Rock Falls officials say they’re reviewing all options to pay the $31.5 million in damages that a Whiteside County jury on Friday awarded to the family of a Sterling firefighter killed in the line of duty four years ago

The blaze broke out early Tuesday morning, Nov. 18, 2025, at 912 Locust St., Sterling, according to a Sterling Fire Department news release.

A Whiteside County jury has awarded $31.5 million to the widow and two young daughters of a Sterling firefighter killed in the line of duty four years ago

A Whiteside County jury is on track to begin deliberating Friday to decide whether two Rock Falls fire officials’ actions at a 2021 fire contributed to a Sterling firefighter’s line-of-duty death

The widow of Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos, who was killed in the line of duty, testified at the Whiteside County Courthouse on Wednesday, telling a 12-member jury how her husband’s death has affected her and their two young daughters

Retired Sterling Fire Chief Michael Dettman and Brittney Ramos, widow of Garrett Ramos, testified Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in the Ramos wrongful death trial in Morrison.

Memories of Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos’ life were displayed on a projection screen for a Whiteside County jury Monday during the sixth day of a civil trial to decide if Rock Falls fire officials are to blame for Ramos’ December 2021 line-of-duty death

Calling their firefighting strategy “inappropriate”, a Detroit-based fire investigator on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, blasted Rock Falls fire officials for how they handled a Dec. 3, 2021, fire that led to the death of a Sterling fire lieutenant.

The Sterling Fire Department was dispatched Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, to a structure fire at C&K Undercar Specialists.

Firefighters from several departments tend to a fire at C&K Undercar Specialists in Sterling on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.

Dixon Fire Capt. Aaron Brown described what he saw during a fatal 2021 fire during his testimony in a Whiteside County courtroom Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, the second day a 12-member jury heard testimony in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Retired Rock Falls Fire Chief Cris Bouwens takes the stand Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in the Garrett Ramos wrongful death trial underway at the Whiteside County Courthouse in Morrison.

When the first Sterling fire engine arrived at the scene of a rural Rock Falls garage fire Dec. 3, 2021, Sterling Fire Lt. Garrett Ramos was on it. Just two hours after he arrived, firefighters would be removing his body from the basement – his death caused by asphyxia.

After a full-day’s work, a Whiteside County jury was seated Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, to hear a wrongful death civil case that could see the jury asked to award tens of millions of dollars to a Sterling firefighter’s widow and children.

The jury hearing the Garrett Ramos wrongful death lawsuit began hearing testimony Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Whiteside County Circuit Court in Morrison. Ramos, a Sterling fire lieutenant, was killed in a December 2021 house fire in rural Rock Falls.

A pool of nearly 80 potential jurors was waiting it out in a Whiteside County courtroom Monday as jury selection began in a wrongful death civil case that could see the jury asked to award tens of millions of dollars to a Sterling firefighter’s widow and children

A civil trial will begin Monday in Whiteside County Circuit Court to determine whether the widow of a Sterling firefighter, killed in the line of duty in 2021, should be paid damages in connection with his death

All residents were able to safely evacuate the building before fire crews arrived

A Whiteside County judge has rejected a plea agreement that would have put a Sterling man behind bars for 8 years in connection with an October 2024 fire that destroyed a Galt home and injured two people

For the past two years, the Sterling, Dixon City, Dixon Rural, and Rock Falls fire departments have worked to align their command structures, allowing leaders to take over seamlessly during major calls.

Sterling, Dixon, Dixon Rural and Rock Falls firefighters spend a day with hands-on command training Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Dixon.

The Sterling Fire Department was called at 9:09 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19, to a reported residential structure fire at 309 W. Seventh St., according to a news release

No one was injured in the blaze on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, the sixth fire at this location this year, according to a Sterling Fire Department news release.

The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call around 3:30 p.m. Monday reporting a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 30 at I-88 mile marker 44’s westbound on-ramp.

In a news release issued Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, Dixon Police Chief Ryan Bivins said David Dykema, 52, of Dixon, had been found deceased in Whiteside County.

A Sterling Fire Department investigator and a Sterling police detective completed an investigation into the Monday, June 30, 2025, fire and found the blaze to be accidental in nature, according to a news release.

Semi driver Eric Dodge of Ashton speaks four months after a near-fatal crash in which his truck veered off Interstate 88 between Rock Falls and Dixon, launched over Bollman Road overpass and landed in a cornfield.

A Sterling man has been sentenced to up to 9 years in prison after admitting he set fire to his Sterling apartment last fall as officers arrived to investigate an aggravated battery reported at that address

Home checked for possible occupants; no one killed or injured, according to deputy fire chief.

When crews arrived at 8:05 a.m. Monday, April 14, they found a two-story residence with a heavy fire on the second floor, Dixon Rural Fire Chief Dustin Dahlstrom said.

No residents were injured; however, a family dog died as a result of the fire.

Rock Falls and Sterling firefighters and CGH EMS were called at 9:37 p.m. Sunday, April 6, 2025, to 222 Ave. D in Rock Falls for a reported structure fire with a possible explosion.

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.

A Whiteside County judge has ruled that enough evidence exists to move forward with a criminal case that accuses a Sterling man of setting an October fire that destroyed a Galt home.

Sixteen fire departments were involved in the fire call.

Rodney Swan has been held in the Whiteside County Jail since mid-January, when he was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is accused of shooting himself in the thigh when a loaded gun tucked into his waistband discharged as he was pulling up his pants.

Several fire departments responded to an emergency call reporting a possible structure fire early Thursday morning.

Woman was charged Dec. 1, 2023, with one count of arson, accused of setting a car on fire in Rock Falls.

The Sterling Fire Department, Rock Falls Fire Department, Sterling Police Department and CGH EMS were dispatched at 1 p.m. Friday to the Sterling Steel property, 101 Ave. K, for a report of a man under a railcar.

Sterling Deputy Fire Chief David Northcutt recently spoke about the department’s plans to upgrade equipment.

Local agencies and state officials were left in a cloud of uncertainty Tuesday after an order from the White House to pause the distribution of all federal grants and loans.

The cookoff is open to the public, and spectators can pay $10 to taste as much chili as they want before casting a vote for their favorite.

One dead following Sunday house fire in rural Sterling.

Firefighters discovered a body Monday at the scene of a fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in rural Sterling, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker has confirmed.

The two fire departments also encourage residents to sign up for Community Connect, an online program where users can input information to assist departments during an emergency.

Sterling and Rock Falls fire held a safety event Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at the Northland Mall.

Dixon City firefighters were called at 2:03 a.m. Friday to 417 W. Second St. for a report of a structure fire called in by a passerby.

Eleven families were on the receiving end of $8,000 worth of generous donations from the community for gifts, food and household items.

Rock Falls Police and Fire departments spent the afternoon Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, delivering gifts to 11 families during Operation Santa.

Wallace Head Start's “Breakfast with Heroes” event invited members from both Rock Falls and Sterling’s police and fire departments to share a bagel breakfast with students to help foster positive connections with them.