Fire safety books memorialize Buffalo Grove fire victim

The Buffalo Grove Fire Department presented books on fire safety and equipment to Joyce Kilmer Elementary School, 655 Golfview Terrace, in Buffalo Grove, Feb. 20 in the memory of 2-year-old Grant Wonders, who died in a house fire across the street 19 years ago.

After the fire, the Buffalo Grove Professional Fire Fighter and Paramedic Association, Local 3177 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, donated money to have special fire truck book cases built by Battalion Chief Gary Belfield, who has since retired. The cases were filled with books purchased with money from the fund.

A recent audit found that there was still a balance in the fund. As a result, 30 new books were purchased to be distributed to the elementary schools that still have the original fire truck book cases: Kilmer, Longfellow and St. Mary.