Bristol-Kendall Fire Protection District upgrading Riemenschneider Park’s firefighter monument

The pathway to the Bristol-Kendall Fire Protection District’s monument, etched with the Fireman’s Prayer and featuring a chiseled fire helmet, is inscribed with the names of those who have dedicated their lives to the local fire service.

The monument, at Riemenschneider Park, 600 Hayden Drive, Yorkville is receiving upgrades to continue lighting a path forward for those representing the department.

“There’s a lot of names inscribed I’ve had the privilege to serve with over my 30 years with the department,” said Scott McCarty, the department’s assistant chief of operations. “I have a brick there. It’s right next to my father’s, Jim, who was a lieutenant when I started. My dad inspired me to join, so it really means a lot to me.”

Using a memorial fund built from community donations, the department budgeted about $4,000 to update the monument. Updates include improving the honor walkway and adding more inscribed bricks. They also will redo the lighting to shine on both the flagpole and the monument’s fire helmet.

Groundbreaking on the park began in 2007 and is named after Yorkville’s Riemenschneider family who had served the community for decades, including helping form the department back in 1936.

The family dedicated a bench inscribed with a poem, “Fireman” by Brandon Riemenschneider, who died in 2011 at 31 in a motorcycle crash. He served in both the fire department and later the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department and designed the insignia patch all department firefighters wear today.

Describing a fire as a sly devil firefighters must combat, Riemenschneider’s poem concludes, “So if it’s early in the morning or late at night, if the devil is lurking, they are there for the fight.”

“There’s a lot of families on the bricks that have served together for generations,” said McCarty. “We wanted to keep them together to show how the families have helped the community over the years.”

McCarty said that sentiment is echoed by the smaller monument at the entryway of the honor walkway, reading, “Dedicated to those who came before us, who have gone before us, and paved the road ahead of us.”

The park’s playground equipment is fire-house themed, designed to look like a massive firetruck with water features activated by a pretend fire hydrant. Throughout the park are signs with short educational snippets on fire safety practices, including how to act when a fire is suspected in the house.

The city is responsible for maintaining the park’s facilities, while the fire department is responsible for up-keeping the fireman’s monument and the honor pathway.

“[The park] provides a great opportunity to showcase fire safety, all while kids are having fun climbing and playing in the water features,” McCarty said.

McCarty said the playground is a perfect way to help show support back to the community. He said it’s an honor to serve them because they have shown such great appreciation and support to both him and the department throughout his career.

To continue honoring the individuals who have served, McCarty said future bricks are available to all full-time department members. Symbolizing the dedication of their servicemen stretching across decades, the monument’s flag pole was saved and transferred from one of the department’s original station houses that closed decades ago.