Fire Prevention Services
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The Fire Prevention Services is responsible for the prevention of injuries to our residents, and loss of life or property in our community, caused by fire or medical related emergencies.
The Fire Prevention Services is divided into two divisions: Inspections and Public Education.
Inspections
The Inspections Division of the Bureau performs:
- Commercial Business License Inspections
- Property Maintenance Inspections
- Health and Sanitation Inspections
- Food Service Inspections
- Fire pre-plan surveys
- Testing of fire alarm and fire suppression systems
Reviews and approves applications for building permits- Conducts Fire Drills
Public Education Division
Fire Station Tours
Classroom Presentations
Senior Citizens
Smoke Detector Awareness
Special Events
Juvenile Fire Starter Intervention
Fire Safety With Candles
Home Fire Escape Plans
The Public Education Division of the Hanover Park Fire Department is committed to educating our residents with up-to-date information regarding fire and life safety, in an effort to reduce the incidence and severity of fire or medical related accidents, injuries or loss of life within our community.
The Public Education Division offers several educational programs and activities designed for all ages and ethnic groups within our community. In 2009, the division presented 121 Fire Safety programs to various Community groups and local schools, in which 11,970 residents participated. If you are interested in any programs offered by the Public Education Division, call (630) 823-5800 to schedule an appointment.
Come on in and see us! If you’ve ever wondered what we are doing all day, or just want to see the fire trucks, come on in and we’ll show you. Our doors are always open to the residents of our community. You will get a first-hand view of how we spend our day at the station, as well as the tools and apparatus that we use. Walk-ins are welcome, but large groups are requested to call in advance for availability.
Fire prevention in Hanover Park is extremely important to the members of the Fire Department, and we feel that you can never be too young to start learning the importance of fire and life safety. The Public Education Division thrives on maintaining a strong relationship with our students, providing a wide range of safety programs to all day care or educational facilities.
Every year during Fire Prevention Week, ‘FirePup’ fire safety literature and materials are distributed to all local schools. Some of the topics covered in classroom presentations are:
- 9-1-1
- Exit drills in the home (EDITH)
- Stop, drop and roll
- Smoke detector awareness
- Firefighter gear and tools
With every day that passes, we are all getting older! The Public Education Division recognizes that a large percentage of our population is elderly, and is proud to offer fire and life safety programs specifically designed for our older residents. These programs are developed around independence and pride, yet address everyday situations that revolve around diminishing physical abilities. These presentations cover fire and injury prevention practices.
The Hanover Park Fire Department has noticed a substantial increase in the number of house fires in which a smoke detector was found damaged, found with a dead battery, or there just was not a detector found. Every home should have at least one smoke detector on every floor, and one in every sleeping area (if possible).
The Public Education Division has smoke detectors available, free of charge, for residents in our Community. We also have literature on smoke detectors available, which provides helpful information on safety, placement and home fire drills, as well as stickers to remind you to test your detector monthly.
The Public Education Division encourages residents to be fire-smart by testing their smoke detectors regularly and changing the batteries at least twice a year. An easy way to remember is to change your batteries when you change your clocks for Daylight Savings Time, in the Spring and in the Fall. Carbon Monoxide Detectors and combination detectors should also be tested regularly to ensure that they are in working condition. For further information regarding our smoke detector awareness program, contact the Public Education Division at (630) 823-5800.
The members of the Fire Department participate in several events throughout the year. This is our opportunity to interact with the public in a casual manner.
Some of the events we take part in during the year are:
- Block parties / Birthday parties
- National Night Out / COPS Days
- Fire and health safety fairs
- Career days
- Fire Department Open House (Fire Prevention Week)
The juvenile fire setter intervention program is designed to provide communication and support, in an effort to reach out to children who set fires maliciously, or children who use fire to cover-up other personal problems that they may be dealing with. This program involves fire safety education and counseling for children between the ages of 3 through 14 years of age.
If you have a juvenile fire setter problem, contact the Fire Department at (630) 823-5800 to set up a confidential appointment with one of our trained intervention specialists.
Candles are one of the most common causes of house fires in the United States, as well as in our own community. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when burning candles:
- Use candle holders that are sturdy, non-combustible, and will not tip over easily.
- Keep candles away from combustibles (paper, boxes, clothing, flammable liquids).
- Do not burn candles in children's rooms, or leave children unattended with burning candles.
- Do not place lit candles near windows or doorways, where a draft could bring combustibles in contact with flame.
- Almost one half of all candle related fires start in the bedroom. If you burn candles in the bedroom, place them at least two feet from any bedding, curtains, blinds, wallpaper, upholstered furniture, clothing or reading materials.
- The best way to prevent a candle related fire in your home is to never leave a burning candle unattended! Extinguish all candles before going to bed, or leaving the room.
It’s 2:00 am and you are suddenly awaken by the smoke detector. You can smell smoke, and you children are asleep in the rooms down the hall. Do you know what to do next? Every family should have, and practice routinely, a home fire escape plan. A well designed, and well practiced, fire escape plan gives your family members a distinct advantage in escaping your home safely in the event of a fire. Creating a fire escape plan is simple. All family members should be included in the process, and it only requires a few minutes of practice each month.
Plan your escape
- Draw a floor plan of your home
- Draw two ways out of each room
- Discuss escape routes with family
- Mark a meeting place outside where family members can gather safely
Be prepared
- Everyone should know the sound of the smoke detector
- Everyone should know how to operate all windows and doors
- Keep stairs and exits free from clutter
Practice
- Practice fire escape drills at least twice a year
- Ensure that the smoke detectors will awaken everyone
- Make drills realistic – pretend that escape paths are blocked by smoke or fire
