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Antioch Rescue Squad donations create controversy at home
In a recent article from the Daily Herald, there's an interesting story about how the Antioch Rescue Squad (ARS) handled the distribution of its surplus ambulances. Last year, Stone Park Fire Chief Michael Paige was pleasantly surprised when the ARS offered his department a used ambulance fully stocked with medical supplies. This gesture seemed generous at first, but it turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.
It turns out that the ARS actually gave away three ambulances to departments outside of its home base in Antioch and Antioch Township. However, when the Antioch Fire Department requested a similar donation, their application was initially approved in March 2014, only to be rescinded a month later. As a result, the Antioch Fire Department had to spend $69,000 in taxpayer money to buy and equip a new ambulance.
Antioch Fire Department Chief John Nixon expressed frustration over this decision. He pointed out that the ambulances and the medical supplies they carried were partly funded by donations from Antioch-area residents and organizations. Therefore, these resources should have been prioritized for local rescue services. "Because we didn’t see one dime from (the ARS), we had to spend taxpayer money to bring in ambulances and equipment to operate and protect the residents of Antioch and Antioch Township," Nixon said.
When asked for clarification, Antioch Rescue Squad Chief Brian DeKind and President Todd Thommes declined to comment. However, officials from the First Fire Protection District of Antioch believe the rejection might stem from the squad's dissatisfaction over not being awarded a contract to continue providing rescue services. Instead, the Antioch Fire Department now handles both fire and rescue operations in the area, funded by the village, township, and fire protection district.
DeKind never provided a clear reason for rejecting the donation request, but Fire District Administrator Ted Jozefiak suggested it might be due to lingering tensions between the ARS and the Antioch Fire Department. Jozefiak recalled asking DeKind about the possibility of receiving an ambulance, which was initially agreed upon but later revoked after a vote among the squad's membership.
Things between the rescue squad and the fire department took a turn for the worse in 2012 when three female squad members filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against several senior members. An investigation by the Illinois Department of Public Health revealed a pattern of misconduct, including patient mistreatment and substance abuse. Around the same time, a former squad treasurer was charged with embezzling over $10,000 and later pleaded guilty.
These issues led to significant changes within the squad leadership. Wayne Sobczak, the former chief, retired, and President Steve Smouse resigned shortly afterward. DeKind and Thommes assumed leadership roles, but the relationship with the village of Antioch deteriorated further when they couldn't agree on a long-term contract. Initially, the fire department outsourced ambulance services, but eventually decided to manage them in-house.
By May 2014, the squad's contract with the township was not renewed, and the fire protection district decided to consolidate all fire and rescue services under one agency. With no further need for their surplus vehicles, the ARS donated its unused ambulances to other organizations, including the Lake County High Schools Technology Campus in Grayslake and the Newport Township Fire Protection District in Wadsworth.
Derrick Burress, the principal of the tech campus, mentioned that the squad offered a used ambulance valued at $15,000 for educational purposes. The donation was approved by the campus board and has become a valuable resource for training EMS students, including those from Antioch.
Stone Park's Fire Chief Michael Paige also confirmed receiving a similar donation. He noted that although the ambulance had over 100,000 miles on it, it was still functional and came fully equipped with essential medical supplies.
Despite these donations, the Antioch Fire Department still faced challenges in maintaining adequate coverage. Chief Nixon explained that it typically requires four ambulances to serve the population of Antioch and Antioch Township, with three serving as primary units and one acting as a backup. To meet this demand, the department purchased and stocked two new ambulances in 2013, received a donation from the Antioch Firefighters Association in February 2014, and bought another used ambulance in May.
All in all, the total cost to establish the department's own ambulance service amounted to $232,000, but with contributions from the firefighters association and a state-controlled insurance fund, the final expense was reduced to $157,000. Nixon emphasized that had the ARS donated its surplus vehicles, the department could have saved significantly on these costs. "Had the ARS donated their ambulances to us, we wouldn’t have needed to spend the money to get the vintage ones up and running," he stated.
This situation highlights the complexities of managing public safety resources and the importance of open communication between neighboring agencies.