From Marengo, Harvard and Woodstock Fire Chiefs:
Joint Statement from Woodstock, Harvard, and Marengo Fire Chiefs on Recent Incidents
Fire and EMS crews from Woodstock, Marengo, and Harvard responded to a series of serious crashes throughout the western part of McHenry County.
The following statement, from Chief Brendan Parker and Chief John Kimmel, reflects on the coordinated response efforts, the impact on those involved, and the toll these types of incidents can take on first responders:
Within a 24-hour period, our departments responded to multiple serious crashes across the western part of McHenry County.
Three of those crashes involved fatalities.
While the circumstances and outcomes of each incident varied, the impact has been felt across the communities we serve and among those who responded.
Each incident had a deep impact, and we recognize the challenges faced by those involved.
From Monday morning through Tuesday morning, our fire and EMS resources were shared across nearly all of these responses.
Apparatus, personnel, and command staff moved between scenes to provide support wherever it was needed.
The pace of these back-to-back incidents demanded focus, endurance, and a high level of coordination.
That level of cooperation reflects the strength of our regional partnerships and the mutual aid system we depend on every day.
These responses took place during periods of oppressive heat, with the heat index nearing or exceeding 100 degrees, further adding to the physical demands placed on responders across the region.
We are also grateful to our outside partners, including LifeNet, Flight For Life, the MD-1 physician team, and the neighboring departments who backfilled our stations and helped ensure continued coverage while crews remained committed at the scenes.
Our dispatchers and communications personnel played a vital role behind the scenes, managing multiple incidents, coordinating resources, and helping ensure accurate information was relayed across agencies and to the public.
Our thoughts are not only with the victims and their families, but also with our responders.
Calls like these take a toll.
They are emotionally heavy, and we remain committed to supporting the well-being of those who answer the call, regardless of time or circumstance.
These responses are a reflection of the professionalism and resilience that exist across our departments.
They also serve as a reminder of the importance of continued public support for the people and systems that make this level of care possible.
