Antioch Rescue Squad donations create controversy at home

From a Daily Herald article: Last year, Stone Park Fire Chief Michael Paige received a generous offer from the Antioch Rescue Squad (ARS). They proposed donating a used ambulance fully equipped with medical supplies to his department. In total, the squad gifted three ambulances to organizations outside their home base in Antioch and Antioch Township. However, they surprisingly declined a similar request from the nearby Antioch Fire Department. Initially approving the request in March 2014, the squad rescinded their approval just a month later, according to Antioch fire officials. This left the Antioch Fire Department with no choice but to spend $69,000 of taxpayer money to acquire and outfit a used ambulance. Chief John Nixon of the Antioch Fire Department pointed out that these ambulances and the lifesaving equipment were partly bought with funds raised by donations from Antioch residents and local groups. He argued that these resources should have been made available to support rescue services in the surrounding area. “We didn’t receive a single cent from the ARS, so we had to dip into taxpayer funds to bring in ambulances and necessary equipment to ensure the safety of Antioch and Antioch Township residents,” he stated. Neither Antioch Rescue Squad Chief Brian DeKind nor President Todd Thommes responded to multiple interview requests regarding this issue. However, officials from the First Fire Protection District of Antioch believe the decision on which departments received the donated ambulances might stem from the squad's dissatisfaction at not being chosen as the official provider of rescue services—a role now fulfilled by the Antioch Fire Department. Currently, the Antioch Fire Department manages both firefighting and rescue operations in Antioch and Antioch Township. It operates under the financial and supervisory oversight of the village of Antioch, Antioch Township, and the First Fire Protection District of Antioch. Administrator Ted Jozefiak mentioned that DeKind never provided a clear explanation for rejecting the donation request. Still, he suspects it was due to the squad's frustration at not being selected as a service provider. When asked about the possibility of receiving an ambulance, DeKind initially agreed but later informed Jozefiak that the squad membership had voted against the donation. Relations between Antioch’s fire and rescue services became strained in 2012 following a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by three female squad members against several squad members and high-ranking officials. An Illinois Department of Public Health investigation subsequently revealed that squad members mistreated patients, misused medications, and permitted employees to start shifts shortly after excessive drinking. Around the same time, a former squad treasurer was charged with stealing over $10,000 and pleaded guilty. Former squad chief Wayne Sobczak retired, and president Steve Smouse resigned shortly afterward. Under DeKind and Thommes' leadership, the squad parted ways with the village of Antioch in May 2013 due to unresolved contract disputes. Initially, the fire department hired an ambulance contractor to handle emergency calls, but later decided to purchase its own ambulances and supplies to manage these services in-house. The squad continued to serve township residents for a year until the fire protection district board opted not to renew their contract in May 2014. The board then decided to consolidate all firefighting and rescue services under the Antioch Fire Department to streamline operations. With the squad no longer needing their ambulances, the squad donated their surplus equipment to various organizations. The Lake County High Schools Technology Campus in Grayslake received one used ambulance valued at $15,000 for educational purposes. Derrick Burress, the school principal, confirmed that the donation was approved by the campus board and has become a valuable training tool for EMS students. Similarly, the Newport Township Fire Protection District in Wadsworth and the Stone Park Fire Department in Cook County each received ambulances. Stone Park's Fire Chief Michael Paige mentioned that his department acquired the former squad ambulance via a Stone Park commander and a lieutenant who were also ARS volunteers. Although the $10,000 ambulance had over 100,000 miles on it, it came fully stocked with essential supplies like health service packs and a cot. Mark Kirschhoffer, chief of the Newport Fire District, noted that he was approached by a squad member asking if they could utilize an additional ambulance. The 2007 Road Rescue ambulance, worth approximately $15,000, now serves as a backup vehicle for the Newport district. Chief Nixon explained that it typically requires around four ambulances to effectively serve Antioch and Antioch Township. Three are used as primary rescue vehicles, while one remains as a reserve. In 2013, the fire department procured and outfitted two ambulances for use in the village of Antioch. A used ambulance was donated by the Antioch Firefighters Association in February 2014, followed by another purchased in May. Overall, Nixon mentioned that the Antioch village board and fire district spent roughly $157,000 to buy and stock all four ambulances to establish their rescue service. The total expenditure reached $232,000, offset by a $20,000 donation from the firefighters association and $55,000 from a state-controlled insurance fund. “You need to stock these ambulances with essentials like life packs and defibrillators. If the ARS had donated their ambulances to us, we wouldn't have had to invest taxpayer money in refurbishing older models. Their decision meant we had to allocate funds to acquire and prepare a fourth ambulance,” Nixon emphasized. Despite these efforts, the Antioch Fire Department still faced challenges in maintaining adequate coverage, highlighting ongoing tensions with the Antioch Rescue Squad over resource allocation and community needs.

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