Barrington Fire Protection District Maps Out its Future

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story contained incorrect information. The district does not provide benefits to firefighters since it contracts firefighter services from the village of Barrington. 

A study the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District commissioned through the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association to discover what the district’s needs would be in the future.

The study recommended hiring more firefighters so the district can continue to meet National Fire Protection Association standards as its area, which includes the village of Barrington, continues to grow, district president Thomas Rowan.

“We tried to implement it (the recommendations), but the village (of Barrington) would not allow us,” Rowan said.

And so began the saga of the Barrington Fire Department and the fire protection district.

It’s a saga that has been building since late last year when the district decided it would not continue an intergovernmental agreement with Barrington. The agreement creates a partnership, of sorts, between the village’s fire department and the district. Barrington and the district share personnel, the cost of salaries and some equipment.

The agreement expires in December. Barrington officials made it clear last week that the village is not in support of hiring more firefighters and will seek a different, “robust” intergovernmental agreement that would include each entity providing mutual aid.

The district, meanwhile, is moving ahead with its plans for its future. A meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. today, June 17 at 22222 N. Pepper Road, North Barrington.

Rowan and the board are looking at the cost the district is facing to become independent of the village. It needs to figure out how the district will be structured.

BCFPD has made steps to hire firefighters to replace village firefighters assigned to the district. It is looking at hiring contract firefighters and an interim administrator.

“It seems to us the way we need to go,” Rowan said.

The district also needs more tankers since there are no fire hydrants in some of its coverage area, he said.

“We are moving ahead with the impression we will be separating,” Rowan said. “That’s not to say there could be a miracle, but we think it is in our best interest to separate.”