Fire Prevention & Life Safety Services
History of the Spring Grove Fire Protection District
In 1925 Bertha Norton lived, with her children, in a house at 1500 Main St. Today the house has been replaced by a small commercial building that once held Paul Weber's Garage, Taber's Auto and Skokie Valley Printing. While attempting to light her wooden cook stove, it exploded, sending flames that not only ignited Ms. Norton's clothes, but the house. There was no fire department in Spring Grove at the time. Fox Lake and McHenry did have fire departments and neighbors summoned them. By the time they arrived, the house was gone. Ms. Norton suffered severe burns and was taken to Harvard Hospital (there was no Centegra, NIMC or Memorial Hospital). She succumbed to her burn injuries. Her fire was the event that led to the formation of the Spring Grove Fire Department.
Byron "Barney" Orvis was instrumental in the development of that first fire department. In 1897, at age 16, Barney's house burned to the ground. He spent much of his time before 1925 advising towns people in fire safety and could be considered the department's first fire prevention officer. He helped raise funds to start the department and to purchase the 1928 chemical pump truck.
Between 1925 and 1940 the department had few calls. The Village of Spring Grove supported the firefighters for a few years. But with few calls the department barely existed. That changed on December 31, 1939 when at 2pm in the afternoon, the Methodist church in town started on fire. From its ashes rose the need to solidify the department. On May 21, 1940, the residents formed the 2nd Fire Protection District in McHenry County (McHenry had already formed the first), calling it the Burton-Richmond Fire Protection District. Chet Stevens was appointed the first President; Paul Weber the first Fire Chief. The taxes that were raised by the formation of the District purchased new equipment and eventually, in 1947, built their first fire station. Ironically, some of the fire department vehicles were originally stored in Paul Weber's garage, built on the site of the Bertha Norton house.
In 1981 the Burton-Richmond Fire Protection District changed their name to the Spring Grove Fire Protection District to reflect their link to the town and area known as Spring Grove. That same year, they built a new fire station at the present location, 8214 Richardson Rd. And the third major change that occurred in 1981, was the formation of the Rescue Squad. Previously the Richmond Rescue Squad provided ambulance service. Local members helped raise funds for the volunteer squad. But as Spring Grove grew, it became evident that the residents wanted an ambulance of their own, in town. They passed the District's second referendum, this time to provide tax dollars for a rescue squad/ambulance service. After purchasing a used ambulance from Huntley, the District sought out staff. Several firefighters and their wives stepped up to fill the roster. The District also recruited paramedics who lived in and around the town. Fox Lake and Johnsburg Rescue agreed to help the fledgling department, responding automatic aid to calls until enough of the members could be trained, first to the EMT-B level and finally to paramedic status. The District purchases a 2nd used ambulance, this time from Fox Lake.
On January 6, 1985, the District suffered a major loss. Camella Kohl, while responding in her vehicle to a house medical call, was struck an killed as she crossed Rt. 12. Camella was both paramedic and nurse, having worked in the emergency department at Victory Memorial Hospital. Fire department members from the area attended her funeral. She was one of the first medics on the department, having been trained and having worked with Antioch Rescue before Spring Grove.
November 1, 1997 marked the hiring of the first full-time employee of the District. In an attempt to help assure paramedic coverage during the day when most of the paid-on-call (POC) staff were at work, the District hired Chief Rich Tobiasz to function as Chief, Business Manager and paramedic. In May 1998, the District added a 2nd medic during the day, during the week, to assure that the ambulance did not have to wait for a second responder.
more history to follow....
