MABAS

[80FIRE]

Chief Reason mentioned MABAS in another thread and thought it needed a thread of its own. How many of you are currently part of a MABAS district? We are ready to join. We have our papers signed and ready to turn in at the next IL. Valley meeting. Our district will include aprox 6 counties in W C IL.
If anyone has any do/dont's in making the box cards please share your ideas with us. We have been talking MABAS for quite some time and it is finally taking shape. We already have a good working relationship with several area departments but this will give us an unlimited amount of help if it is ever needed. Not to mention a uniform accountability system and communications.

[ChiefReason]

80FIRE:
I will offer you three pieces of advice:
Meet often.
Only commit equipment and manpower that you are willing to send at any given time, then honor your commitment.
Include EMS.
Sounds like you have a very solid base in place.
Good luck. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make.
CR

[jaybird210]

80, to add to what the good chief has to say:

Plan your cards carefully. Think of your target hazards and build your cards based on who can get there in the time frame needed (depending on the level). Sometimes you may have to skip a district if the next one over is close and has staff in the building 24-7. Be careful about not depleating a particular area, especially with ambulances and tankers. This is where change of quarters gets real tricky. A small district with only one of each may not do COQ, but without that, you can quickly deplete a region of resources.

If you're REALLY ambitious, get driving times from your neighbors and build your cards based on that (we plan on doing this in the next three months). You might be surprised to find certain departments can get there quicker or slower, depending on location.

We have been a member of MABAS since the early '90s, and it is a good thing. Since DeKalb County started thier own div., it's been taking on a lot of the duties of the County Fire Assoc. (which was mostly the vol depts). The reason for this is that the county assoc. was basically a social group that met for a free dinner and told war stories. The MABAS div does drills and training. It will be what you make of it. Good luck!

[jaybird210]

Sompin else I forgot to mention (Somebosy shut that guy up!):

It doens't sound like you have this problem, but our previous chief set the cards up based a little bit on politics: I don't like these guys so they're going to go low on the cards. I think this is a disservice to the community, as it could slow the responses.

But you said you get along good with your neighbors, so that shouldn't be an issue. Just thought I'd mention it.....
I'll shut up now...:D

[jboczek]

We're not part of MABAS but it was talked about in our county a year ago and not mentioned after that. After the train wreck, it's time to get the ball rolling again. These posts have kind of refreshed my memory with the research I did some time ago. I can see where it will be a lot of work to set it up and just as much to keep it up. Did anybody have a problem getting depts. to go along with the idea? I could see where we would have to do some convincing.

[jaybird210]

Did anybody have a problem getting depts. to go along with the idea? I could see where we would have to do some convincing.

Oh, youbetcha! There is one department that STILL refuses to do it's box cards. They felt (and, I think, still feel) that MABAS is a effort to creat a county-wide fire district. 'Course, they said the same thing about county-wide dispatch. That's why they are still spending almost FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS a year on THIER FIRE PHONES!!!!!!

Jack, can you think of a better way to spend 5-g's then on a phone system ya don't need? I sure can...

Anyway, they only way we got them in was peer pressure. They were the only hold-outs, and we just kept bugging them.

Someday, they'll have the big one and it'll be a bigger cluster-f*&^ than usual, 'cause the IC is going to have to sit there and scratch his head and say, uh, I need an engine from here, and a tanker, and uh, um.... a snorkel from there....:D

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

When you are a part of MABAS you have access to equipment that would be difficult to request on your own. MABAS works and it is good for your department and our entire State.

[ChiefReason]

MIKEY:
You live and work in the "cradle of MABAS". Certainly you have some do's and don'ts. Did you go on the call to Bourbonnais a few years ago when the Amtrak wrecked? Wasn't Tom Arnsparger chief there at the time? I remember someone from their department presented a program on it a few years ago in Springfield. The #1 problem cited in their reports of the incident was communications. Even with MABAS, communications can still be a problem.
So, MIKEY; how have you been?
CR

[bummer]

If you follow the Advisory Statements on communications you will have no problems communicating with other over 750 MABAS departments. You will need to license your department, just to keep it legal. Remember MABAS is Illinois, Wisconsin, St. Louis, Missouri, and soon to be Indiana, Michigan, and Iowa. Now is the time to add your department and county before it is your "bad day in the barrel".

