In an Emergency Situation, Dial 911 For Immediate Assistance
Cicero Fire Department
Jeff Penzkofer, Fire Chief
5303 West 25th Street
Cicero, IL 60804
(p) 708-656-3600 Ext 102
Mission Statement
To protect and preserve the life and property of the Cicero residents through community outreach, education, and high quality professional emergency services.
When to Call 911
When you dial 911 in the Town of Cicero, you are connected with the Town of Cicero Central Dispatch System, located in the Town, which dispatches fire and police personnel and equipment in response to calls.
If you, or someone you are with, experience any of the following symptoms, call 911 immediately:
- Difficulty Breathing
- Fainting
- Sudden dizziness, weakness, or change in vision
- Change in mental status (confusion, unusual behavior)
- Sudden severe pain anywhere in the body
- Uncontrolled bleeding
Sever of persistent vomiting- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Suicidal feelings
- Pain or pressure in the chest or upper abdomen which can include:
- Pressure
- Fullness
- Squeezing sensations or pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes
- Pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck, jaw, arms, or back
- Chest pain accompanied by dizziness
- Fainting
- Sweating
- Nausea or shortness of breath
If these or other symptoms present themselves, dial 911 immediately
The dispatcher will ask pertinent questions to ascertain the specific nature of the problem and help provide appropriate intervention until the Paramedics arrive. Do not hang up until the dispatcher instructs you to do so.
Before the Ambulance Arrives
After you have called 911, there are some things that you can do before help arrives:
- If you determine that the patient has no pulse and is not breathing, begin CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) but only if you have been trained in this life-saving technique. (All dispatchers at the Cicero Dispatch Center can provide CPR instructions over the phone until the Paramedics arrive).
- Stay calm. This will reassure the patient that help is on the way.
- If possible, gather all the medication the patient may be taking. This will help the emergency service providers to better determine the medical history of the patient.
- If possible, move all the furniture or obstacles out of the way so that the Paramedics have easy access to the patient. Secure pets in another area of the house.
- If possible, assist the arriving Paramedics by turning on the outside lights and having someone standing at the curb to direct them. This is especially important in multi-unit buildings or remote locations.
About The Fire Department
The Town of Cicero, or Cicero Township as it was called back then, was incorporated in 1867. The Fire Department that serviced Cicero Township was actually created before that date and responded to fire calls from ten (10) different stations and serviced an area that was six (6) times the current area of the Town. The Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical, and public education services for the Town of Cicero. Currently the department has 63 shift fire suppression personnel, three (3) non-fire suppression personnel, 24 Paramedic/EMS personnel and eight (8) staff positions. The Town of Cicero currently maintains three (3) fire stations that are located at:
- 5303 W. 25th Street
- 1601 S. Central Ave.
- 5410 W. 34th Street
The Fire Department’s administrative headquarters is located at the 5303 W. 25th Street station. The department maintains its own “Burn Tower” that is located to the East of the 5410 W. 34th Street station. Our own Fire Department, as well as other surrounding communities’ Fire Departments, utilize and conduct both single and multi-company training drills at the burn tower. Currently the Fire Department has three (3) front-line Engine Companies, two (2) Aerial Ladder Truck Companies, five (5) Ambulances, and one (1) back-up Engine that is kept in reserve. Last year, in 2019, Cicero Fire Department personnel and apparatus responded to over 9,200 fire and EMS calls.
Training Division
The Cicero Fire Department’s Training Division is responsible for the overall training of the Department. In cooperation with the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) coordinator, heads of the Technical Rescue and Hazardous Material teams, and all the shift officers, training is provided for the Department members from the entry level academy subjects to the upper command and administration level. Our training is accomplished with in-house instructors and by utilizing various outside training agencies. All training activities are coordinated and scheduled by our Training Officer, Lieutenant Chris Foltz.
Hazardous Materials Response Team
Responding to chemical emergencies is another responsibility of the Cicero Fire Department. The number of hazardous materials emergencies throughout the United States increases each year. The Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat) Response Team was formed to protect the community from these incidents.
