Bedford Park Fire Department threw open its doors Saturday, May 2, for the first community open house in eight years, drawing families for fire safety demos, CPR training, and a chance to meet the responders who serve their neighborhood.
The event at Station 1 on Archer Road marks a deliberate shift back to regular community outreach, and signals the department’s confidence in what it now offers. Last year, the 54-member, full-time department earned an ISO 1 rating, the highest classification for fire departments.
Deputy Chief-Fire Marshal Mark Murray said the open house is the first of what he hopes will become an annual tradition.
The event ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the department’s headquarters, marking a return to regular community outreach after an eight-year hiatus.
“Any kind of community outreach we can do is a good thing,” Murray said. “We’re hoping to make this an annual event.”
The day featured a side-by-side burn demonstration with the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board explained by Lt. Meghan Groth-Prepura, a demonstration trailer, and Pit Crew CPR training conducted multiple times throughout the event.
Representatives from utilities and local businesses, including Ingredion, were on hand to answer questions.
A K-9 demonstration from the Bedford Park Police Department took place at 1:30 p.m.
There were raffle prizes, giveaways, a kids activity table, car seat installations, and refreshments.
What the department offers
The fire department operates three stations across the community, with Station 1 at 6820 S. Archer Road, Station 2 5101 W. 67th Street, and Station 3 at 6799 W. 73rd Street.
The department maintains two Advanced Life Support ambulances and staffs every engine and truck with at least one paramedic. Two paramedics staff each ambulance full-time.The department also operates a fire prevention bureau led by Inspector Tim Bronowitz, conducting annual inspections of all properties and reinspections as needed. It recently expanded training coordination with Wintrust Sports Complex, which draws over 8,000 visitors on weekends.