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Chief/Trustee R.,I am doing well thanks for asking. We are located about 25 miles north of Bourbonais. We did not respond to said train incident. I think even since 1999 when that wreck occured that the MABAS program has grown leaps and bounds. We did not become an official division until a few years ago. We already had a very strong Box alarm system in place, but the realities were that it was time to form a MABAS division. The Chicago Southland region, which includes Cook and Will Counties is comprised of Divisions 15,19,21,22,24 and 27. It is interesting to note that The city of Chicago has its own Division. So by belonging to MABAS, you can request CFD or vice versa.Communications still need some improvement but are getting better everyday. The point is that a Unified, structured response is good for everyone. One other note. We have an Indiana department in our Division. I also know that there are Southern Wisconsin MABAS departments and also I believe the Missouri departments in the St. Louis area are or will be joining. MIKEY like NIKE says....JUST DO IT!

[80FIRE]

Thanks for all the help. We are hoping to have a majority from each county onboard from the start but I am sure we will have some that are slow to come around. We wanted to get our district formed the way we wanted it before the state comes in and makes the decision for us. as far as communications we already are licensed on freq and have it in all radios now but many departments do not. we have had our MABAS department ID for almost a year now and are already using the accountability system. We can only see positive results for joining MABAS. Thanks All

[tfpd109]

BUMP!!! just kiddin'.... I just found this old thread and thought of how much MABAS has grown over the past several years. I think its doing pretty good, and I think it showed what we are capable of when Katrina hit. Any new thoughts? (gotta love diggin up the old ones to!) :D

[Weruj1]

BUMP!!! just kiddin'.... I just found this old thread and thought of how much MABAS has grown over the past several years. I think its doing pretty good, and I think it showed what we are capable of when Katrina hit. Any new thoughts? (gotta love diggin up the old ones to!) :D
I think this person wants to be like ME !!!!!

[tfpd109]

I think this person wants to be like ME !!!!!


Sorry! :D Just up havin some fun on here!

[trainer]

Yes alot has gone on since this thread was posted. Anyone besides Les and I going to the conference in march?. Mabas has bought tons of equipment for all the zones that wanted it, everyone should have gotten a radio, are you ready for the page on IFERN. We have 1 dept in our area that refusees to join, he is worried about liability, but still goes on mutalaide calls, I think he is worried he may look stupid. FYI, the MABAS is changing their organation, from volunteer to paid, a move that needs to be done, if you ever seen how much work Jay and the others do. This means our dues are going up, all based on your budgit, can't find the paper work, I'll post it later if anyone want's to know. As the federal goverment scrambles to get somthing in place, Illinois is miles ahead of everyone. Where else, besides the military, could you get 600 people with equipment, commited in 20min for a 7 day deployment, and ready to go in 24hrs, I think NOWHERE. sure there were some bugs, but we continue to improve. Hopefuly the Fed's will see this and continue some funding, but alas I know how the system works, and some bean counter from nowhere, with connections, will get a ton of money for his plan. Well we will just continue on our merry way, and be proud that we have the best system in the USA.

[ChiefReason]

Yes alot has gone on since this thread was posted. Anyone besides Les and I going to the conference in march?. Mabas has bought tons of equipment for all the zones that wanted it, everyone should have gotten a radio, are you ready for the page on IFERN. We have 1 dept in our area that refusees to join, he is worried about liability, but still goes on mutalaide calls, I think he is worried he may look stupid. FYI, the MABAS is changing their organation, from volunteer to paid, a move that needs to be done, if you ever seen how much work Jay and the others do. This means our dues are going up, all based on your budgit, can't find the paper work, I'll post it later if anyone want's to know. As the federal goverment scrambles to get somthing in place, Illinois is miles ahead of everyone. Where else, besides the military, could you get 600 people with equipment, commited in 20min for a 7 day deployment, and ready to go in 24hrs, I think NOWHERE. sure there were some bugs, but we continue to improve. Hopefuly the Fed's will see this and continue some funding, but alas I know how the system works, and some bean counter from nowhere, with connections, will get a ton of money for his plan. Well we will just continue on our merry way, and be proud that we have the best system in the USA.
Hey, trainer; I'll throw an opinion in here, if you don't mind.
I am all for the leadership of Illinois MABAS going full-time if it enhances/improves what is already a very good system.
I hope that it doesn't become the golden egg for some who are in the "twi-light" of their careers and would otherwise, be feathering their nests.
If they aren't careful, they could price themselves towards a rebellion; especially with the small departments. Too much change too quickly could create alot of tension.
IMHO.
CR

[trainer]

Yes CR, it will seem like that, and more than a few dept's will agree. Last I knew there were going to be 2 or 3 paid people, with the work load involved that's only fair, MABAS has grown to over 600 members, And it will proably be someone that is retired, at least the first time around,(any guesses) but I hope not limited to. This change has been comming for a long time, over a year. The dues rate is gradient based on budgit, here's the only ones I can remember, 0-25,000-$50. 25,000-100,000-$100 beyond that I'll have to dig up some paper work, althogh if you got a 7 or 8 figure budgit hold on, HOWEVER, none of this is set in stone.

