail

1:31 am - Gas line hit on Huntsboro Ln.

Something’s just not right ??

Do you see what I see...

Nick, Nick, Nick...

station funnies the firehouse scene...charlotte on the birth of their ﬁ rst child. mason jay alms...

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