Tradition, Service and
Volunteerism
On October 11, 1907, the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire
Department was chartered. During a village hall meeting, Edgar H. McChesney,
village president, appointed Harry J. Blackburn to be Fire Chief and 22 men
were enrolled to serve as volunteer firefighters.
Today the tradition lives on, as the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company is
still completely volunteer. From the Chief to the rank of firefighter, the
64 men and women who serve as volunteers today are always ready to help, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. Chances are very good that one of the
volunteers may very well live next door or down the street.
Our firefighters remain some of the most dedicated neighbors you will ever
have. They are also some of the most experienced, highly-trained and
professional firefighters anywhere. With over 700 years of experience in
firefighting and rescue services, the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company is
constantly renewing itself with the latest in fire service equipment and
training.
One of the indicators of the quality of service provided by your Volunteers
is the impressive ISO Class 3 insurance rating that the Village benefits
from. This rating insures lower insurance rates for both residential and
commercial property.
Glen Ellyn's Volunteers donate their time for the same reasons the 23 men
did nearly a 100 years ago, because they care and they want to keep Glen
Ellyn a great and safe place to live.
Whether it is in the middle of the night,
during a family dinner,
on a special holiday,
or in the midst of extreme weather,
your volunteer firefighters answer the call.
The next call may be from you.
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Glen Ellyn's volunteer firefighters are neighbors and friends. They are
accountants, pilots, business owners, executives, nurses, lawyers,
salespeople and municipal employees. Their children attend our schools and
play on our sports teams. They are just like you, save one difference: when
the alarm sounds, they drop whatever they are doing and risk their lives to
help a neighbor in need.
In 2012, the men and women of Glen Ellyn's Volunteer Fire Company:
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Donated
9,300 hours, responding to
over 1400 fire and emergency
medical calls
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Trained
92 times, totaling more than
10,000 hours on Sunday
mornings and Monday evenings
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Earned
a salary of $1.00 (for 300
hours of service)
-
Saved
the taxpayers an estimated
$3.5 million dollars
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At the end of their career, firefighters who retire with at least 15 years
of service receive a one-time benefit of $1,000 for each year of service.
This is meant to in a small way acknowledge the time, talent and labor given by these men and
women to the Village of Glen Ellyn and the
residents of the Glen Ellyn Fire Protection District.
For over 100 years, a company of volunteer firefighters has stood watch over
Glen Ellyn. While many communities have transitioned to tax-supported
fire departments, we are proud that our ALL Volunteer Fire Company remains
steadfastly committed to serve and protect its neighbors.
They stand ready to answer your call.
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