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1. How can I schedule a public education event or tour of the fire station?

You can schedule a tour using the GONorthbrook Service Request System. Tour hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

2. May I grill on my balcony?

Due to concern throughout the Northbrook Fire Department’s jurisdiction regarding the use of grills on combustible balconies and on balconies on combustible buildings, the adopted code related to grill use and the Northbrook Fire Department’s enforcement policy regarding grill use on balconies is as follows:

International Fire Code 2006ed. Section 308.3.1 308.3.1 Open-flame cooking devices. Charcoal burners and other open-flame cooking devices shall not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet (3048 mm) of combustible construction. Exceptions include one- and two-family dwellings and where buildings, balconies and decks are protected by an automatic sprinkler system.

308.3.1.1 Liquefied-petroleum gas-fueled cooking devices. LP-gas burners having an LP-gas container with a water capacity greater than 2.5 pounds [nominal 1 pound (0.454 kg) LP-gas capacity] shall not be located on combustible balconies or within 10 feet (3048 mm) of combustible construction. As reference the standard round tank used on a stand-a-lone grill that you can exchange is considered to be 18 lbs in water weight. Exception: One- and two-family dwellings. This is not an ordinance unique to Northbrook but rather part of a national standard adopted by the Village of Northbrook as early as 2002 when the Village adopted the 2000 edition of the International Fire Code.

When a grill is noted on a balcony during any future inspection of a property or from a complaint, it will be brought to the attention of the management company/association. The management company/ association will be directed to address the issue with the unit. If the unit will not comply, then the Northbrook Fire Department will begin the fining process for any non-compliant unit. The end result is a citation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Fire Marshal Kevin Frangiamore at the Fire Prevention Bureau at 847-272-4501

3. Why are other Fire Department Vehicles in my town?

The Northbrook Fire Department staffs three fire stations providing fire and ambulance response. Last year, we responded to over 5,800 emergencies. At times, all of the Northbrook units are busy, and additional ambulance calls or other fire incidents require additional resources from neighboring towns.

Sometimes an emergency will occur where the neighboring fire station is closer than the Northbrook station, and the closest unit, regardless of jurisdiction, is dispatched to assist. When this happens, neighboring Fire Departments respond through pre-approved Mutual Aid agreements to these emergencies at no additional cost to tax payers. Northbrook firefighters also reciprocate in turn and respond into other communities when they need assistance.

This neighbor helping neighbor Mutual Aid occurs seamlessly on a daily basis. Over the past five years, Northbrook Fire provided Mutual Aid assistance to other communities on average 464 times annually, and received Mutual Aid assistance from our neighbors 468 times annually. So the next time you see a fire engine from another community in town, know that Northbrook firefighters will be assisting them in their town sometime soon, providing the most efficient response possible.

4. What is Northbrook's Outdoor Disaster Warning Siren System?

View information about the outdoor warning system.

5. Where can I dispose of old gasoline, paint, chemicals, and other similar items?

Check out the "How Do I Recycle This?" Guide on our website for information. Call the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, (IEPA) at 217-785-8604 to find out when and where the next community disposal will be.

Cook County Household Chemical Waste website.

6. What is a Paid-On-Call Firefighter (POC)?

Northbrook Fire Department staffs a Paid-on-Call Program of eighteen firefighters. After recruitment, a Paid-on-Call candidate attends nine weeks at a fire academy to complete Firefighter II, HazMat Awareness, HazMat First Responder Operations, Technical Rescue Awareness, and Fire Service Vehicle Operator certification. Members of the POC Program supplement Northbrook's career/full-time firefighting companies during call-backs when additional staffing is required by directly participating in fire and rescue operations.

POCs fight fires, respond to fire alarms, support technical rescue incidents, vehicle extrications, hazardous material incidents, and medical emergencies. Paid-on-Call Firefighters also help staff public education details.

Some of these public education events include fire drills, Northbrook Days, block parties, and the 4th of July. Many of our Paid-on-Call Firefighters are also career/full-time firefighters in other communities; several POCs are Paramedics or are currently in Paramedic school.

7. Why do we have three fire stations in Northbrook? Wouldn’t it be better to have all the firefighters in one station in the center of town?

Northbrook has three stations strategically placed in the community to efficiently deliver Emergency Fire Service and/or Emergency Medical Service as quickly as possible. The national recognized standard for emergency response times recommends that the first unit arrives on the scene in less than six minutes or less for both an ambulance call and a fire call.

8. What is the best way to mark my address on my property?

Use numbers rather than letters, preferably 5 inches or larger. Put numbers above the garage door, not on the garage door. Make sure the number is easily visible from the street. Use reflective numbers if possible.

9. Where can I go to get my blood pressure checked?

There is no charge. You can get it checked on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon (if the crew is in quarters) at each fire station.