[jboczek]

I know it's been planned for a while and I agree that MABAS needs some full time people. I know that when we formed 47 that we weren't supposed to have to pay dues but the time has come to do it right. 100 bucks won't break any dept. and what Illinois has in return for that is fantastic.

[trainer]

No dues? Jack each div,as of now, pay's $100. In 31 the Galesburg dept is kind enought to pay that, in 39 each member pay's $25, with the extra money paying for misc exspences. For the most part our members will have to pay, in the new system, the $100, at lest 1 under and a couple over, and some will bitch. Besides all the other equipment, everyone got a $1200 radio, lets see...that pays for 12 years. For what you get, and let's hope that none of us ever have to use it,it's a small price to pay.

[Firefighter2160]

we are a member of MABAS Division 45.....have been on I think close to a year now

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

So was there a Division 47 Box in Ashley today?

[BARNY750]

Division 54 had their first box alarm last night. Watson had a large structure fire. I wasnt involved but I've heard it went very well.

[jboczek]

No MABAS box in Ashley. MABAS 47 is having some issues, one of which is box cards and dispatching in our county. We're working on it, though.
Trainer, I should have mentioned the 100/yr. dues. I guess I meant that each department didn't have to pay. In 47, our chief's association actually paid it in the past. We've separated MABAS and SCIFCA now so who knows what will happen. 47 has to get it's act together.... and soon.

[ChicagoFF]

It is interesting to note that The city of Chicago has its own Division. So by belonging to MABAS, you can request CFD or vice versa.
What division number would we be? I had never heard this before.

[k3twpfire]

What division number would we be? I had never heard this before.

Chicago is MABAS Division 9

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

I was on the Inter-Divisional EMS Box to Division 9 back in Sept. at the Metra crash. Ended up running an ambo run to the Dearborn Homes. The residents didnt even realize who we were. :D

[ChicagoFF]

I was on the Inter-Divisional EMS Box to Division 9 back in Sept. at the Metra crash. Ended up running an ambo run to the Dearborn Homes. The residents didnt even realize who we were. :D
Lol. You mean the office stuck it to ya after they had you in their web? I'm shocked!! :cool: I knew suburbs came in on occasion but I just assumed it was a casual kind of thing. I never knew it was a formal agreement. Has any suburb ever called for our help? What are the rules on this? Is the city required to provide help, and vice versa, or is it more of a request? How long have we been in this? Sorry for all the questions - my ignorance knows no bounds!

[ChicagoFF]

Chicago is MABAS Division 9
Hmmmmm..... learn something new every day! Thanks.

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

The city can and does run into the burbs. The city is on a few suburban box cards, I am not sure how many, but there are a few. With MABAS, the city can request and be requested for or by any other Division. Engine 58 took a ride down the Cal-Sag a couple years ago to help Lemont at a big mulch fire along the canal. The CFD operated at a fire in Forestview not long ago and also THIS FIRE (http://5-11club.org/5-11_Club/gallery/2005/Cicero/5801_w_roosevelt.html) Don't forget the 5 Ambulances, Squad and chief that responded to Utica after the tornado. The city pulled in the MABAS Co's at the 135 S. fire on C of Q 's.. Seeing more and more of this as the landscape of Chicagoland evolves and morphs. Heres the FORESTVIEW FIRE (http://5-11club.org/5-11_Club/gallery/2004/47thSt/5407_w_47thSt.html#)

[MIKEYLIKESIT]

Heres another CFD into Cicero (http://5-11club.org/5-11_Club/gallery/2005/Cicero_CiceroAv/3400_s_cicero.html)

[ChicagoFF]

