WELCOME TO NORTH PARK FIRE DEPARTMENT
The North Park Fire Department is a member of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division 8 along with 23 other area fire departments, providing apparatus and personnel during large-scale emergencies.
The North Park Fire Protection District provides fire, rescue, hazard, and emergency medical services to portions of Machesney Park and unincorporated Winnebago County, Illinois. The District serves approximately 18,000 residents covering 15 square miles of suburban residential, commercial, and light industrial occupancies. The district encompasses approximately two miles of the Rock River along with major thoroughfares such as Interstate 39/90 (the Jane Adams Memorial Tollway) and Illinois Route 251. The District includes 6,500 households, 200 commercial structures and six public schools.
The department responds to an average of 1,500 calls for service each year.
The North Park Fire Department is comprised of approximately 50 personnel including one full-time fire chief, a part-time administrative assistant, and a combination of part-time and volunteer firefighters. The district is served by three fire stations housing a total of four front-line engines, including one capable of providing urban-wildland interface, one aerial truck, three squads, three command vehicles, one utility vehicle and one boat. The department responds to an average of 1,500 calls for service each year.
While we don't have names for the members in the photo (yet?) this shot is of the original station on Wood Avenue, with Units 1 (1947 IH/Bean) and Unit 2 (1950 Howe).
This photo was donated by Gunnar A. Nelson in 2010 (who is described as the middle man on the passenger side fender of Unit 1). His notes indicated he thought the photo was taken in 1950 or 1951.
They would stand on the back of the rig responding to calls wouldn't they?
This is a really good picture
Quick question. Is the new station manned 24/7?
This photo is from a fire at one of the Northway Park apartment buildings, in the bitter cold, possibly December of 1975. Retired Chief Dahlberg isn't 100% certain of that date. Photo was taken by Chuck Young.
Marina Terrace back then.
Did you know since 2015 the North Park Fire Department has experienced a significant increase in call volume?
In 2015, the department responded to 1,555 total incidents, of which 1,197 (76.98%) were medical (EMS)-related.
By the end of 2024, the total number of incidents had risen to 2,323, with 1,697 (73.05%) medical (EMS)-related.
This represents an annual increase of 768 incidents, a 49.39% total increase over nine years, averaging 5.49% per year.
The highest single-year increase occurred between 2023 and 2024, with a 12.77% rise.
From 2015 to 2024, the department responded to a total of 19,088 incidents. Based on the nine-year average increase, the estimated total for 2025 is projected at 2,450 incidents however, with the current daily average of 6.98 incidents per day, the 2025 year-end total could reach approximately 2,538 incidents.