Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl says Northwestern University has agreed to donated $550,000 to the city for a new fire engine.
“We are very grateful to Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro for this thoughtful and practical donation that will help save lives and protect property,” the mayor said. “We are eagerly looking forward to a long, continued relationship with the University in our partnership to make Evanston an even greater community than what it is already.”
Northwestern University’s purchase of a new fire engine will replace a fifteen year old front-line engine. The typical life-span of an engine is approximately ten to twelve years. Evanston has five front-line fire engines.
They are the vehicles equipped with hoses, water and a fire pump to provide the high pressure necessary for the firefighters to extinguish a blaze.
Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl says Northwestern University has agreed to donated $550,000 to the city for a new fire engine.
“We are very grateful to Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro for this thoughtful and practical donation that will help save lives and protect property,” the mayor said. “We are eagerly looking forward to a long, continued relationship with the University in our partnership to make Evanston an even greater community than what it is already.”
Northwestern University’s purchase of a new fire engine will replace a fifteen year old front-line engine. The typical life-span of an engine is approximately ten to twelve years. Evanston has five front-line fire engines.
They are the vehicles equipped with hoses, water and a fire pump to provide the high pressure necessary for the firefighters to extinguish a blaze.
The Fire Department responded to 607 calls for service on the Northwestern campus. That’s about 7 percent of the total calls the department received.
About half the calls on campus were for emergency medical services. With this new equipment the city will be able to continue to provide the same timely and professional service, the mayor added.
“We are pleased to fund the purchase of this new fire engine, which was the top priority of the City in our discussions with how we might assist the City financially,” Schapiro was quoted as saying in a city news release.
The new engine has a 1500-gallon per minute pump and carries 500 gallons of water. It will carry three firefighters of which at least two will be paramedics. It will also have all the fire equipment and advanced life support supplies needed for first responders.
The engine will also serve as an advanced life-support unit and will carry all of the medical equipment found on an ambulance so that fire personnel can begin treatment of a patient before an ambulance arrives. This includes a heart monitor/defibrillator, advance airway management tools and medications for the treatment of anything from a heart attack, to an asthma attack to a bee sting.
“The new engine comes at a critical time when several pieces of our fire fleet are in need of replacement during these difficult economic times,” Fire Chief Alan Berkowsky said. “This new
engine is a welcome addition to our fleet and will serve the citizens of Evanston as well as the students, faculty and visitors of the university for years to come.”
“The City and the University have been partners in many areas to benefit both Evanston residents and the Northwestern community, including mutual support by City and University police and extending the University’s fiber-optic communications system to city facilities,” President Schapiro said. “We look forward to extending this cooperation through the purchase of this fire engine.”
Northwestern gives, Central Street takes
So Northwestern is contributing $550K for a brand new fire engine.
Meanwhile, another article states that the City is spending an extra $60K for fancy quaint and charming streetlights for the residents of Central Street to enjoy. ( Central Street, as we all know, has two fire stations and a branch library)
This demonstrates once again that the presence of Northwestern is a benefit to Evanston, while the Central Street busybodies just find ways to spend money.
Central Street Lights
Where does does the Council think the extra $60,000 will come from ? manna from heaven ? aldermen pay for it out of their PERSONAL funds ? human service budget ? North Branch library budget ? pension funds ?
Next Council meeting will probably say the new NU President started on a good foot, now it should give more [and start with lets say $60,000 that seems to be missing from the city funds].
I’d sure like to be able to spend money I don’t have [and not get thrown in jail] and have someone else pay the bill. Maybe the Council can ‘grant’ every citizen $1,000,000—they don’t seem to have problems finding invisible money.
Calm down about the streetlights
Central street is quite the busy shopping area, and the city does well to keep the streetscape there in good trim.
Just ask your buddies over at Kellogg: They’ll tell you you’ve got to spend money to make money. They’ll also tell you that Northwestern benefits from being located in a decent-looking city.