The city can and does run into the burbs. The city is on a few suburban box cards, I am not sure how many, but there are a few. With MABAS, the city can request and be requested for or by any other Division. Engine 58 took a ride down the Cal-Sag a couple years ago to help Lemont at a big mulch fire along the canal. The CFD operated at a fire in Forestview not long ago and also THIS FIRE (http://5-11club.org/5-11_Club/gallery/2005/Cicero/5801_w_roosevelt.html) Don't forget the 5 Ambulances, Squad and chief that responded to Utica after the tornado. The city pulled in the MABAS Co's at the 135 S. fire on C of Q 's.. Seeing more and more of this as the landscape of Chicagoland evolves and morphs. Heres the FORESTVIEW FIRE (http://5-11club.org/5-11_Club/gallery/2004/47thSt/5407_w_47thSt.html#)
That was definately strange coming home from LaSalle St. and finding oak park sitting in our house! I had heard of some of these cross border things before, but I always assumed they were just special occasions. I never realised that we were part of the formal MABAS system. Live and learn! :D

[npfd801]

Yeah, but if you call Chicago in don't they have weird hose threads and stuff?

I AM KIDDING!!!

We went Interdivisional once in the past year or two for a pretty ugly incident on I-90, it was during the day, and we pulled a lot of local resources to the scene. I think we had cover quarters companies coming from 104 in Wisconsin and perhaps just east of us. I don't have the specifics.

I know we run quite a bit to Wisconsin on MABAS, we're actually on some "lower" alarms for Beloit, Turtle - places just over the border.

This area is sold on the concept, but I think MABAS has been present here for quite along while. We're only truly starting to utilize it for rehab, training, and so on. I'd expect in the next few years our division will be where some of the suburban divisions are as far as sharing tangible assets, like a larger command and communications vehicle, perhaps a few strategically placed rehab rigs, etc.

[trainer]

You guy's in the big city need to get out once in awhile :) The weird fitting thing was addresed at last years conference, and I believe MABAS was going to get the addapters needed for the outside dept's. This years conference should be interesting, one topic is Katrina, lessions learned. Every time there is a deployment, bugs are found and fixed. Didn't CFD send guy's to the big easy? That wasn't going on their own, that was a MABAS call. Communications rig should allready be in place, each zone was to get an RV rig/command center and or a comm trailer, as the Fed's are finding out, communications are the key to this whole system. Speaking of the Fed's, as they scramble to find an answer for unified command,it's nice to know that Illinois is the only state that's ready, funny you don't here that on the national news. Someone needs to tell the...no I won't say it... in DC, that a system is in place and works!

[ChiefReason]

New Orleans official: Illinois firefighters the post-Katrina 'cavalry'

District chief calls state's mutual aid system a model for the nation during convention appearance in Peoria

Wednesday, March 8, 2006

By ANDY KRAVETZ

of the Journal Star

PEORIA - The New Orleans Fire Department was on the verge of collapse after working a week virtually nonstop in horrific conditions after Hurricane Katrina, so getting reinforcements from Illinois, New York and other states was like seeing the "cavalry arrive."
New Orleans District Chief Richard Hampton remembered how the department's 700-plus firefighters were working around the clock rescuing people and trying to keep themselves safe in a chaotic situation. Tension was high as many of them also had lost homes.

"We had reached a point where there was no way we could continue at that pace," Hampton said. "So when you guys came, it was like having the cavalry arrive."

He and District Chief Tim McConnell spoke at a convention dealing with mutual aid agreements between 960 fire departments around Illinois. Called the MABAS, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, the idea is that member departments can place one call and get resources they need if they are overwhelmed.

Terry Lipinski, the chief of the Bridgeview Fire Department and MABAS vice president, said most states don't have a system similar to that in Illinois, which he said was the best prepared for a disaster because all the departments already are used to working together.

Recent MABAS responses included helping provide fire protection after the Utica tornado, helping staff Chicago firehouses while that department was dealing with a massive downtown bank fire last year and Katrina, when 900 firefighters and some 20 pieces of equipment - some from the Peoria area - went to New Orleans to help out.

McConnell and Hampton told a packed room that his department thought they were ready. They had a plan in place to deal with hurricanes, but it failed them. Rather, they told the conventioneers, update any disaster plan on a regular basis and learn how to deal with the federal government.

The scope of their plight was staggering. The city lost water pressure early into the crisis, firefighters were forced to protect themselves against looters, and many of the fire engines were safe but stranded on high ground where the fire crews couldn't get them into action. Even now, money problems and a depleted staff mean at least six companies are out of action every day, the two said.

The chiefs had high praise for the mutual aid system, which got its name from the old box alarms that used to be found on buildings in Chicago. They said Illinois was the model for the nation. Louisiana is working on a similar version.
Need I say more?
We're #1. We're #1. We're #1...
CR