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    Tornado Damages Illinois Fire Station

    May 27, 2011
    Considering what's been happening in other areas of the country, firefighters with Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District feel they were lucky.On May 22, an EF-1 tornado damaged a portion of the fire station. "One of the firefighters opened the door, and saw it coming. He quickly closed it, and ran," said Chief Don Shoevlin, adding that the department had been dispatched for an automatic alarm."He said it sounded like a freight train," the chief said.
    HRFD Photographer Sheryl Drost
    Some of the damage is seen at HRFD Station 3.
     Some of the damage is seen at HRFD Station 3.

    Considering what's been happening in other areas of the country, firefighters with Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District feel they were lucky.

    On May 22, an EF-1 tornado damaged a portion of the fire station. 

    "One of the firefighters opened the door, and saw it coming. He quickly closed it, and ran," said Chief Don Shoevlin, adding that the department had been dispatched for an automatic alarm.

    "He said it sounded like a freight train," the chief said.

    The fire station sustained damage, but no one was injured. "We were very lucky in that everyone was OK, and no equipment was damaged."

    The part of the building damaged was an open area used for training, the chief explained.

    "We were really lucky..."

    About the Author

    Susan Nicol | News Editor

    Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues. 

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