The Cicero Fire Department Haz-Mat Team is also a member of the larger Haz-Mat Team, the “Division 11 Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team”. This larger team is assembled when a community is faced with a large or extremely dangerous chemical emergency. The team is comprised of Haz-Mat team members from the Berwyn, Forest Park, North Riverside, Oak Park, River Forest, and Stickney Fire Departments. The participating departments pool their resources and talent to help the stricken community manage a hazardous materials emergency. These teams train together as a single response group numerous times throughout the year.
Technical Rescue Team – TRT
Responding to emergencies where people are trapped or injured under special circumstances is a job for the Technical Rescue Team (TRT) of the Cicero Fire Department. The team is comprised of technical response team members from the Berwyn, Forest Park, North Riverside, Oak Park, River Forest, and Stickney Fire Departments. The team may respond to a trench collapse where sewers are being installed, a high-rise building for a vertical rescue of a window washer, or even to a confined space where utility work is being performed. Technical Rescue Team members are trained to respond and quickly begin assisting the trapped or injured victim(s). The team has specialized training and equipment for each type of rescue.
Emergency Medical Services
The Cicero Fire Department maintains four (4) ALS (Advanced Life Support) ambulances staffed by 24 highly trained and certified State of Illinois, Department of Public Health paramedics. These ambulances are equipped with state-of-the-art cardiac monitoring technology that include the ability to transmit EKGs (Electrocardiograms) to the hospital for review by doctors and cardiologists before the patient reaches the Emergency Room doors. Cicero Fire Department Paramedics are trained in advanced cardiac, pediatric and trauma life support skills and treatments.
C
PR Classes
Immediate and high-quality CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) makes the biggest difference in the outcome of a sudden cardiac arrest situation. The Cicero Fire Department offers quarterly classes, taught by certified and trained Paramedics, for both the layperson and medical professionals, in adult and pediatric CPR, choking, and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) use. To learn more about CPR and re-certification classes, please call the Cicero Fire Department at (708) 652-0174.
Smoke Detector Program
In addition to the many Fire Department tours, school fire drill tests, and public education events that are hosted each year, one of the most important programs offered by the Cicero Fire Department is the Smoke Detector Program.
Each Town of Cicero resident is able to come in to the Fire Department and pick-up one (1) combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector, free of charge. Listed below are the requirements and criteria that the resident must provide:
- Valid driver’s license or State of Illinois ID that lists the residents address within the Town of Cicero
- Copy of a current utility bill that lists the residents address
- Completed Smoke Detector Form in English or Spanish. You can also obtain this form at the Fire Department.
Each qualifying resident simply needs to come to the Cicero Fire Department located at:
Cicero Fire Department
5303 W. 25th Street
Cicero, IL 60804
in order to obtain their combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives. The Town of Cicero requires at least one (1) smoke detector on each level of the home. The detector should be placed in a common hallway that is near bedrooms or sleeping areas in the home. It is also recommended that each and every detector in the home be tested and have their batteries changed at least twice per year. More information regarding smoke detectors can be found at section 42-31 of the Town of Cicero Code of Ordinances.
Public Education
The Public Education Division is under direction of the Bureau of Fire Prevention. The Public Education Division is committed to educating the residents and merchants of the Town of Cicero on fire safety and fire prevention. This task is accomplished by the following:
- Area Fire Station Tours
- Pre-Fire Planning Programs for Businesses, Merchants and Industry
- CPR Classes
- Block Party Visits by On Duty Fire Department Personnel
- Blood Pressure Checks at Area Fire Stations by EMS Personnel
- School Fire Education Programs
- Senior Citizen Fire Education Programs
- Industrial Fire Education Programs
- Free Smoke Detector Program for Cicero Residents ( With proper Identification)
The Bureau of Fire Prevention is committed to the safety of all of Cicero’s residents, businesses and merchants.