Barrington fire response times lowered

The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District officials say equipment upgrades at its stations are expected to lower emergency response times by up to 30 seconds.

Chief among the improvements is a new in-house alarm system at each station.

Illinois Fire Chiefs Executive Director Robert M. Buhs said the 30-second improvement will significantly enhance the effectiveness of fire and emergency services in the Barrington area.

“Thirty seconds can mean the difference between life and death,” he said. “Statistics demonstrate that structural fires that burn for six minutes or more usually result in a complete loss. In medical emergency situations where a patient has stopped breathing, the odds of brain damage increase greatly after just four minutes.”