Latest news with #EFD
Chicago Tribune
26-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Divers practice rescues in Lake Michigan at sunken 19th century cargo ship
Rather than search through a burning house, firefighters from several area fire departments had to dive into 30 feet of water to a 19th-century cargo ship in Lake Michigan to rescue a victim — in this case a mannequin — during a rescue dive training drill June 18. The dive drill was conducted by the Evanston Fire Department and included participants from fire departments in Park Ridge, Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe, according to Evanston Fire Department Field Chief Sean Malloy. All belong to Mutual Aid Box Alarm Division 3, which allows them to assist each other with firefighting, rescues, or other emergencies when needed. While not every one of those departments serve municipalities with large bodies of water, Malloy said they benefit from having divers that can use skills practiced in the drill. They might need to do rescues in retention ponds and reservoirs, he said, and can also assist neighboring departments who need divers. 'Unfortunately, some of these incidents [needing dive rescues] occur in these smaller little ponds [where] something happens or a car goes in,' Malloy said. Justin Morris, a 17-year firefighter, paramedic, diver and member of the surface water rescue team for the EFD, said it was the department's first time completing its dive drills on the Wells Burt, a cargo ship that sunk in 1883, and is about three miles east of Evanston and about 30 feet underneath the surface of the water. 'It was the perfect dive,' Morris said, explaining that he also recreationally dives on vacation in Aruba. 'I have never dove [a wreck] here. I've always been in the crummiest waters and stuff, diving in lakes, lagoons and rivers. 'And usually you don't get a day like we had that day,' he continued, saying that even with a bit of overcast the waters of Lake Michigan are clear enough to see in, and that the tides weren't crashing in, which can make it harder for divers to swim in under the surface. Divers met at the Church Street Boat Ramp in Evanston and took off in zodiac vessels, or small rubber boats, to the site of the Wells Burt. Teams of two divers took turns descending to the Wells Burt's bow to locate the hidden dummy, communicating with wireless communication devices. On the way up, divers performed a safety stop marked by a rope. Malloy said the Lake Michigan training is unique in comparison to other dive drills in that divers need to carve out time in their rescues to equalize water pressure. Morris said the wireless communication devices they used are similar to walkie talkies, but specialized for divers and only operable underneath the surface of the water. Divers also train to use rope signals to communicate, Morris said, to be prepared for malfunctions in the communications system, should they arise. 'Things happen. Batteries die, things getting unplugged, but this went perfect,' he said of the dive. Divers descended into the water wearing dry suits, effectively insulating their bodies from the water. 'Anytime we dive as firefighters, or in the fire service, we consider it a hazardous environment,' Malloy said. 'If you think about it, if you're looking for possibly a victim in let's say a pond — and the car's in the pond — there's gas coming out, fuel and oil — and plus lagoons and stuff are not really the cleanest places anyways, so it's important that we wear our rescue suits,' Morris said. The rescue drills also teach divers to search for evidence and lost items which can help police investigations, Morris said. Morris said even 30 feet deep, the waters of Lake Michigan are clear enough to conduct the search, and finding the dummy propped up on the Wells Burt's bow was not exceedingly difficult for him. Divers did not have a hard time locating the dummy, and to Morris's knowledge did not face excessive difficulties adjusting to the water pressure going up or going down, with some divers needing a safety break as recommended. Morris said his partner needed a moment to adjust his gear on the way down. Because Morris and his partner were the last to dive, they were able to stay under for longer, about 15 to 20 minutes, and explore the Wells Burt, Morris said. They also brought the dummy back up to the surface using a lift bag, he said. 'It was really neat to see something especially in your own backyard,' Morris said of the Wells Burt. 'I knew it was there. I've driven by it in the boat a million times, but I never got my eyes on it like that before, and got to hang out there. That's what's amazing about Lake Michigan and being here in Evanston, and a lot of the cities here. There's a lot of history that you don't even know about unless you start looking and reading.' Currently, 17 departments in the northern suburbs, including those mentioned above and Northbrook, Glenview, Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove, Highland Park and others, belong to MABAS Division 3 and assist in mutual aid for public safety reasons. '[MABAS] is just our way of upgrading or getting extra resources from municipality to municipality for these more or less specialized things or larger fires or anything else. So it's a pre-planned way of getting those resources,' Malloy said.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Evansville crews fight morning warehouse fire
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – Evansville fire crews have tapped out a morning warehouse fire. Evansville Dispatch says it was in the 100 block of N. Kentucky Avenue. The fire was called in at 7:12 a.m. but has since been put out. Dispatch says EFD, EPD and AMR were dispatched, but no injuries were advised. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cisco widow donates bee suits to fire department following her husbands passing in bee attack
EASTLAND, Texas () – On Sunday, April 27, Cyd Daniel from Cisco lost her husband, Steve, to a bee attack while he was out mowing their property in Eastland. One month later, she is still dedicated to spreading education, enhancing safety in outdoor activities, and supporting the first responders who are on the scene during emergencies. Daniel invited KTAB/KRBC to join her and a group of small-town residents as they visited the Eastland Fire Department (EFD) to express their gratitude to the firefighters and present a donation that has a direct, practical application. 'I think we've got a good group of men over there. And I think they deserve protection…If you help the Fire Department, it helps all of us,' Daniel said. On Tuesday evening, Daniel and members of other local communities showed up at EFD with two high-quality beekeeping suits in hand. Daniel said that a man from Dallas had heard about her family's loss through her daughter. That man was asking how he could help Daniel out. 