Shorewood Review, March 24-April 6: Did You Miss It?

Take a look back at some of the stories that made headlines during the past week on Shorewood Patch.

1. Nothing Ordinary About Troy Fire Deputy's Drive 2. Many Shorewood Homeowners Are Mortgage-Free: Report 3. Kremer: Host the Toast of Joliet West Baseball LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: ShorewoodILPatch

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Nothing Ordinary About Troy Fire Deputy's Drive

In 24 years working as a firefighter with the Troy Fire Protection District, deputy chief Andrew Doyle has come to be known as a man who keeps his cool—even in the most heated situations.

Except for the white helmet on his head and the gold badge he on his shirt, Troy Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Andrew Doyle easily could be mistaken for the man living next door. He and his wife, Chrissy, have two daughters and live in rural Manhattan. Caitlyn, 17, runs on the track and cross-country teams at Lincoln-Way Central High School. Emma, 10, is a fifth-grader at Anna McDonald Elementary School. She is also a softball player and musician. When Doyle and his wife are not running laps to keep pace with their children, he turns to yard work as his escape outlet. He puts on his headphones, revs up his lawn mower and finds a bit of peace and tranquility in the seemingly mundane task of cutting grass. His day job can be much …

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Troy ISO Rating: 'It's About Doing the Right Things'

Troy fire chief Steve Engledow looks at the district's improved ISO rating as a reflection on his team's hard work to improve the quality of response time and to better serve the community.

Troy Fire Protection District chief Steve Engledow said it's possible homeowners and local businessmen and women could save on the cost of insurance premiums because the district's ISO rating recently was reduced from 5 to 3. The Insurance Services Organization rating is used to grade fire departments in areas such as first alarm response and the initial attack to minimize potential loss. The lower the number, the better the grade. Troy now ranks in the top 8.5 percent of all the fire houses rated in the state of Illinois. Numbers aside, Engledow said the most important aspect of the new grade given to the Troy Fire Protection District is the intangible marker affixed to the improvement in services ideal he stresses each and every day. "It…

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Troy Fire District Once Called a Barn Home

Residents reacted after a blaze burned down a tavern and the Troy Fire Protection District was born in 1955.

From the rubble of an early-morning fire on Saturday, Jan. 29, 1955, the Troy Fire Protection District was born. The story of the district's history appears on the Troy Fire District's website, starting with the fire that destroyed Al & Bob's Tavern on that frigid morning 58 years ago—when the temperature hit 5-below zero. Troy residents saw the need for a fire department. They rallied support and donated money to purchase the district's first fire engine—a 1929 REO Speedwagon obtained from Lockport for $250. And, by October 1956, the Troy Fire District had moved into its first fire house—the Troy Fire barn. Today, the district has two stations and is on a pace to answer about 2,500 calls this year, Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Doyle said.

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Troy Fire's Improved Rating Could Save You Money

Many insurance companies use fire ISO ratings to set premium costs. Troy's improved rating—the result of a number of factors, including pumping capacity and training—could lower your bill.

Talk to your insurance agent. See if you qualify for a discount. That's what Troy Fire Protection District chief Steve Engledow says in a Sun-Times News Group report outlining how the district's improved rating could save you money. "It's certainly worth checking with your insurance company and the fire department can be contacted for any documentation that's required," Engledow said in the report. Troy's rating recently moved from 5 to 3 on the Insurance Services Organization scale, reflecting the fire district's work to improve services and response time. ISO ratings are a standard used by insurance companies. For each point a district moves lower on the scale, a resident could save 1 percent on his premiums and a commercial customer …

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Troy Fire Near the Head of Ratings Class

The Troy Fire Protection District recently received a Class 3 rating from the Insurance Services Organization. And that puts the district in good company.

Troy Fire Protection District is No. 3. And that's a good thing. The Troy Fire Protection District's Insurance Services Organization (ISO) rating recently moved from Class 5 to Class 3, according to a news release from the office of fire chief Steve Engledow. The grading system ranges from Class 1 (most desirable) to Class 10 (least desirable). ISO focuses on the fire department's first alarm response and the initial attack to minimize potential loss. Also included in the fire department grading are engine companies, ladder companies, distribution of fire stations, equipment carried on apparatus, pumping capacity, reserve apparatus and department personnel and training. Troy Fire's rating (Class 3) puts it in the top 8.5 percent of the …

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Fire at The Timbers of Shorewood Causes Minimal Damage

Troy Fire Protection District was alerted by a fire alarm call.

No one was injured at a fire at The Timbers of Shorewood Retirement Community and Assisted Living Thursday afternoon. Troy Fire Protection District Chief Steve Engledow said the call came in about 4:09 p.m. Thursday, and was an activated fire alarm at the building. The fire was on the second floor, near the boiler. Staff at The Timbers had to move residents from that wing into the dining area while firefighters worked to put out the fire and determine that it was safe for the residents to return to their rooms. "The staff reacted very quickly and moved people out of the way, so that was good," Engledow said. The Timbers has about 185 residents in four wings, said Faith Ann Varga, The Timbers executive director of marketing. The fire caused…

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Shorewood Family Displaced by House Fire

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but the home is uninhabitable.

No one was injured in a fire in the 800 block of Abbeywood Drive Sunday night, but a family was left homeless. "Everybody got out," Troy Fire Protection District Chief Steve Engledow said. The call for the fire came into Troy Fire Protection District at 7:12 p.m. Ten fire districts assisted in the fire. The two-story home had extensive damage. Engledow said the cause was undetermined, but that it was not suspicious in nature. Channahon Fire Protection District, Minooka Fire Protection District, Joliet Fire Department, Lockport Township Fire Protection District, East Joliet Fire Department, Wilmington Fire Protection District and Coal City Fire Protection District were among the departments that assisted Troy Fire Protection District.

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Infamous Steve

9:33 am on Friday, January 11, 2013

Isn't their job pretty much self explanatory? Fire burns, use water to put out. Now if they would let me go out on a actual call with them I might reconsider the offer. But just to go see equipment and their lockers...i'm good.   more ›

Inside Biz

Inside Biz: Custom Made Furniture in Unexpected Places

Joliet Resident owns his own business and makes conference tables for local fire districts.

Larry Mescha decided to go into business for himself out of necessity. "I was working in the trades, as the economy slowed down, the hardwood flooring company went out of business," he said. "It was pretty much out of necessity; I had been putting out resumes to other companies. "I still had bills to pay and obligations to meet." Today, five years later, Mescha's company, LDM Wood Concepts, is so successful that he has nearly outgrown his home workshop. "I will probably have to actually look for a shop just because I have outgrown the space," he said. "Probably in the next year that will happen." Mescha began LDM Wood Concepts with only custom made furniture. "Back then, it was purely custom, whatever somebody wanted," he said. But that …

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Numerous Departments Respond to Fight Fire Behind Minooka Business

A fire behind 113 Industrial Drive was extinguished with the help of several local departments Monday afternoon.

Editor's Note: More information on the fire can be found here. A fire broke out Monday afternoon in Minooka behind First American Metal Corp.'s building at 113 Industrial Drive, in what appeared to be a garbage pile. The fire was called in around 2:30 p.m., and responders from Minooka Fire Protection District, Troy Fire Protection District and Plainfield Fire Protection District were among those reporting to the scene. Business at Family Video in Minooka was not affected by the fire burning just three buildings away. Store manager Nora McBride said there were lots of fire engines, but that she did not see anything when she went to look outside. "I could not see it from the corner window, I did not go outside," McBride said of the blaze. …

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