Welcome to the website of the Deer Creek Fire Protection District.  We are an all-volunteer fire department in central Illinois.  We proudly serve the Village of Deer Creek and surrounding portions of Tazewell and Woodford Counties.  

If you live in our district and are interested in serving your community by becoming a volunteer firefighter or medical responder, please contact us.  All training is provided.  

Please check this website for updates often, as we will be adding new content and occasionally highlighting some of the incidents we've responded to.  If you have website feedback or suggestions, please email the webmaster.  Thanks for visiting!

2009 Annual Report

The 2009 Annual Report of the Deer Creek Fire Department is now available.  Click here to view the report.

New Cascade System Installed

Funds from a FEMA Assistance to Firefighter Grant allowed the purchase of a new four-bottle 6000 psi cascade station that was recently installed in Rescue 1.  This system will be used to refill firefighter SCBA (airpacks) on fire scenes.  The new system is capable of filling our new 4500 psi bottles as well as older 2216 psi bottles.  The system was purchased from and installed by SCBAs Inc. in Washington Illinois.  

New SCBA Arrive

Thanks to two grants from the State of Illinois and the Department of Homeland Security, the Deer Creek Fire Department has been able to purchase thirteen new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).  These are the air packs that supply firefighters with safe breathing air when the enter burning buildings or other hazardous environments.  The new packs incorporate many new safety features including integrated PASS devices, heads up displays, and emergency buddy breathing connections.  This is the first time in the history of the department that it's been possible to buy brand new air packs that aren't hand me downs from other departments.  These SCBA represent a significant improvement in the safety of our firefighters.

Fall Activities

It's been a busy few weeks of activity in Deer Creek.  October kicked off with Fire Safety Week.  Firefighters oversaw a fire drill at the school and then put on a demonstration for students in an assembly after the drill.  Dee-Mack High School homecoming was also in October, and Deer Creek Tanker 1 participated in the parade.  Finally, the weather was great and turnout high for the Deer Creek Halloween Parade.  Engine 1, Tanker 1, and Rescue 1 represented the department in that event.  For more pictures of all of these events, see our Facebook page.

I-74 Rollover 7/8/09

Firefighters and EMTs were called to the scene of an early-morning accident on Interstate 74 near mile marker 111.  Upon arrival units found a tractor trailer that had rolled on its side in the ditch.  The driver was transported to a local hosptial for non life-threatening injuries by Morton Paramedics.  The refrigerated truck had been carrying a load of frozen chickens.  Towing and recovery crews were on the scene for several hours removing the vehicle from the side of the roadway.

Independence Day Activities

Because of the inclement weather on the 4th of July, Deer Creek held its Independence Day activities on Sunday July 5th.  Firefighters and EMTs gave fire truck rides for children (and a few "children at heart") throughout the evening before the fireworks display.  To see how you can help keep the Deer Creek fireworks tradition alive next year, please visit the Village of Deer Creek's website.

Car Fire 6/29/09

Firefighters from Deer Creek and Morton responded to a fully engulfed car fire on Interstate 74 near mile marker 108. Personnel quickly extinguished the blaze, which occurred in a construction zone.  Our thanks to the Morton Fire Department for their assistance at the scene.

New Rescue 1 Now In Service! 6/28/09

The Deer Creek Fire Department recently placed into service a 2002 Ford F550 4x4 rescue truck.  The truck was purchased from the Choconut Center Volunteer Fire Company in Binghamtom, NY.  The new truck replaces a 1984 converted ambulance that has since been removed from service.  The new Rescue 1 seats five personnel and has an abundance of compartment space to hold our hydraulic rescue tools (Jaws of Life), medical equipment, air filling tanks, generator, and other rescue equipment.  This vehicle will be used to respond to a variety of incidents ranging from medical emergencies to vehicle accidents to house fires.  The truck was purchased with the assistance of a twenty year 0% interest loan through the Illinois Finance Authority and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.  

New Radios and Pagers Purchased 6/20/09

A recent Volunteer Fire Assistance grant administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has allowed us to purchase ten new waterproof portable radios, twenty new pagers, and a new base radio for the fire station.  This is a big help since our old pagers were in constant need of repair and we did not have enough portable radios to equip all firefighters on scene with a radio.  The new base radio will eventually be installed as a repeater on a new frequency, which will allow better communications and eliminate interference problems that we have on our current dispatch channel.  

Memorial Tree Planted 4/25/09
On Saturday April 25th a tree donated by Kirk Kamp was planted at the Deer Creek Fire Station in memory of former firefighter Mark Wiegand, who recently passed away.  Family and friends gathered to plant the tree in honor of Mark's many years of service to the community. 

Motor Vehicle Accident 3/17/09
Firefighters and EMTs were called to the scene of a motor vehicle accident in a distant rural part of the district on St. Patricks day evening.  A vehicle had left the roadway and struck a tree, after which it caught fire.  The driver was able to exit the vehicle, which quickly became fully engulfed.  Firefighters extinguished the fire and ensured that it did not spread to the surrounding wooded areas.  EMTs tended to the patient, who was transported to a local hospital by Morton Paramedics for non life-threatening injuries. 

Spring Fire Season - Please Report Controlled Burns 

The dry springtime fire season is upon us.  During this time of the year it is common for people to conduct controlled burns of prairie grass on their property.  If you are going to be conducting a controlled burn, we ask that you notify the Morton Police Department Dispatch Center ahead of time to reduce false alarm responses.  The Morton Police Department's non-emergency number is 309-266-6666.  If you need to report a fire that is out of control, please call 911 immediately.  We thank you for your cooperation.

Field Fire 3/4/00 

Deer Creek firefighters were called to a daytime field fire on Harding Road.  Engine 2 and Tanker 1 responded to the fire, which took about 45 minutes to fully extinguish.  Approximately 3 acres were burned.  The Deer Creek Fire Department reminds all members of the community to be extremely cautious when burning during this dry time of year.

Motor Vehicle Accident 1/7/09
Firefighters and EMTs were called to the scene of a motor vehicle accident on an icy rural road.  Upon arrival crews found an SUV on its side with the driver still in the vehicle.  Stabilization struts were used to secure the vehicle and the windshield was removed so that the driver could be safely removed.  The patient was transported to a local hospital by Morton Ambulance.  The Morton Fire Department also assisted at the scene. 

Multiple Vehicle Accident 1/6/09

Rescue personnel from the Deer Creek and Eureka-Goodfield fire departments responded to an accident involving three vehicles on Interstate 74.  Drivers in two of the three vehicles were entrapped and required extrication using hydraulic rescue tools.  The injured were transported to local hospitals by Eureka Ambulance.  Both westbound lanes of Interstate 74 were closed for nearly an hour as crews worked to free the victims and clear the scene.