The Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department has a rich and extensive history. Originally established as part of the “Chicago Hose Company #1, the department became its own volunteer entity in 1902. Since that time, the department has progressed to a full-time department that is immediately responsible for providing fire, emergency medical and rescue response practices, while offering public education prevention and inspectional service programs to ensure that the quality of life for the residents and visitors to the Village is maintained to the highest level.


The department is broken down into the following divisions:

• Fire Suppression • Emergency Medical Service • Special Operations	• Fire Station, Apparatus and Equipment Maintenance • Public Education / Fire Prevention • Inspectional Services / Code Enforcement

Fire Suppression Division
The staff of the Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department is professionally trained to the standards of the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Through basic and advanced training, and using start-of-the-art equipment, our 24 hour on-duty personnel strive towards being prepared for any fire-based situation, and providing the very best of service to the community.

Emergency Medical Service Division
Trained to levels established by law through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for emergency medical responders, Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department personnel are prepared to deliver quality emergency medical care, at all hours of the day and night. Each year, the 24 hour on-duty personnel continue to maintain certifications and licensure through continuing education, ensuring that they are prepared for all types of medical responses in the community.

Special Operations Division
Emergency responses to hazardous materials incidents, technical rescues, water incidents and fire/arson investigations all require special training, and as part of this, the members of the Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department take part in specialty training at assorted levels. All personnel receive haz-mat training, while select individuals take part in specific training, and are members on special response teams throughout the area.

Station, Apparatus and Equipment Maintenanc Division
To ensure that department vehicles and equipment are operating at peak efficiency, highly trained department members perform regular preventive and specialty maintenance on all mechanical issues in the department inventory. Whether it is to keep our department vehicles regularly serviced, or to ensure that our equipment operates as required for the safety of our personnel, our staff makes every effort to keep the department equipment up to the most current standards for emergency response.

 

 

 

Public Education & Fire Prevention Division
The Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department takes great pride in educating the general public about the prevention of fires and preventable injuries. The primary function for public education/fire prevention division is to increase fire safety awareness. To accomplish this, a wide variety of programs are conducted throughout the community, in elementary schools, commercial day care facilities and senior residential centers, and are designed to teach fire and life safety to everyone, whether they are residents or visitors, home or business owners.

Twice a year, we conduct fire alarm and evacuation drills in all school and commercial day care facilities, to ensure that all our children and staff members are safely evacuated in case of fires. Each October, to commemorate Fire Prevention Week, fire department personnel visit schools and commercial day cares to discuss fire and life safety tips and practices. To bring the week to an end, we also conduct a fire prevention contest in the schools, which recognizes winners, and treats them to breakfast at the firehouse, cooked by the firefighters.

Some of the more specialized programs we present are:

Remembering When is a fire and fall safety program for seniors (older adults), created by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA through the fire department and is managed by the Remembering When Riverdale Coalition. The unique program utilizes trivia with a slideshow presentation and demonstrations. Remembering When TM focuses on instilling meaningful safety practices which will help older adults prevent fires and falls, allowing them to live longer in their homes alone. The program can be conducted in either the home or in a group setting. For more details or to schedule a presentation, please contact the Riverdale Fire – Rescue Department at 708/849-2122 or by email at: rememberingwhen@villageofriverdale.org.

 

 

Risk Watch is a curriculum-based program, created by the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, which incorporates life safety messages into a fundamental teaching curriculum that covers the guidelines as specified in the Federal “No Child Left Behind Mandate”. We recognize children enjoy firefighters visiting them each year to talk about fire safety; but it is today’s teachers that truly leave a lasting impression on children and the overall safety behavior they exhibited today. This program is conducted through and in conjunction with our local schools and managed by the Riverdale Risk Watch Coalition. For additional details, please contact the Riverdale Fire - Rescue Department at 708/849-2122.

 

 

The Exporer Program is the Boy Scout's Learning for Life career education program for young men and women who are between the ages of 14 and 18 years. The Explorer Program is designed to provide experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults, and is based on five (5) simple principles:

• Fire Suppression
• Career Opportunities
• Citizenship
• Ledership Experience
• Life Skills
• Character Education

 

CPR Training/Instruction is a program for training and educating individuals in the proper procedures for CPR, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, a lifesaving emergency procedure which manually maintains blood flow throughout the body, until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. For additional details, please contact the Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department EMS Coordinator at 708-849-2122.

 

Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Checks is a FREE program for residents in which they can come up to the firehouse, during business hours, and our trained personnel will conduct these life monitoring procedures. All residents of all ages are encouraged to stop by and allow us to give you this brief checkup. For additional details, please contact the Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department at 708-849-2122.

Always consider these simple thoughts for safety:

• Make sure all smoke detectors are in good working order. Smoke detectors must be installed on each level of a home (including basements), inside each bedroom (or rooms used for sleeping) and outside each bedroom within fifteen (15) feet of travel.
• Make sure carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order. Carbon monoxide detectors must be installed within fifteen (15) feet of any bedroom (or room to be used for sleeping).
• Every family should design and practice a “Home Fire Escape Plan”. This plan should comprise at least two (2) exit ways out of the residential home, a safe meeting location, and the understanding to call 9-1-1 once safely outside.

Inspectional Services Division
Businesses, residents and property owners are responsible for maintaining the interior and exterior of their property. Whether it’s having grass that’s over the allowed height, or failing to maintain a fire alarm system, the staff of the Inspectional Services Division conducts inspections throughout the Village to ensure that all properties are maintained in accordance to adopted Village Ordinances, and respective codes and standards.

The Inspectional Services Division is also responsible for conducting all OCCUPANCY PERMITS (RENTAL) INSPECTIONS, POINT OF SALE INSPECTIONS, ANNUAL LICENSING INSPECTIONS, and BUSINESS LICENSE INSPECTIONS, and collaborates with the Housing Authority and the Riverdale Resource Center to investigate complaints about properties, unfair housing practices and/or sub-standard living conditions. Residents are encouraged to report any property that violates Village Ordinances, in general disrepair, or any issue between a tenant and landlord.

The Inspectional Services Division oversees all Building Permits. A Building Permit is required for any improvements or repairs being done to a property within the corporate limits of Riverdale. In addition, all contractors performing any work on properties within the Village must be registered, licensed and bonded.

All inspection forms, including permit applications, zoning applications for variances or others are available in the FORMS section of the Village Website (www.villageofriverdale.org).

For further details, call the Inspectional Services Division at 708-849-1798.