Plainfield Local 4560

05/30/2026

As the sun cranks up the heat, crews are hitting the training grounds at the crack of dawn to outsmart the sizzling temperatures. This morning, they were all about the clock, tackling the timed NFPA 1410 drill and the speedy Paxton drill.
NFPA 1410 is the go-to guide for getting fire companies off to a blazing start. The drill cranks up the pressure, challenging firefighters to sprint with hoses and make speedy connections to fire hydrants.
The Paxton drill is all about ladder magic! It tests ladder companies on their skills to launch ground ladders for rescues. Inspired by the Paxton Hotel fire in Chicago, where CFD swooped in like heroes to sn**ch a bunch of stranded hotel guests from their window perches. Talk about a daring rescue mission!

05/30/2026

Rest in Peace Cheryl! You helped a lot of us with our education and certification in EMS. Your commitment and passion made us better EMT’s & Paramedics. You will be missed!

It is with deep regret that we report the passing of retired EMS coordinator Cheryl Hansen following a brief illness. Cheryl devoted her life to the fire service and emergency medical services. She served as a firefighter paramedic with the Clarendon Heights FPD, a paramedic and EMS coordinator with Tri-State FPD before coming to Plainfield FPD as our EMS coordinator. Cheryl continued her passion in the fire service by serving as a Fire Commissioner with Tri-State FPD until her passing.
Services are pending, and more information will be shared at a later time.

05/28/2026

Summer days are perfect for training new recruits, cadets, and engineers. We’re always striving to improve.

05/04/2026

04/27/2026

Today members took part in our monthly MABAS 15 water rescue team training. During the summer months many flock to the rivers to cool off and spend some relaxing time floating the rivers. Unfortunately emergencies happen and we have to jump into action to help out.

04/22/2026

This week, our crews are training on rapid intervention team techniques and procedures. A strong drill often sparks new ideas and brings back previously learned skills. Lt. Muehlbauer shared victim removal techniques he recently learned in an outside class. Passing along this knowledge reinforces critical skills and helps continue the tradition of sharing information among firefighters.

04/21/2026

New technology brings new training needs. As electric vehicles grow in number, it’s important to understand their potential hazards. Battery fires can occur, especially after a crash. Our work focuses on safely moving these vehicles to a secure area to stop the fire from spreading.

04/17/2026

We would like to take this week to thank our partners who work alongside us, they are the first line of support in this job. We are grateful to have a great dispatch center such as WESCOM to always have our backs. Thank you to all the Telecommunicators!
Wescom Dispatchers - MAP Local 474

04/17/2026

🚒 Welcome to the Plainfield Fire Protection District family! 🚒

Last night, the Plainfield Fire Protection District had the honor of swearing in our six newest firefighter/paramedics:

• Joshua Oberg
• Noah Avery
• Armando Bautista
• Robert Lestina
• James Radtke
• Jesus Palomares

Each proudly took their oath to serve our community and the Fire District, marking the beginning of their one‑year probationary period. During this time, they will demonstrate their dedication through their actions, attitude, commitment, and training as they protect those inside and outside our district.

Please join us in congratulating these individuals on reaching an important milestone in their careers. We are proud to welcome them and wish them the very best as they begin this next chapter of service! 👏🔥

Pictured L to R: R. Lestina, J. Oberg, J. Radtke, N. Avery, J. Palomares & A. Bautista

04/11/2026

Our 4560 members instructing our fire cadets with hose advancement skills. FF Krasuski runs the fire district cadet program with help from our members.