HISTORY OF THE
ELK GROVE VILLAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Village was protected by the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection Dist. that was operated out of
the Mount Prospect Fire Dept.  In early 1959 a group of Elk Grove Village residents formed the Elk
Grove Civil Defense Rescue Squad with a 1949 Ford Panel truck.  On November 19th. 1959 Judge
Otto Kerner ruled in favor of a petition by the Elk Grove Village Board to have all land within the
corporate limits of Elk Grove Village and other lands surrounding the Village be detached from the
Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection district and become the sole responsibility of the Elk Grove Village
Fire Department. At that time the Village contracted with the Village of Mount Prospect for one year
for fire protection or until the Elk Grove Village Fire Dept. was capable of providing the protection itself. 
On February 21st. 1960 the Elk Grove Village Fire Dept. was established by the Village Board, and
40 men were sworn in as Volunteer Fire Fighters by Judge William Glab.

The first Chief of the new Volunteer Fire Dept. was John A. Mergens who utilized his management skills
obtained while serving with the United Stated Coast Guard.  The Assistant Chiefs were John Haar and Andy Tangorra.
The Fire Department found for it's first home an old bard at 780 Tonne Road that was donated by them first Village
President Charles Holdmair.

Great Lakes Fire Equipment Company loaned the Volunteer Fire Dept. a 1929 Seagrave pumper
(pictured above) until they were able to deliver two 1960 Seagrave 1000 gallon a minute pumpers
(one shown in the photo of the barn above)that arrived in the Summer of 1960.

The Elk Grove Volunteer Fire Department remained at the 780 Tonne Road location until December 1961 when the Department
moved into their first permanent fire station at 666 Landmeir Road.  The Department remained volunteer until January 1966
when it went to a full time paid professional Fire Department with the hiring of six full-time men.  The Volunteers remained to
augment the full-time Firefighters and with a steady program of adding more full-time Firefighters to meet the demands of
the rapidly expanding population and needs of the community the volunteers were eventually phased out.

On November 21st. 1970 the new Headquarters station located at 101 Biesterfield Road was
opened and at that time the department had grown to 34 full-time paid personnel and now
had two fire stations.

In December 1971 the next station located at 1655 Greenleaf Ave. in the Industrial Park was opened and Fire Dept. had
grown to 53 full-time paid Firefighters and two Clerks, four Alarm Operator/Dispatchers for a total or 59 personnel.

The Department continued to add men and equipment and in January 1978 the fourth station at 676 Meacham Road was opened.
In August 1978 six more Firefighters were hired (This webmaster being one of them) which help expand the total of personal to
the current level of 102 including Alarm Operators, Clerks, Inspectors, and the Training Division.

In November 1999 the Fire Department moved out of the original Fire Station at 666 Landmeir Road to the new Fire Station and
Training center at 1000 Oakton Street which included two state of the art Gas Burners with Flash over simulator to expose
Firefighters to more realistic training situations while keeping within today's EPA requirements for pollution. The tower also provides
the department with the ability to train for High Rise Fires and rescues, Ventilation training with replaceable roof sections for cutting
or chopping.  Currently plans are being made to begin a Citizens Fire Academy in 2007-2008 to give residents the experience of
firefighting and rescue while utilizing the Fire Training Center.

Currently the Fire Department has Three Engine Companies, One Quint Company, One Ladder Tower Company, Four Paramedic Ambulances and
One Battalion Chief each day on shift. The Department also has several specialty teams for Hazmat, Vertical Rescue, Water Rescue, and Below Grade
Rescues.

To be continued: