Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service

04/08/2022

It’s not just a safe thing to do — it’s the law. When you approach any stationary emergency vehicle, which includes police vehicles, tow trucks or highway maintenance vehicles, you are required to:

SLOW DOWN.

Provide enough space that is sensible and safe for the emergency vehicle.

If you’re in the lane next to the emergency vehicle and it’s practical and safe to do so, move over a lane.

Source: Illinois Tollway

03/30/2022

A good reminder. Take care of us, so we can take care of you!

Libertyville had another Illinois State Trooper struck this morning. Please SLOW DOWN and MOVE OVER 2 LANES when you seeing FLASHING LIGHTS from FIRE, EMS, and POLICE!

02/03/2022

Go check them! Before the next round of snow starts tonight and before the winds pick up, it’s a good time to check your furnace and water heater vents to make sure they are clear of snow.

This prevents deadly carbon monoxide from being forced into your home and keeps your furnace and water heater running properly.

Do you have these? Older furnaces vent through the roof, but newer furnaces may vent through the side of your home. The way to check is if your exhaust pipes are white PVC rather than metal.

01/31/2022

01/13/2022

Earlier this week, U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell visited the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) following the fatal to tour the site and learn what could be done to prevent future tragedies.

As she walked through the apartment building, she came across this view and immediately recognized the connection to our work around the importance of closed doors during a fire. Lori sent us this image to share to help continue spreading the word that can stop the spread of smoke and fire. From the soot-covered hallway, you can see into a nearly pristine apartment that is adjacent to the apartment where the fire started from a space heater. This tragically fatal fire is an unfortunate example of just how fast smoke and fire can spread when given the opportunity. It is also an incredible reminder of the importance of fire safety education and understanding the impact of a closed-door during a fire.

We are often asked how the campaign and escape planning applies to apartment buildings. With an escape plan and the knowledge of how a closed door can act as a barrier between occupants and a fire, giving additional time to react, people are better prepared to make informed decisions in the moment. If you cannot escape using your Plan A (stairs/out the door) or Plan B (through another stairwell, window or fire escape), you may need to use Plan C (isolate behind a closed door and call 911) until you can be rescued.

Our thoughts are with the families of these victims and all of the first responders involved in this incident. We are thankful for the opportunity to work alongside the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and U.S. Fire Administration to learn from this tragedy to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Share this photo and this message and go to https://closeyourdoor.org to help spread the word that can stop the spread of smoke and fire. Download our Home Fire Escape Plan How-To Guide and start the fire safety conversation at home today.

01/05/2022

Leave early, take your time, and arrive safe! Or better yet, use it as an excuse to stay warm at home!

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 6 PM. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph will lead to low visibility and difficult driving conditions. Use caution, especially in rural areas.

12/31/2021

Please take care in your New Year’s Day travels. If you must go out, allow extra time and choose roads that are cleared. Please remember to wear a mask and stay home if at all possible. We want you to ring in the new year in good health. Happy New Year from Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service! Stay warm and be safe!

*Second Call On Snow/Ice Amounts For New Year's Winter Storm*

Overall, changes were minor since yesterday's update was released. We did tighten the snow amounts gradient a bit east of the Illinois River to account for the expected sleet/freezing rain mix.

KEY MESSAGES:
-Expected to begin Saturday morning in our western counties, then spread eastwards through the remainder of the coverage area by late morning or early afternoon
-6-8" of snow expected northwest of the Illinois River, less to the southeast
-Accumulating ice of one-tenth to one-quarter inch is expected in the pink dashed region. Snow amounts are more uncertain here
-Blowing snow expected Saturday Night
-Travel will become adversely impacted, consider postponing or altering your travel plans

DISCUSSION BELOW

The previous discussion issued remains valid. We saw just some slight adjustments in the model runs overnight, but it does not result in a major impact to the forecasted snow/ice amounts.

Areas near Highway 34 and NW of the Illinois River continue to be the target for the heaviest snow amounts. A swath of 6 to 8 inches of snow can be expected in this area. We cannot rule out locally higher amounts if snow banding were to become more persistent than currently forecast.

To the east of the river, the forecast is a bit more uncertain due to issues with freezing rain and sleet. This will certainly cut back on totals, but exactly how much is not 100% clear. Even with lower snow amounts, there will still be significant hazards with ice accumulations getting as high as one-quarter of an inch in some places. Significant sleet accumulations are also expected which is rare for this area. Slight changes in the air temperature may have big impacts in snow and ice amounts in this zone.

Wintry impacts quickly diminish south of I-72 where mostly rain is expected. Some areas near and west of Springfield could see a period of freezing rain and some impacts, however. Some light snow will be possible on the backside of the storm Saturday Night, but accumulations should be an inch or less.

We continue to message that travel impacts will be very significant. This is especially true for this storm because temperatures will be crashing Saturday Night, making snow and ice removal from the roads difficult. Travel is discouraged, please consider postponing or altering any travel plans you may have. Blowing snow will make the impacts to roadways worse. Additionally, some power outages may result in the areas that pick up freezing rain accumulations.

12/31/2021

[7:19 AM CST Friday, December 31]

A winter storm is expected to dump between 4 and 8 inches of snow across much of the region Saturday afternoon and night. The most intense snowfall and highest rates are expected between 2 pm and 8 pm Saturday, when hourly snowfall rates of 1" per hour are possible at times.