Minutes Matter
The Lemont Fire Protection District (LFPD) is moving into the next phase of its community-created long-range facilities plan to improve emergency response times and update all District fire stations.
This work is possible because of strong community participation in the Minutes Matter engagement effort and voter approval of a bond referendum in November 2024 that focuses on improving emergency response times and updating facilities across the District.
On behalf of our board members, command staff, firefighters, and administrative staff, thank you for your trust and support.
Community Support and Funding
In 2024, following recommendations developed through the Minutes Matter community engagement program, the LFPD Board of Trustees approved a resolution to place a bond referendum on the November 5 ballot. Voters approved the referendum, confirming the community’s commitment to faster, more reliable emergency response.
Funding from the bond is enabling:
- Relocation of Fire Stations #1 and #3
- Renovation of Fire Stations #2 and #4
- Upgrades to essential emergency equipment and supplies
- Ongoing training initiatives and proper storage of firefighting gear to help reduce firefighter and paramedic exposure to carcinogens
With the architect’s design development nearing completion and construction anticipated to begin around April 1, the District is preparing to transition from planning to active construction on new and updated facilities.
Project Timeline
LFPD and its project team are following a clear, phased schedule:
- Architect’s Design Development Completion: By mid-December
- Competitive Bidding: Expected to go out for construction bids on January 12
- Board Approval of Final Bids: Scheduled for February 19
- Construction Start: Targeted for around April 1
This timeline will allow construction on new and renovated fire stations to begin in the spring.
What the Project Includes
This phase of the facilities plan will:
Relocate
- Fire Station #1 (currently at 15900 New Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439) to 15783 W. 127th Street, Lemont, IL 60439.
- Fire Station #3 (10801 S. Marmon Drive, Woodridge, IL 60517) to 1051 International Parkway, Woodridge, IL 60517
Renovate
- Fire Station #2 (12940 Bell Road, Lemont, IL 60439)
- Fire Station #4 (11520 Walker Road, Lemont, IL 60439)
Upgrade
- Essential emergency equipment and supplies
Enhance Safety and Training
- Improved storage and handling of firefighting gear to help reduce firefighter and paramedic exposure to carcinogens
- Ongoing training initiatives to support updated fire and EMS operations
These improvements are designed to better position crews throughout the District, shorten response times, and support current and future service demands.
Why These Improvements Are Needed
Over the past two decades, Lemont’s population has grown by more than 200 percent and shifted to the southwest. This growth has increased demand for emergency services, especially in newly developed areas of the District.
Today, it can take more than eight minutes to respond to a medical emergency in some parts of the community, which is longer than national standards and neighboring fire protection districts. For comparison:
- In a cardiac emergency, brain death can begin in around six minutes
- A fire can fully engulf a home in about the same amount of time
At the same time, many of the District’s existing stations are:
- Aging and undersized
- Lacking sufficient space to house the nationally recommended number of firefighters
- Not designed to accommodate today’s larger emergency vehicles and specialized equipment
- Do not provide adequate space for the cleaning and storage of firefighting gear to reduce exposure to carcinogens.
The new and renovated facilities are designed to address these challenges, improve response times, and support updated fire and EMS operations. The Minutes Matter process and the voter-approved bond have provided both the community direction and funding needed to move these improvements forward.
Public Hearing: New Fire Station at 15783 W. 127th Street
As part of the process to move construction forward, a public hearing will be held regarding a petition for a new fire station generally located at: 15783 W. 127th Street, Lemont, IL
The requested special use includes:
Annexation
Rezoning
Approval of a plan for construction of a fire station at this location
All interested parties will have the opportunity to speak at the public hearing. Community members may share written or verbal comments as part of the record.
Be sure to explore the gallery below to see examples of the equipment and station improvements funded through the Lemont Fire Protection District Bond Referendum.
2024 Minutes Matter Community Engagement
Minutes Matter
In an emergency, minutes matter. Today, it can take us eight minutes or more to arrive on the scene of an emergency at most of our resident’s homes. If someone is experiencing a heart attack, brain death can occur in around six minutes and a fire can fully engulf a home in the same amount of time.
The location of our fire stations was chosen decades ago when our community looked drastically different than it does today. Since 1990 alone, the Village of Lemont’s population has shifted and grown by more than 239%.
As our community has grown, so has the need for emergency services. To respond to this need, we added firefighters/paramedics to our staff, but our fire stations can’t keep up. We are not able to house the nationally recommended staffing levels in our fire stations, two fire stations are located in areas that do not allow for the most efficient and quickest response to incoming calls, we do not have room for up-to-date EMS, fire and rescue vehicles, equipment or training, and we lack proper firefighter gear storage space to reduce our first responders’ exposure to dangerous carcinogens.
Through Minutes Matter, the Lemont Fire Protection District is inviting the community to learn more about these challenges and potential solutions, including moving two fire stations to provide faster response times to nearly everyone in the fire district.
Do you have questions? Please email us at info@lemontfire.com.
For a review of information shared at our previous open houses, Click here
Saving Time, Saving Lives
Minutes Matter Community Engagement Program Leaders Present Final Recommendations
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES
The Minutes Matter community engagement process discovered that our community’s safety is paramount, yet our fire district struggles with increasing emergency calls driven by a growing population. Response times have stretched to eight minutes or more—significantly longer than the national standards and neighboring fire districts. This issue is further complicated by community growth away from our current fire station locations, resulting in longer travel times and exacerbating delays in emergency response.
Additionally, our aging fire stations do not adequately house the nationally recommended number of firefighter/paramedics or up-to-date equipment. These facilities also lack proper gear storage, which is essential for reducing our first responders’ exposure to carcinogens.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
Based on the information learned and community input gathered, the Minutes Matter Facilitating Team has recommended several long-term goals and priorities to protect our emergency services in a fiscally responsible manner:
Response Times:
Meeting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards of six minutes or less should be a top priority. Quick response times are critical, as brain death can occur within six minutes during a heart attack, and survival rates drop 7% to 10% every minute without EMS care
Facilities:
Relocate fire stations to ensure emergency responders can arrive within the nationally recommended time. Improve existing fire station layouts to decrease response times, provide separate gear cleaning and storage areas to reduce exposure to carcinogens, and ensure stations can accommodate up-to-date equipment and personnel
Training:
Provide comprehensive training opportunities and ensure firefighter/paramedics have access to adequate facilities and equipment to keep the community safe.
Equipment:
Update and replace aging firefighting and emergency medical equipment, and ensure proper maintenance and storage.
Communications & Community Involvement:
Actively involve residents in planning, remain transparent about operations and finances, and clearly communicate the necessity of having strategically located fire stations.
Finance:
Maintain a balanced budget while implementing these recommendations over a responsible timeframe. Ensure the community is informed about fire district funding and operations.
Click here to view the full final report
NEXT STEPS
The Board of Trustees will review the Minutes Matter report and finalize the next steps in early August. Based on the community’s recommendations, this could include a ballot referendum in November 2024, allowing residents to vote on a $46,195,000 bond to fund the recommended improvements, improve response time and protect our quality emergency services.
The estimated cost for this initiative is approximately $19/month or $248/year for a $400,000 home in Cook County, and $22/month or $291/year for a similar home in DuPage County.
We encourage all residents to stay informed and engaged as we work together to address these critical needs. Your input and support are vital to the future of the Lemont Fire Protection District.