Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Prepares for Split With Village

The district is looking to hire 33 employees and purchase more equipment, the Daily Herald reports.

  The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District has started the process of finding its own staff and equipment, the Daily Herald reports. The fire district is separating from the village of Barrington’s fire department at the end of 2013 due to disagreements in how much equipment and personnel is needed to operate the district effectively. Currently, the village provides manpower and gear for the district, which provides fire protection to areas surrounding Barrington.  Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District President Tom Rowan told the Daily Herald the district is looking for 33 employees and enough equipment to operate Fire Station 2 and 3, located in Barrington Hills. 

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Barrington Countryside Fire Takes Steps to Independence

BCFD to interview candidates for administrator to oversee details of creating separate fire department.

    Negotiations continue to be stalled between the village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire District, whose current intergovernmental agreement expires at the end of the year. Meanwhile, the BCFD is preparing to separate from the village. “It looks like there is going to be a separation by the end of the year,” said Ryan McKeon, spokesperson for the BCFPD. The ongoing dispute centers on the BCFD’s desire to add a water tender and personnel, which the village is against.  McKeon said, at a meeting of the BCFD last week, trustees reviewed proposals for purchase of a new tender, a 3,000-gallon water tanker.  In order to prepare for a possible split, the BCFD needs to obtain appraisals for the equipment the parties own …

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"Keep the Wreath Red" Program Raises Holiday Fire Awareness

For every holiday decoration-related fire, one white bulb will be placed in the wreaths across town.

  Festive wreaths on display at fire stations serving the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) and village of Barrington are centerpieces of the “Keep the Wreath Red” program, a public awareness initiative that encourages residents to protect their families by preventing fires caused by seasonal decorations. The wreaths hanging at fire stations in Lake Barrington (22222 N. Pepper Road), Barrington Hills (120 W. Algonquin Road) and Barrington (400 N. Northwest Highway) begin the season illuminated with red bulbs. Any fire in the District or village that is caused by holiday decorations will be represented by a white bulb. “The wreaths help remind residents that the season offers no holiday from fire-related accidents,” …

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Village Manager Responds to Statements Made at BCFPD Meeting

Barrington Village Manager Jeff Lawler calls statements made at a recent Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Board of Trustees meeting "untrue."

  The dispute between the village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) continues to flare this week. Village Manager Jeff Lawler said many statements made by the BCFPD Trustees at Monday’s board meeting were simply untrue. “We can’t have a reasonable discussion if the facts aren’t straight,” Lawler said. Tension between the village and the BCFPD is high due to a dispute that led to the end of their intergovernmental agreement. The BCFPD wants to add an additional water tender to the fleet and hire more staff at the district’s expense. The village says these additional costs are unnecessary. Lawler said although the district is willing to pay staff and equipment fees, the Barrington taxpayers will …

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Insurance Rates Could Rise for Residents in Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District

The Insurance Services Office has proposed a lower fire-protection rating for the district.

  The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District is discussing ways to avoid a lower fire protection classification by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). At the district’s Board of Trustees meeting Monday night, an intense conversation was sparked about the topic. A lower rating from the ISO could raise insurance premiums for those living within the district’s boundaries. According to the ISO’s website, the company evaluates fire-protection efforts in communities across the country. “So insurance companies use PPC (Public Protection Classification program) to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance—generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection,” the website said. The district is currently classified…

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Fire Protection District Saves Taxpayers More Than $600,000

The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District retired more than $1 million in long-term bond obligations.

  The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) retired more than $1 million in long-term bond obligations this past summer, saving roughly $661,000 in interest payments due over the next 20 years. “Retiring the bonds is a smart move from a fiscal standpoint, but it also helps lower the tax burden on residents who fund District operations,” explains BCFPD Treasurer Thomas C. Long, M.D.  “In turn, we can use the savings to improve fire and emergency medical services.” Those savings could help the Board of Trustees fund ongoing operating expenses, and make upgrades to equipment and facilities without raising taxes on residents.  The retired bonds date back to 2002, after residents approved a ballot referendum allowing the Board…

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Village of Barrington to Part with Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District

A disagreement over personnel and equipment has led to both parties agreeing to separate.

  The relationship between the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) and the village of Barrington appears to be over.  On Sept. 10, BCFPD, which covers several communities surrounding Barrington, delivered a letter to the village stating their wish to terminate their existing agreement. The letter cited differences over adding personnel and additional firefighting equipment. BCFPD wants to add staff and another tender to the fleet, and the village does not.   BCFPD President Tom Rowan spoke to the Daily Herald and said the village offers "no flexibility" or cooperation with his organization.  In a letter dated Sept. 24, the Village Board replied to the BCFPD's letter with their own Notice of Termination.  Despite the …

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Barrington Fire Department Open House This Weekend

The free event will take place at the Public Safety Building on Sept. 29.

Residents of the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) will gain first-hand knowledge of firefighter equipment, tactics and training during an Open House hosted by the Barrington Fire Department, 9 a.m. – noon, Saturday, Sept. 29.  The free event will take place at the Barrington Public Safety Building, 400 N. Northwest Highway.  Family members of all ages will experience an up-close view of life in the fire service. Guests will climb aboard the fire department’s fleet of vehicles, meet firefighters and Fire District officials, and enjoy complimentary refreshments. “The Open House is a great opportunity for District residents to view state-of-the-art life-saving technology, meet the firefighters who protect their …

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New Signs Installed at District Fire Stations

Trustees saw opportunities to more clearly identify station locations

The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District (BCFPD) has completed installation of distinctive new signage at its fire stations in Barrington Hills and Lake Barrington, part of a long-term effort by District officials to upgrade facilities to better serve the public. The new signs at Fire Station #2, 120 W. Algonquin Road, Barrington Hills, and Fire Station #3, 22222 N. Pepper Road, Lake Barrington, are part of a comprehensive program undertaken by District officials, who saw the need to more clearly identify the locations of the District’s two primary stations. “The fire station signs are designed to help District residents identify the fire stations that serve them,” explains BCFPD President Tom Rowan.  “The signs also make it …

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Talk of Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District Parting Ways with Barrington

Tensions rise between the village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. There has been talk of separation at the end of the current contract.