Palatine firefighters set to show off new home

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Photo COURTESY of palatine Fire Department

Palatine firefighters want to show off their new digs this weekend.

So in conjunction with their annual community open house, residents can check out $2 million worth of renovations to one of the fire stations.

The festivities start at 9 a.m. Saturday for the dedication of the newly remodeled station at 220 W. Illinois Ave.

After that, all the traditional open house activities will take place, such as a demonstration from "Mr. Wizard," vehicle and equipment displays and other life-saving demonstrations.

The Dive Rescue, Hazardous Materials, Technical Rescue and Bike Medic teams also will have their equipment on display for everyone to see.

Station 84 -- which used to be known as Station 17 -- got a 3,400-square-foot building addition.

There are new living quarters, a fire sprinkler system, remodeling of the existing living quarters and improvements to the training tower.

Officials have said it's a way to make necessary changes without building a new station.

In addition, there will be a new training room that holds about 40 people.

Something new to the station is that now it's available to the public as a public facility to hold meetings and other gatherings.

That station opened in 1981. As you drive by it, there's also a change to the roof line, which officials hope give it a more residential feel.

All the renovations are modeled after the department's newest station on Palatine Road.

If you go

Schedule of events for Palatine Fire Department open house at Station 84, 220 W. Illinois Ave.:

• 9 a.m.: Station dedication

• 11 a.m.: "Mr. Wizard" fire behavior demonstration

• Noon: Flashover Room Demonstration

10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Vehicle-equipment displays and station tours, public education trailer display, fire extinguisher operation, vehicle extrication demonstration