'He said, 'I'd like to help your mom some. Does she want, like, a donation to cancer?' No, he didn't have cancer, and I didn't want a tree planted… But then I thought, well, in memory of Steve,' said Daniel. Eastland woman speaking out after husband was killed by swarming bees With a donation of $500 from that man, Daniel ordered two beekeeping suits for $250 a piece. Daniel said she wanted to make sure they were high-quality suits with ventilation for the firefighters' sake. She was also adamant that they receive at least two, so that whoever is responding to an incident would have some backup help as well. Eastland Fire Chief Sam Williams said that if the group had only come to thank the department, that would have been enough. So, the addition of the beekeeping suits was extremely appreciated. Williams is saying that most small-town fire departments often depend on the generosity of the community to meet their needs. 'The public has no idea how much that means to myself and our volunteers when we get that pat on the back… To provide the services we provide, we depend very heavily on donations… With those suits on the rig, we can adapt to a situation and not be limited from entering a situation where we might need to assist someone,' Williams said. Daniel hopes their donation will inspire others nationwide to connect with first responders in their communities and address their needs. In the interest of education, Abilene Beekeeper and Hive removal specialist Crissy Ward of the Texas Beekeepers Association would like to inform the public that a Beekeeping 101 course will be available on June 21 in Abilene. In that course, you can learn about beekeeping safety and the biological traits that make up a hive. Registration for that class is available now through the Texas Beekeepers Association website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Collins Aerospace and Thomas Global Systems Team for Long-Term Pro Line 4 Display Support
Strategic partnership to deliver long-term product support for Collins' Pro Line 4 Electronic Flight Displays Collins will transition EFD-4076 and EFD-4077 maintenance and repair support responsibilities to Thomas Global Systems Thomas Global's LCD Upgrades will be made available to Collins customers IRVINE, Calif., April 23, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thomas Global Systems and Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, have announced a strategic partnership to deliver long-term product support for Collins' Pro Line 4 Electronic Flight Displays (EFD), ensuring continued reliable service for customers worldwide. Under this new supply agreement, Collins will transition EFD-4076 and EFD-4077 maintenance and repair support responsibilities to Thomas Global Systems. Thomas Global's TFD-4000 and TFD-4100 replacement liquid crystal display (LCD) based units will be available to Collins customers, addressing cathode ray tube (CRT) obsolescence while also providing weight reductions and enhanced reliability. "We are pleased to be working together with Collins to provide dependable long-term support for these Pro Line 4 display products," said Angus Hutchinson, CEO of Thomas Global Systems. "This collaboration reflects our commitment to extending the life of legacy avionics systems and delivering exceptional service." While Collins works with its customers for other feature-based upgrades, this partnership provides a path for Pro Line 4 operators looking for an option to continue legacy EFD support. About the Pro Line 4 Display Product Lines Collins' Pro Line 4 legacy avionics system with EFDs are installed in MHIRJ CRJ Series regional jets, Saab 2000 regional turboprops, and a range of business jets including Bombardier Challenger 604, Gulfstream G100/G200, and Dassault Falcon 2000/2000EX/50EX. Thomas Global Systems developed and certified the TFD-4000 and TFD-4100 Upgrades as LCD replacements for the EFD-4076 and EFD-4077, respectively. About Thomas Global Systems Thomas Global Systems is an industry leader in the design, production, and support of innovative electronic systems solutions for aerospace and defense applications. Since 1956, the Company has gained international recognition for practical innovation and dependability. Thomas Global Systems delivers expertise in avionics, mission electronics and simulation & training solutions from facilities in Irvine, California and Sydney, Australia. Learn more at Subscribe to our newsletter at View source version on Contacts Kyle StockmanDirector, Business Development & Strategy, Avionics & Mission Tel +1 (949) 466-2390 Craig Elliott – Vice President, Business Development, Avionics & Mission Tel +1 (319) 329-5100 Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Collins Aerospace and Thomas Global Systems Team for
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thomas Global Systems and Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, have announced a strategic partnership to deliver long-term product support for Collins' Pro Line 4 Electronic Flight Displays (EFD), ensuring continued reliable service for customers worldwide. 'We are pleased to be working together with Collins to provide dependable long-term support for these Pro Line 4 display products,' said Angus Hutchinson, CEO of Thomas Global Systems. Share Under this new supply agreement, Collins will transition EFD-4076 and EFD-4077 maintenance and repair support responsibilities to Thomas Global Systems. Thomas Global's TFD-4000 and TFD-4100 replacement liquid crystal display (LCD) based units will be available to Collins customers, addressing cathode ray tube (CRT) obsolescence while also providing weight reductions and enhanced reliability. 'We are pleased to be working together with Collins to provide dependable long-term support for these Pro Line 4 display products,' said Angus Hutchinson, CEO of Thomas Global Systems. 'This collaboration reflects our commitment to extending the life of legacy avionics systems and delivering exceptional service.' While Collins works with its customers for other feature-based upgrades, this partnership provides a path for Pro Line 4 operators looking for an option to continue legacy EFD support. About the Pro Line 4 Display Product Lines Collins' Pro Line 4 legacy avionics system with EFDs are installed in MHIRJ CRJ Series regional jets, Saab 2000 regional turboprops, and a range of business jets including Bombardier Challenger 604, Gulfstream G100/G200, and Dassault Falcon 2000/2000EX/50EX. Thomas Global Systems developed and certified the TFD-4000 and TFD-4100 Upgrades as LCD replacements for the EFD-4076 and EFD-4077, respectively. About Thomas Global Systems Thomas Global Systems is an industry leader in the design, production, and support of innovative electronic systems solutions for aerospace and defense applications. Since 1956, the Company has gained international recognition for practical innovation and dependability. Thomas Global Systems delivers expertise in avionics, mission electronics and simulation & training solutions from facilities in Irvine, California and Sydney, Australia. Learn more at
