Lombard Fire Dept. readies for 2013 Centennial Celebration
LOMBARD, Illinois—The Lombard Fire Department will celebrate 100 years of service to the community in 2013. As such, department officers, firefighters/paramedics, retirees and members of the community have been planning for the celebration for some time.
Beginning on January 3, 2013, the contents of a time capsule, buried in front of Fire Station 1 25 years ago, will be revealed. The time capsule was unearthed on October 25, 2012 by firefighters/paramedics who took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to dig it up rather than dealing with a frozen ground in December or January.
At the unveiling of the unearthed time capsule contents, a new time capsule will be hidden in a wall of the training room at Fire Station 1. This event will kick off the year of celebration and commemorates the actual date the first meeting of the Fire Department took place.
The 2013 Village of Lombard vehicle stickers will display the Fire Department anniversary badge, bearing the dates 1913–2013, commemorating the centennial of the fire service.
A horse-drawn wagon (to replicate an antique fire truck) will represent the Centennial in the Lilac Parade. “We plan to have active and retired members of the department walking along side the wagon, said Battalion Chief Martin Coomes, Chair of
the Centennial Celebration Committee. Additional committee members include Jack Jones, Linda Herza, Glenn Foster, Sarah Richardt, Dale Farris, Mark Laffrey, Pamm Cooper, Mary McGinty, Joe Kaforski, James Streu, Mike Heimbecker and Joelyn Kott.
In June of 2013, there will be a picnic held for current and past fire department personnel.
A commemorative book is also being compiled with historical information and photos about the 100 years of the Fire Department. The book will be available for purchase online. It's anticipated that the book will be completed in the Spring.
All events are planned at this time with a tentative date. Additional information will be available in the local press, the Village of Lombard website and Facebook page. For questions or more information, please contact the Fire Department at (630) 620-5747.