With the holidays fast approaching and
the increased usage of seasonal decorations, it is important to focus on candle fire safety and prevention. [Additional info...]

This is the monthly newsletter from the Buffalo Grove Fire Department ... October 2009 newsletter...

An Option to Unsafe Infant Abandonment Illinois provides an option to unsafe infant abandonment.

No Shame,
No Blame,
No Names.

Give a baby a chance. For information, call 312-440-0229 or 888-510-BABY (2229).

The Buffalo Grove Fire Department is proud to announce that all three fire stations are compliant with the Illinois Safe Haven Law.
Illinois and the Village of Buffalo Grove offer a safe, legal option to unsafe infant abandonment. An unharmed newborn up to seven days old may be safely relinquished to staff at hospitals, police or staffed fire stations, or emergency care facilities, no questions asked.
[Additional info...]

Buffalo Grove became the 50th suburb of Chicago to require residential sprinkler systems in attached single family dwellings On August 1, 2005 the Village Board formally adopted a number of recommended changes in Title 15 of the Village Municipal Code that significantly changed the built in fire protection requirements of the 1996 BOCA Building Code.

Buffalo Grove became the 50th suburb in metropolitan Chicago to require residential sprinkler systems in attached single family dwellings ie: townhomes like Waterbury Place off of Route 22.

Single family residences were exempted from the ordinance.

Fire sprinkler systems are now required in all new buildings regardless of materials used in construction or use group classification. Some exceptions for small buildings under 400 square feet are provided.

For existing structures excluding single family, a sprinkler system is required if the total square footage of the building is expanded to 3,000 square feet.

A sprinkler system is required in any building where reconstruction involves structural modifications equal to or greater than 50% of the building.

Contact Person: Deputy Fire Marshal George Michehl
Contact Phone: 847-537-0995
Contact Email: Gmichehl@vbg.org
[Additional info...]

The 1st annual Frozen Turkey 5K Run will take place on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26 in Buffalo Grove. The race starts at Willow Stream Park at 8:00 am and will wind through the surrounding neighborhood. Runners are encouraged to bring canned food donations to the race and all race proceeds will benefit the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Buffalo Grove resident and co-race director, Meredith Goddard, hopes the run will become a new holiday tradition for Buffalo Grove and area suburbs. For more information and to register for the event, please go to www.frozenturkey5k.com.

Village President Elliott Hartstein urges all Village residents and businesses to GO PINK to raise awareness about cancer and to sell pink T-shirts which will benefit a local organization dedicated to cancer awareness. Buffalo Grove Firefighter/Paramedic Steve Rusin started an initiative within the Fire Department to promote the PINK HEALS national campaign. The national Pink Heals Tour was organized to raise public awareness regarding cancer, to honor all the people who battle cancer, and to thank the families who tirelessly work to make their lives better. Pink t-shirts were sold to BG Fire Department employees as part of this initiative to raise funds and awareness for cancer. We encourage all of Buffalo Grove to GO PINK and join this endeavor. T-shirts can be purchased to promote and support this cause. Print and return the order form to Village Hall. Orders are available until Thanksgiving Day. The Wellness Place in Palatine is the local organization that benefits from the purchase. Go to www.wellnessplace.org.
Order form

Lake County Health Dept. Flu Hotline - 847-377-8350; their website is www.lakecountyil.gov/Health/H1N1.htm. Cook County Health Department's Hotline is 708-492-2828. Cook County's website is www.cookcountypublichealth.org/flu. The influenza (flu) is a virus. H1N1 Influenza A, or swine influenza, is a form of the virus that originally infected pigs. There are many forms of flu, and the different varieties have the ability to exchange genes with one another. The form of flu that originated in Mexico is a genetic mixture of viruses that have been seen in pigs, birds and people. It’s being called a swine flu because the overall structure of the virus is of the type that affects pigs.

How do people catch swine flu?
Studies are still ongoing on how this particular swine flu is transmitted. Flu is generally transmitted through the respiratory tract. Droplets of infected body fluids can carry flu when people cough or sneeze. Neither contact with pigs nor eating pork has been linked to the spread of the flu.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?
About one to four days usually elapse between the time a person is infected and the onset of symptoms. Influenza normally causes symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, headaches and body aches, fever, chills, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Swine flu causes the same symptoms, and may be difficult to distinguish from other strains of flu and respiratory illnesses. Severe cases of flu that lead to death are normally seen in very young and very old people whose immune systems are too weak to fight off the virus. Adults with severe illness may also have difficulty breathing, dizziness, confusion, or severe vomiting and diarrhea.

How can I protect myself from swine flu?
Personal hygiene measures, such as avoiding people who are coughing or sneezing and frequent hand-washing, may prevent flu infection. Those who aren’t health professionals should avoid contact with sick people, or those who are coughing or sneezing. People who get sick with flu symptoms should stay home. [Additional info on swine flu...]

