Steve Lord
Beacon-News (Aurora, Ill.)
(TNS)

The Aurora City Council recently approved annexation and a final plan for a 2.5-acre site at Bilter Road and Nan Street for the new Fire Station 13.

Aldermen also approved a conditional use for the property just east of Farnsworth Avenue on land the city has owned since 2015.

Aurora Fire Department officials have said the new station will cut response time in the area in half. That area includes Chicago Premium Outlets mall and all the development along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road. It also includes all the residential in that area and all the homes that could be built there in the future.

Right now, that area is served by either a fire station near Fox Valley Mall, or downtown.

A study done several years ago pinpointed the best locations for fire stations in Aurora. According to fire officials, the goal in moving and constructing new stations is to get response times below six minutes for regular fire responses and four minutes for emergency medical responses.

While the city has had a fire station in mind for the Bilter Road and Nan Street location since 2015, residents along Nan Street said they were concerned about what the station there might bring.

They worried the activity there would be too much for the residences along Nan Street, which are in unincorporated Aurora Township.

But city officials said the 2.5-acre Bilter and Nan site would be perfect for the about 19,000-square-foot station. When leaving for an emergency, all the fire vehicles would exit onto Bilter Road. They would only use Nan Street when returning to the station, officials said.

The station would be 80 feet from Nan, with a lot of landscaping, including a six-foot-high solid wood fence there.

Officials have said that a number of city fire stations are located in residential neighborhoods, and there have been no problems.

Last month, the City Council also approved a new station site along Eola Road of 17,600 square feet. Fire Station 9 be on land at 7S300 Eola Road, just south of Liberty Street.

slord@tribpub.com

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Two firefighters with Summit Fire and Rescue in Blountsville, Alabama were injured in an apparatus crash Tuesday, Oct. 15, the fire department said in a Facebook post.

“We got a call this evening that no one in the fire service ever wants to hear,” the department said in the Facebook post. “Two of our guys, our family at Station 60 were involved in an apparatus wreck! One of them has pretty bad injuries and will take some time to heal and the other one is pretty beat up! We are so thankful they will be okay! Please keep them in prayer! This could’ve turned out a lot worse.

“We would like to say a special thank you to Blountsville Fire & Rescue Department and Brooksville Fire & Rescue for showing up and helping us out in our time of need! You guys are absolutely the best!”

The cause of the accident was not reported.

CONTROLLING THE SCENE Christian Brewer

As the demands on emergency responders continue to grow, so does the urgency to improve their safety and efficiency. Implementing cloud-based technology is not just a modern convenience; it is a critical advancement that can save lives.

This technology is transforming how emergency response teams operate, offering real-time solutions to age-old challenges. The need for such innovation has never been more pressing.

The Urgency of the Situation

Distracted driving has become a significant threat to first responders. According to a recent study by Autoinsurance.com, since 2020, nearly 500 first responders have been killed on the nation’s roadways by distracted drivers. Despite all 50 states having “move over” laws, compliance is inconsistent, with many drivers unaware or indifferent to the presence of emergency vehicles. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that in 2017, more than 15,000 fire department vehicles were involved in collisions nationwide, leading to 18 fatalities. These incidents also resulted in 1,080 injuries, highlighting the critical need for improved safety measures.

The statistics reveal a troubling trend: According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), up to 25% of annual line-of-duty firefighter fatalities are attributable to motor vehicles. This figure underscores the daily dangers that responders face not just from the emergencies they are called to handle but from the very act of getting to the scene. Moreover, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2019, approximately 2,500 vehicles crashed into fire trucks parked as blockers, translating to nearly seven such incidents per day.

These figures are not just numbers; they represent the lives of first responders—men and women dedicated to protecting their communities. The rising number of distracted drivers, combined with the inherent risks of emergency response, creates a perilous environment for these professionals. Implementing advanced technologies is, therefore, not just beneficial but essential in addressing these critical safety concerns.

The Role of Cloud-Based Technology

Cloud-based platforms are revolutionizing emergency response by providing essential tools that enhance situational awareness and safety. One such innovation is Traffic Preemption technology, which grants emergency vehicles priority at intersections and empowers them to request a green light as they approach. This speeds up response times and significantly reduces the risk of accidents.

Chris Watkins, field solution engineer manager at Whelen Engineering, specializes in working nationwide with fire, emergency medical services (EMS), and law enforcement agencies to implement the Whelen Cloud Platform® (WCP®), which provides Traffic Preemption capabilities. “Traffic Preemption can be a game-changer for emergency responders,” says Watkins. “It provides a safer passage through intersections, reducing the stress and uncertainty that responders face when approaching these high-risk areas.” WCP uses a network of solution providers including Miovision, Applied Information, LYT, ThruGreen, and Econolite to offer traffic preemption and other enhanced safety features.

Integrating cloud-based systems also allows for seamless communication and data sharing between var