'After the fire' a time to teach

Seeking to answer questions and reduce the neighborhood rumors that often surface after a fire, Mundelein firefighters on Wednesday night led an informative presentation at the site of a recent blaze.

About 40 people attended the "After the Fire" discussion outside a house on the 500 block of Pershing Court. The first event of its kind in Mundelein, it was the brainchild of Chief Tim Sashko.

Sashko participated in many similar presentations when he was a firefighter and chief with the Buffalo Grove Fire Department. He said he hopes to hold the talks after every significant fire in Mundelein.

Attacking gossip - such as whether a fire was deliberately set or involved dangerous chemicals - is a primary goal of the get-togethers, Sashko said.

"Everybody starts to develop their own theories (after a fire), and you try to dispel those rumors," he said. "It becomes an open forum, so they can understand what we're doing."

Sashko and other department leaders talked about where the April 16 fire started and how firefighters responded. They also talked about what homeowners should do before a fire to protect their property and important belongings, such as medicine, passports and birth certificates.

Fireproof boxes are an easy way to protect such documents, Sashko told the crowd.

When the 45-minute presentation wrapped up shortly before 8 p.m., the firefighters were thanked with a round of applause. The audience definitely appreciated the effort.

"I think it's great," said neighbor Keith Negley, who attended with his wife and daughter. "Having this type of program (gives you) some of the answers and reduces the amount of hearsay going around."

The effort also prompted the Negleys to seriously consider getting a fireproof box for their home.

"(This is) why we should go get one," Negley said.