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Students from Haines Middle School learned about the value of natural areas and got a...

Schelstreet Served the Department for 25 Years, Most Recently as...

Below are some photos taken at the June 15, 2013 ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the Red Gate Bridge bicycle-pedestrian bridge over the Fox River.

Photos are courtesy of Orin Trademan and Trademan Photography located in St. Charles

The picturesque view from the west bank of the Fox River.

Attendees wait patiently for the ceremonial ribbon to be cut.

Attendees wait patiently for the ceremonial ribbon to be cut.

Attendees wait patiently for the ceremonial ribbon to be cut.

Members of Sammy’s Bicycle Club were out in force to support the event.

Forest Preserve District President John Hoscheit addresses the crowd.

Former Mayor Don DeWitte addresses the crowd.

Mayor Ray Rogina addresses the crowd.

Pictured (l-r) are Public Works Director Mark Koenen, Mayor Rogina, Marilin Solomon (Illinois Department of Transportation), Tom Rickert (Kane County Department of Transportation), Jim Bernahl (St. Charles Public Works), and Carl Schoedel (Kane County Department of Transportation)

Pictured (l-r) are Forest Preserve District President John Hoscheit, Kane County Board Member Mark Davoust, grandson of Mark Davoust, Former Mayor Don DeWitte, Mayor Rogina, Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen, and Kane County Board Member Phil Lewis.

Pictured (l-r) are St. Charles Public Works Director Mark Koenen, Forest Preserve District President John Hoscheit, Former Mayor Don DeWitte, City Administrator Brian Townsend, Mayor Ray Rogina, and the members of the St. Charles City Council.

A view of the bike-pedestrian bridge from the west side.

The view of the roadway and bicycle-pedestrian bridge over the Fox River.

2012 marks the first full year that the Fire Department no longer served areas outside the City limits.

The St. Charles Fire Department recently released its 2012 Annual Report. The report provides information regarding service to the community and highlights department activities.

The Fire Department responded to 4,217 calls for service in 2012, a decrease from 4,511 in 2011 and the 10-year high of 5,215 in 2006. The main reason for the decline is that the City’s fire department no longer provides service to the area of the St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District (now called Fox River & Countryside Fire & Rescue District). That area typically generated about 20% of the total calls for service or approximately 1,000 calls annually. The service agreement terminated May 1, 2011 and 2012 marks the first full year that the City did not serve District residents.

During 2012, calls for emergency medical services represented 60% of all calls for the department. This is by far the largest category of need of St. Charles residents.

The Fire Department also handled 157 fires in 2012, representing approximately 4% of all calls for service. The majority of those fires were structure fires with the balance consisting of vehicle fire, brush fires, dumpster fires, grass/brush fires, and cooking/chimney fires.

St. Charles maintains 3 fire stations. Station #1 (located downtown on Riverside Avenue) was the busiest station, handling 1,591 calls. This station maintains sufficient daily staffing to operate 1 ladder truck and 1 command vehicle.

Station #2 (on Industrial Drive) handled 1,458 calls. This station maintains sufficient daily staffing to operate 1 engine and 1 ambulance.

Station #3 (on Campton Hills Road) handled 1,168 calls. This station maintains sufficient daily staffing to operate 1 engine and 1 ambulance.

Other highlights of the report include:

• July was the busiest month of the year during 2012 when 427 calls for service were received. February was the slowest month of the year with 290 calls for service.
• Sunday was the busiest day of the week with 632 incidents. Wednesday was the slowest day of the week with 584 incidents.
• The busiest hours of the day for the fire department in 2012 were from 10 am – 6 pm with the peak hour for calls being 10 am – 11 am.

In 2013, the St. Charles Fire Department is expected to be accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). CFAI provides for a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to examine past, current, and future service levels and performance and compare them to industry best practices. For more information on the accreditation process, you can click here.

The men and women of the Fire Department continue to provide exemplary service to the St. Charles community. For more information, or to review the fire department’s annual report in detail, please click here.

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Former Fire Chief Patrick Mullen (left) and Acting Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet at the dedication of Fire Station #1.

Joe Schelstreet has been serving as Acting Fire Chief of the St. Charles Fire Department since November of 2012. Mr. Schelstreet has been recommended to be appointed to the permanent position of Fire Chief and the City Council will consider his appointment on Monday, June 17th.

The decision to appoint Mr. Schelstreet to the position of Fire Chief was made after careful consideration of many factors, including the qualifications and responsibilities of the position and his performance as Acting Chief for the past 6 months. Assistant Chief Schelstreet meets the qualifications, has provided exemplary service to the department and the community for many years, and has the skills and abilities to lead the department into the future.

Schelstreet began his service to the residents of St. Charles in 1988 as a Firefighter. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1992, Captain in 1997, and Assistant Chief in 2003. Schelstreet has a Bachelors Degree from Southern Illinois University, a Masters Degree in Management and Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University, and a Masters Degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University.

Schelstreet takes the reins of the department after the retirement of Patrick Mullen in November, 2012.

In the coming months, Schelstreet will be expected to oversee several important initiatives for the City of St. Charles. Those include:

• Completion of the accreditation process for the Fire Department. Accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to examine past, current, and future service levels and performance and compare them to industry best practices.
• Complete contract negotiations with the union that represents firefighters.
• Represent St. Charles on the Tri-Com 911 Board of Directors.
• Provide oversight and administration of the Tri-City Ambulance cooperative.
• Maintain the high quality of fire and emergency medical services for the community.
• Work collaboratively with neighboring fire departments and other emergency services agencies.

I hope that residents will join me at the June 17th City Council meeting to congratulate Joe Schelstreet on his promotion to Fire Chief and wish him well in his new position.

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