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The Sauk Village Fire Department is broken up into Divisions, as are most fire departments. Within the Sauk Village Fire
Department, there is the Operations Division under Assistant Chief Ed Myers, which oversees equipment and maintenance. There
is the Training Division under Captain Rich Atwood. This Division assures that personnel are thoroughly trained and ready
to respond. The Fire Prevention Bureau is another Division.
The Fire Prevention Bureau is directed by Deputy Chief Alan Stoffregen and can be broken down into smaller departments.
Included under the umbrella of the "Bureau" are Fire Investigations, Fire Inspections, and Public Education. Under
Deputy Chief Stoffregen's direction, each department has its own director. Assistant Chief Myers is in charge of Fire Investigations.
Deputy Chief Stoffregen and Lieutenant Russ Staley oversee the inspection program, and Captain Rich Atwood handles Public
Education.
Every fire in Sauk Village is investigated to some degree to determine cause and origin. In the event of a larger fire
involving significant property damage and /or injury or death, a complete and thorough investigation will take place involving
Assistant Chief Myers. In some cases, qualified investigators from neighboring communities will respond to lend a hand.
In cases of fatalities or at the discretion of the Fire Chief, an investigator from the Illinois Office of the State Fire
Marshal will respond.
Fire prevention inspections are made of every business in Sauk Village at least once a year. Our inspectors are trained
and experienced and stay pretty busy.
Captain Atwood is the Fire Department's Public Information Officer and coordinates public education. The big event every
year for public education is National Fire Prevention Week. Every October at the anniversary of the Chicago Fire, Fire Department's
across the country host events and demonstrations to get the message out about fire safety. For the Sauk Village Fire Department,
this typically means a busy week of school assemblies and the Fire Department Open House.
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