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Mount Prospect says Station 11, fourth ambulance improved response times; village to pilot smaller ‘Rescue 13’ vehicle
Summary
At a March 10 meeting the Mount Prospect Village Board heard that reopening Station 11 and adding a fourth ambulance in 2023 helped balance call volume and reduce response times; the fire chief proposed testing a smaller rapid‑response 'Rescue 13' and the village manager said $850,000 in federal funds will offset station renovation costs.
Chief Wang told the Mount Prospect Village Board on March 10 that restoring Station 11 and adding a fourth ambulance have balanced call volume and improved response times across the village.
"This station 11 has now improved services throughout the entire village of Mount Prospect as well," Wang said, summarizing the operational impact since Station 11 reopened in July 2024 after the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District closed that facility in September 2023. Wang said the department ran about 7,909 calls in 2025, with roughly 75% EMS calls, and that the four‑station layout reduced long cross‑track responses and unit‑hour utilization for the busiest engines.
Why it matters: Wang said balancing calls reduces the chance that an entire side of town lacks a fire vehicle and makes multiple simultaneous responses more likely to be covered. He showed multi‑year call maps and utilization figures indicating engine and ambulance availability improved after the 4‑station reconfiguration and the addition of the fourth ambulance.
Wang also described recent safety work in acquired Elk Grove Township areas, including a smoke‑alarm program funded with a $10,000 Elk Grove Township grant that installed 90 alarms in 26 manufactured homes, where many units previously had no working detectors.
The chief outlined a planned near‑term test of a smaller rapid‑response vehicle he called "Rescue 13" — an outfitted pickup or two‑person squad intended to handle many EMS calls and reduce wear on larger appliances. Wang said the department had hoped to repurpose a reserve ambulance but was told by IDPH that a decommissioned ambulance could not be converted for that purpose; the department will instead outfit an older pickup with lights, radios and medical gear and run the vehicle on days when two extra personnel are available on shift.
Trustees and manager praised the operational results. Trustee Ciccarelli said, "It is remarkable to see the change in response times now that we have the fourth station," and Manager Cassidy credited interagency negotiation and internal work that led to the reopening.
Manager Cassidy also told the board the village has secured federal assistance toward Station 11 renovation costs. "We just got word from, Congressman Krishnamoorthy that, we're getting $850,000 to offset the $1,700,000 expense of that station," Cassidy said; Cassidy said the village will organize a celebration with the congressman.
What’s next: Wang said final outfitting and a new Tower 13 apparatus are imminent and that the department will pilot Rescue 13 when staffing and equipment are available. The board did not take formal action on Rescue 13 at the meeting.
