Safety

Illinois State Police Troop 3 announced the results of roadside safety checks held in Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Will counties during May.

The Leapfrog Group has awarded Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and Advocate Condell Medical Center “A” ratings for excellence in patient safety on its Spring 2025 patient safety report card.

With several growing subdivisions, an influx of traffic volume has given some residents in Yorkville concern. The city considering implementing several new safety measures, including updated roadway signage, and new stop signs at strategic intersections.

Will County Regional Office of Education Superintendent Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff visited Bolingbrook High School Monday for a closer look at its reinforced windows as Clear-Armor security project nears completion throughout Will County.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency sent a warning to Crest Hill residents that their drinking water contains levels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, which are higher than state standards.

The SafeSitter Essentials with CPR course prepares students in grades 6-8 to care for younger children and handle emergencies. The one-day class will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the RiverWorks Coworking building, 114 E. Everett St. in Dixon.

Channahon Village Hall and the Channahon Police Department have been given the all clear after being evacuated Monday due to a suspicious package.

The rise in trail use at forest preserves and parks throughout the region comes with words of caution from those who oversee the facilities, especially when it comes to electric bicycles, or e-bikes.

Stefan Bjes, who has more than two decades of law enforcement experience, will start as security director for Plainfield schools on May 27.

Will County is among five northern Illinois forest preserve districts and two park districts working on a comprehensive bike safety initiative. 

The pedestrian bridge crossing the I&M Canal at Lincoln Landing in Lockport will be taken down and replaced with a new one.

The Crest Hill City Council is expected Monday to vote on plans for the Lockport Township Fire Protection District's proposed training facility. But some residents and alderpersons have expressed concerns about the center.

According to unofficial vote totals, the measure passed with 55% approval on a vote count of 3,667 yes votes to 2907 no votes.

Contested races are taking place for two Rock Falls City Council seats, two Sterling City Council seats and Dixon Township highway commissioner. Whiteside County voters also are deciding the fate of a proposed public safety sales tax.

The Joliet Police Department is partnering with more than 200 local law enforcement agencies to step up enforcement during Distracted Driving Awareness month.

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.