Three fire departments will fill gap after Elk Grove Township department's demise

The Mount Prospect, Elk Grove Village and Des Plaines fire departments are implementing a plan to serve the more than 5,000 residents who received fire protection from the now-defunct Elk Grove Township Fire Department.

The township department abruptly ended operations Sunday, after years of losing territory and revenues as a result of land annexations by surrounding municipalities.

Mount Prospect Fire Chief John Dolan said he and chiefs from Elk Grove Village and Des Plaines have been meeting for two years to prepare.

"To sit back and wait for it to happen would have been irresponsible," he said. "Operationally, we had to collectively come up with 'What are we going to do if one day, they just don't show up?' Which is exactly how it played out."

Dolan said his firefighters have been training to serve the township department's neighborhoods, which mostly sit in unincorporated areas northwest of O'Hare International Airport.

"We had our guys training on laying long leadouts. In other words, supply lines. Because a lot of these areas aren't protected with fire hydrants," he said.

Emergency dispatch centers also have also worked out a plan to relay call information to Northwest Central Dispatch, which serves Mount Prospect and Elk Grove Village, and Regional Emergency Dispatch, which will dispatch Des Plaines firefighters.

Elk Grove Township Fire Department employees are under contract with Elmhurst-based Metro Paramedic Services, which will find them employment with other departments, Elk Grove Township Fire Chief Kieran Mackey said.

The township fire board met in closed session Monday night to discuss pending litigation with Mount Prospect and Elk Grove Township. The village and township are asking a court to postpone the sale of the department's assets, including its station in Arlington Heights and a tender truck.

Both sides are moving toward a settlement, with one encouraging sign - Dolan said the dissolved department has agreed to loan the tender truck to Mount Prospect.