The *Daily Herald* has another report on the recent split between the Village of Barrington Fire Department and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. The two agencies officially went their separate ways on New Year’s Day, but not without some last-minute confusion that left firefighters scrambling to secure essential gear.
Although 19 firefighters were laid off from the village department at midnight, they weren’t allowed to take their personal protective equipment (PPE) with them. This created an immediate problem for the newly formed fire district, which had to quickly borrow gear from the Fox River Grove Fire Protection District just days before the transition. They are now in the process of arranging leases from other providers over the coming months.
Barrington Village Manager Jeff Lawler explained that the issue stemmed from the fact that the fired personnel were hired through a third-party contractor, Paramedic Services of Illinois. “It's taxpayer-owned equipment, and we can't just hand it over without proper legal procedures,†he said. He mentioned that this matter was discussed with fire district officials in early December, and he was confused as to why it wasn’t resolved beforehand.
However, Barrington Countryside Board President Tom Rowan suggested that the conversation Lawler referenced might have been one-sided. According to Rowan, the two agencies had co-owned all shared equipment during their long-term partnership, and the plan was to divide everything evenly, including vehicles, when the relationship ended.
Barrington Countryside Fire Chief Jeff Swanson emphasized that while legalities must be followed, safety should always come first. “This could have been worked out over time, but the firefighters needed the gear right away on New Year’s Day,†he said.
Currently, the fire district employs 34 firefighters through Paramedic Services of Illinois. Only the 19 who were laid off from the village department were affected by the equipment dispute. Swanson noted that new, custom-fitted gear is expected to arrive in the spring, and in the meantime, they’ll be using leased equipment.
Despite the initial hiccups, both agencies have reported that they’ve maintained full operational capabilities since the split. The Barrington Fire Department now only covers the village’s five square miles, whereas the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District continues to serve parts of Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, South Barrington, Inverness, and unincorporated areas of Cook, Lake, and McHenry counties.
Rowan also mentioned that morale among the new staff is high. Just hours after receiving their equipment from the village, the crew reportedly cleaned everything thoroughly, showing their commitment to the new organization.
In terms of apparatus, here's what each department currently has:
- **Barrington Fire Department**:
- One engine
- The quint
- The battalion buggy
- Two ambulances
- **Barrington Countryside FPD**:
- Two engines
- The squad
- The tanker (plus a newly acquired one)
- Two ambulances
At this time, the ownership of the brush unit remains unclear.
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