Safety

Lockport Township High School District 205 voted to approve $15 million in life safety bonds for critical improvements at Central Campus.

Rock Falls Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Sommers said the departments are losing $825,000 in federal Community Project Funding appropriations they had planned to use to build a burn tower where firefighters from both communities could train in live-fire conditions.

The fire and emergency training facility proposed by the Lockport Township Fire Protection District gained final plan approval from the Crest Hill Plan Commission on March 13.

The Will County Regional Office of Education is utilizing cannabis tax funds from the Will County Board to add new layers of security to 21 high schools.

The decision to waive the bid process and accept a proposal from Jefferson Fire and Safety for the purchase of a customized Rosenbauer King Cobra firetruck with a 101-foot articulating aerial ladder came after a series of reports on the state of the department’s apparatus.

Booker: I am writing to you today to strongly urge your support for the upcoming public safety tax measure. As the sheriff of Whiteside County, | have witnessed firsthand the growing demands placed on our law enforcement, fire and emergency services.

A Shorewood driver allegedly didn’t think it was a “big deal” to let his 2-year-old son drive the vehicle, honk the horn and play the radio while the vehicle was in motion, police said.

Traffic signals on Joliet Street at Van Buren Street and Clinton Street will resume standard operations on Monday after years in flashing red mode.

Sterling Deputy Fire Chief David Northcutt said the new truck is needed to replace Truck/Tower 4, the department’s only truck with an aerial ladder.

The Joliet Fire Department installed life savers along the Des Plaines River wall, an action prompted by an incident last year in which a 2-year-old was rescued from the river.

Council's action Tuesday night paves way for fire station's expansion in River Front Commercial District; decision comes a week after city planning commission recommended denial, citing desire for station to relocate altogether.

Sarah Oprzedek, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Will County, said "news of the federal funding freeze caught many organizations by surprise."

Officers in Joliet recovered a handgun modified to fire automatically, as well as a second handgun and rifle in the investigation of several teens in masks possibly armed on the city’s east side. 

The Will County Facilities Department is now “working with forensic engineering companies to provide an independent analysis of the stone façade on the outside of the Will County Courthouse,” according to a news release from Will County.

The district also is looking a few years down the road at Jefferson and Franklin schools’ needs and the creation of safety vestibules that will enhance security.

The CHAD program began in 1992 as a result of a car crash involving 13-month-old Chad Bodine, whose babysitter was driving and was instantly killed, leaving emergency personnel unable to identify the injured child.

The city of Joliet will host free workshops to help educate residents on ways they can better prepare for emergencies and disasters.

 The National Weather Service is forecasting a three-day stretch of extremely cold weather from Sunday through Tuesday.

The Will County Courthouse will remain open on Thursday after a stone tile fell off the side of the building on Wednesday morning. 

With snow in the forecast, here are some reminders about safe driving habits in winter conditions, and what to do if you are stranded in your vehicle in a snow storm.

December in northern Illinois has so far been pretty mild, but deep winter freezes can blow in at any time. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency offers these tips to keep your home safe and warm during extreme cold and snow.

Whiteside County voters in April 2025 will once again be asked to consider a countywide sales tax to help fund emergency dispatch services.

Through Jan. 2, law enforcement agencies across Illinois are adopting a zero-tolerance policy for impaired driving to keep motorists safe.

The need for assistance has continued to rise in Will County since the COVID-19 pandemic. And that need is highest among families working one or more jobs.

Last year, the Red Cross responded to over 74,000 disasters across the nation, with 93% of them being fire-related. According to the Red Cross, home fire responses are 30% higher during cold months.

Public safety was prioritized in the Will County 2025 fiscal year budget, with public safety and judicial operations making up 62% of the county’s operating budget.

Here's a list of tips to keep shoppers’ personal information safe from online thieves.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is joining forces with the Illinois State Police to crack down on unsafe driving this Thanksgiving with their “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaigns from Friday, Nov. 22, through Monday, Dec. 2.

The first snowfall of the season in the forecast for this week. Illinois Department of Transportation offers these winter driving tips, including don't follow snow plows too closely.

The Joliet fire and police departments hosted their second Active Threat and Mental Wellness conference for first responders to discuss the issues of responding to violence and combating mental health issues in the community and their own ranks.

Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 3. The American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working.

The village of Plainfield recently dedication its new Emergency Management Agency building as the John J. Konopek Jr. Plainfield Emergency Management Agency Center, a 15,000-square-foot facility located at 14805 S. Wood Farm Road.

The city of Joliet will be working with the state of Illinois on an engineering study for a potential grade separation project at the Laraway Road and Union Pacific Railroad grade crossing.

The “Safety Matters” statewide picket included members from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31, who are demanding the Illinois Department of Corrections address statewide staffing shortages, offender substance abuse and worker safety.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is urging motorists to commit to sober driving, buckling up and following traffic laws this Halloween, as children and their families walk through neighborhoods after dark for candy and spooky fun.

After a sobering report on the condition of Sterling Fire Department’s apparatus, many have asked: “How did we get here?” To answer those questions, we need to go back a few years, writes Shaw Local reporter Brandon Clark.

The City Council on Tuesday voted 9-0 to build the Cunningham Neighborhood Park conceived as a means to move sex offenders out of a nearby apartment house.

Lockport Township High School District 205 Superintendent Dr. Robert McBride appeared on ABC's Our Chicago this weekend to discuss recent school security hoaxes.

A 17-year-old student from Lockport has been charged after the FBI detected a threat made against Providence Catholic High School on Snapchat on Wednesday.

Fire chief says that of the department's 3 fire engines, 2 are not reliable and the third is aging quickly due to overuse to make up for the other two. The department has one fire truck, which has an aerial ladder. That truck has been out of service for 10 months, chief says.

Paying for the asbestos problems that have kept Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet closed for nearly two months will be next major hurdle after the venue plans to reopen in October.

Two high schools in Lockport were placed on lockdown Friday as police investigated a threat that was deemed unfounded.

The Rialto Square Theatre plans to reopen Oct. 22 after a prolonged closure connected to an asbestos removal project. “We’re as confident as we can be at this point,” said Rialto Executive Director Wade Welsh.

Plans by the Lockport Township Fire Protection District to construct a multi-purpose training facility in Crest Hill advanced Sept. 9, and will move to a final hearing before the Planning Commission.

Farmers encourage impatient drivers to consider the size of the equipment and the importance of slowing down when approaching during harvest season.

The Channahon Fire Protection District were assisting with a chemical incident involving a rail car at Americans Styrenics on Thursday. The situation was deemed not an immediate safety threat to the public, the fire district said.

A 12-year-old boy is the latest youth to be arrested and charged for his involvement in posting social media threats to Joliet schools, police said Tuesday night.

Certified technicians will provide attendees with child car and booster seat installation. Technicians also will inspect installed car seats.

Joliet police say no credible threats found, but others may be involved after making two arrests in connection with social media threats made to Joliet schools.

Joliet Township High School District 204 sent a notice to families and refreshed students on safety protocols Monday following two days of non-credible social media threats to its schools.