Did you know that Census 2010 is critical for the financial health of Buffalo Grove? Filling out the Census benefits residents directly because it impacts Village revenues. How? The census is mandated by the United States Constitution to take place every 10 years. It is to be a complete count of everyone living in the United States. Completion of the census survey is vitally important to the Village because it directly affects the revenue that the Village will receive to provide services. The census form will consist of 10 questions and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

The Census Bureau cannot share individual census responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. Census questionnaires will be delivered by United States mail in February and March of 2010.

From May through July in 2010, census takers will visit households that did not return the questionnaire by mail. Please do not be one of the households that require a visit by a census taker - it will be much faster and easier for you to comply and return the questionnaire and an accurate census benefits you directly!

We thank you in advance for your participation! [Census website...]

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in the Village of Buffalo Grove. If you suspect you may have found adult or larval forms of this insect, or trees that are showing symptoms of the insect, please contact Public Works at (847) 459-2545.

The infested tree was discovered on the 1600 block of Barclay Boulevard on private property. Exit holes in the trunk and larval galleries in a frost crack. The tree was scraped of its bark the following day whereby EAB larvae were discovered. The larvae were taken to the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s DeKalb office where a positive identification was made.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a small, metallic green, non-native invasive pest whose larvae feed underneath the bark of ash trees, thereby cutting off the tree’s ability to transport nutrients and ultimately causing the tree’s decline.

An ash tree can be infested by the borers for a few years before the tree shows any signs of decline. Symptoms of the borer include canopy dieback, D-shaped exit holes, shoots sprouting from the tree’s trunk, wood pecker damage, and S-shaped larval galleries underneath the bark.

The Village has been monitoring ash trees since the infestation was first found in Illinois in the spring of 2006. Staff has been removing ash trees that have been in decline during routine service requests and during the regular tree trimming cycle. Prior to this time no positive findings have occurred.

There are more than 7,000 ash trees on Village owned property and street parkways.
[Additional info...]

The goal of the Snow and Ice Control Program is to maintain safe and efficient pavement surface on Village streets throughout the winter season, and to have all Village streets cleared curb to curb eight to ten hours after the snow has stopped. The Village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department is responsible for the removal of snow and ice from 120.74 miles of public streets and Village parking lots. In addition, more than 108 miles are regularly maintained by the PW Department.

A special organizational plan has been developed to carry out the goal of the program. From 1979/80 through 2008/09, the Village experienced an average annual snowfall of 37.5 inches. We’ll once again be ready for the 2009/2010 winter season. Following is a brief overview of the program.

As in the past, the Public Works Department will coordinate with personnel from fire, police, golf and building & zoning to carry out this program. There are five levels of service in the program. These areas of service address salting procedures to major snow events. Another part of the program is the “A” and “B” route designations. The “A” route designation is when the storm first starts through to when the snow stops falling, plows are sent out through the Village with instructions to make two passes in each direction on main roads and one pass in each direction on side roads. No salting is done while on the “A” routes. The “A” routes are smaller and allow for wider saturation throughout the Village, keeping roads open for emergency vehicles. Large and small trucks are used on both roads and cul-de-sacs. Residents should remember that as long as it is snowing, the Department will not be plowing the roadway back to the curb. Cleaning the end of your driveway at this time is not advised (unless you want to keep up with the snow and not have a larger amount to clean form your drive later) because we will be back when it stops snowing to completely clean the street. After the snow stops falling, plows are instructed to go to our “B” route designation and told to plow the street completely from curb to curb and salt the street at the same time. This is when the large trucks are used on roadways and the small trucks are used in the cul-de-sacs.

As in the past, the main corridor routes which run through the Village will be maintained by State, County and other Village agencies. The following agencies will maintain the following roadways:

State of Illinois Department of Transportation:
Illinois Route 21
Illinois Route 22
Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 68
Illinois Route 83

Cook County Highway Department:
Arlington Heights Road from Lake-Cook Road south to the Village limits
Buffalo Grove Road from Lake-Cook Road south to the Village limits
Lake-Cook Road from Arlington Heights Road to a point 950’ east of Milwaukee Avenue

Lake County Highway Department:
Arlington Heights Road from Lake-Cook Road north to Illinois Route 83
Aptakisic Road
Buffalo Grove Road from Lake-Cook Road north to Indian Creek or the Villages northern limit
Deerfield Parkway

Village of Arlington Heights
Old Arlington Heights Road

The sidewalk program will continue as in the past with snow removal to begin on designated sidewalks the following day after snow plowing activities have been completed. The clearing of the walks will only take place during regular working hours, not on overtime hours. This year staff will be routing personnel through the school routes as well as the commercial routes after every plowing event.

If anyone has any questions, please contact the PW Department at 847-459-2545 or info@vbg.org