Hinsdale Firefighters Urge Residents to 'Keep the Wreath Red'

The Hinsdale Fire Department is displaying a wreath with red light bulbs to celebrate fire safety.

The Hinsdale Fire Department is teaming up with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and neighboring fire departments for the "Keep the Wreath Red" program.  A wreath with red light bulbs is on display at the Hinsdale Fire Department. In the event of a holiday-related fire, firefighters will replace one of the red bulbs with a white one. The goal is to keep the bulbs on the wreath red. "Keep the Wreath Red" is a holiday fire safety program designed to increase fire safety awareness. The program started Thanksgiving Day and will run through Jan. 5. Firefighters want people to remember the following tips for a safe holiday season: Anyone with questions can contact the Village Fire Prevention Bureau at (630) 789-7060 or email fire@…

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Hearing on Whether to Fire Officer Stephen Peterson, Son of Drew Peterson, is Tonight

Stephen Peterson will go before the Oak Brook Police and Fire Board Tuesday night—one day after his father's lawyer files a federal appeal to get Drew Peterson released from jail.

Attorneys for accused wife-killer Drew Peterson filed an appeal in federal court in hopes of having the former cop released from jail while he awaits trial. Joseph Lopez, one of the five lawyers defending Peterson against charges he murdered his third wife, Kathleen Savio, said he filed the appeal Monday. Lopez said he could not discuss contents of the appeal because it was filed under seal. Peterson allegedly drowned Savio in March 2004 but was not arrested until the disappearance of his next wife, Stacy Peterson, attracted attention to Savio's death. State police have said they suspect Drew Peterson might have killed Stacy Peterson as well, but have yet to bring charges against the former Bolingbrook cop. Stacy Peterson vanished in …

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Hinsdale Police Arrest Man for Relieving Himself on the Train Tracks

Police say the incident happened in the middle of the afternoon with several people around.

Hinsdale police arrested a Woodridge man for urinating on the train tracks in the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday at the main train stop in Hinsdale. Police received a call from a witness and responded within 10 minutes. "It occurred during a time when there were a lot of pedestrians present," said Hinsdale Deputy Police Chief Mark Wodka, who added that people were alarmed and disturbed at what they had witnessed. "We received a call from a witness who observed the suspect urinating on the train tracks and called 9-1-1." The man boarded a train that pulled into the station as officers responded, but Wodka said that the witness was able to give officers such a detailed description of the man, that they were able to board the train and …

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Tree Crashes Through Hinsdale Garage

Strong winds Tuesday morning trapped a car in a garage on Vine Street.

Strong winds caused a tree to crash through the roof of a garage on the 600 Block of Vine Street Tuesday morning. It happened around 8 a.m., trapping a car inside and sending a tree limb through the home's carport. "I was sitting in the back having coffee. All of a sudden, I heard a noise, and it just blew right over," said Stan Sasak, owner of the home. "Firemen broke the window trying to get the car out...We can't get it out, because the doors are all jammed." "I'm listening to this thing (roof of the garage) creak and groan, and I'm afraid it's going to come crashing down," said a friend of Sasak, who did not wish to give his name. "The [Hinsdale] Fire Department were here first thing this morning and cleared a passageway, so they [the …

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From the Hinsdale Police Blotter

Vehicle Drives Through Yard, Hits Tree

Hinsdale police arrest driver for driving under the influence.

Driving Under the Influence - On Oct. 12, Hinsdale police responded to a report of a vehicle driving through a yard in the 200 Block of Meadowbrook Lane and striking a tree. Officers found the vehicle traveling in the area of 55th and Washington Streets. They stopped the driver, Jennifer C. Steel, 47, of 120 E. 58th Street in Hinsdale for improper lane use. Her vehicle had a shattered window and tree fragments on it. Steel submitted to a breath test that showed a blood alcohol content of .08 or more. At 2:18 p.m. on Oct. 12, she was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more, improper lane use and leaving the scene of an accident. She was charged and released…

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From the Hinsdale Police Blotter

Boy Kicks Paramedic Who Tries to Help Him

16-year-old is arrested for battery, resisting arrest.

A police officer saw a teenager walking on the 200 Block of East 57th Street late Saturday night. He noticed the teen didn't have any shoes on and went to check to make sure he was all right. "This was in an area where there were vehicle burglaries for the past two days," said Deputy Chief Mark Wodka. The officer noticed that the boy had been drinking. At that point, he told the teen he was under arrest, and the boy tried to run. "The officer was able to catch him almost immediately, and he was taken into custody," said Wodka. "Upon returning to the police department the suspect requested to see paramedics for a medical issue not related to the arrest itself. Paramedics did come to our police department, where the juvenile kicked the …

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Burglaries and Thefts in Hinsdale

Burglars Steal $500 Golf Set From Lexus

The crime is one of several burglaries that were reported on the Hinsdale Police Blotter on Oct. 11, 2010.

Burglary to a motor vehicle - Sometime between 8 p.m. on Oct. 5 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 7, someone stole a $500 golf set from a female's 2010 Lexus SUV. The SUV was parked, unlocked, on the  600 Block of South Washington Street. Burglary to motor vehicle - Sometime between 9 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 7, someone stole $5.00 and an empty purse from an unlocked Lincoln Navigator that was parked at the 10 Block of Ulm Place. Burglary to motor vehicle - Sometime between 9 p.m. on Oct 5 and 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 7, someone stole an iPod charger from an unlocked GMC Denali while it was parked on the 700 Block of South Washington Street.    Burglary to motor vehicle - Sometime between 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 8 a.m. on Oct. 7, someone stole $5.00…

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From the Hinsdale Police Blotter

Hinsdale Police Investigate Burglary on Monroe Street

Burglars cut telephone and cable wires to the house.

Burglars broke into a home on the 100 Block of North Monroe Street sometime between 7 p.m. and 11:55 p.m. on Oct. 8. The burglars got in through the patio door at the rear of the home and stole jewelry. The suspects cut the telephone and cable service wires to the home. It is unknown at this time what the value of the jewelry was at the time of the report. According to Hinsdale Deputy Police Chief Mark Wodka, this is one of a number of burglaries along Route 83, that police from different municipalities are investigating. "It has not yet been established from municipalities along Route 83, which is a main arterial roadway ... whether the MOs are related, similar to each other or committed by the same suspects," said Wodka.

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Hinsdale's Deputy Fire Chief Remembered at Open House

Firefighters held a silent tribute to Deputy Chief Mark Johnson at the annual Hinsdale Fire and Police department open house.

The Hinsdale Fire and Police Open House took place at the end of Fire Prevention week as it does every year. This year was a little different, however. This year the event came less than a month after the death of Hinsdale Deputy Fire Chief Mark Johnson, who served as a Hinsdale firefighter for 24 years. Patch.com talked with firefighters and Johnson's son about the event that meant so much to him.

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Dozens Gather for Hinsdale Firefighter Live Burn Demo

Hinsdale residents see what a difference a sprinkler system can make at the Hinsdale Fire Department Open House.

Using a single match and some newspaper, Hinsdale firefighters set fire to two demonstration rooms behind the Hinsdale Fire Department Saturday. One room was equipped with a sprinkler system. The other was not. The audience saw for themselves the difference in damage between the two. Less than two minutes later, the room without a sprinkler system was completely destroyed. Large holes had burned through the wall, and the television had melted. The one with a sprinkler system had smoke damage, but the walls were intact. The demonstration was part of the Hinsdale Police and Fire Department Open House on Saturday.

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