The challenges to those protecting the public have never been greater. Each year brings with it new issues that must be addressed. More and more, modern life creates complex emergencies and threats to life and property that fire departments and EMS providers must find ways to respond to.

In addition to the ever-increasing practical issues that emergency services organizations must confront (attacks on personnel, chemical, biological and nuclear threats, acts of terrorism, trench rescue, confined space rescue, etc.) there are increasing numbers of complicated laws and regulations that must be obeyed. Especially for smaller fire departments and emergency responders, the issues can, at times, seem overwhelming. Just listing them can suggest their scope:

1. Complying with laws and regulations imposed by state government (Office of the State Fire Marshal, Illinois Department of Labor, Workers Compensation Act, Wage and Hours Act, Human Rights Act) and the federal government regarding personnel (OSHA, IRS) and operations (HIPAA, NIMS, FEMA).
2. Following various state laws that describe how public bodies must operate (Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act, Prevailing Wage Act, Fire Protection District Act, “conflicts of interests” laws).
3. Implementing “best practices” that meet the professional standards of organizations such as the National Fire Protection Organization, MABAS, and the Illinois Fire Services Institute.
4. Raising revenue and accounting for it in ways that follow the applicable provisions of Illinois law: timely adopting a budget and appropriation ordinance, passing and filing a tax levy ordinance, adopting and publishing the Treasurer’s “Statement of Receipts and Disbursements”, preparing the report required by the Office of the Illinois State Comptroller, following the “Prompt Payment Act”.
5. For providers of emergency medical services, there are added requirements imposed by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the resource hospital/project medical director regarding patient care, qualifications for personnel, and standards that equipment must meet.
6. In most emergency services organizations, special issues will arise from time to time that require special attention: buying real estate, building a new facility, annexing real estate, discharge of personnel, line-of-duty death, all of which must be handled in a way that complies with legal requirements.

As your organization faces these many challenges, perhaps we can help. Our mission is to assist fire, rescue and EMS providers, their decision-makers and their personnel in successfully answering the challenges presented by today’s complex legal environment. Change comes fast. We know that, and we work hard to keep our clients advised of the developments and new areas of concern that might effect them as promptly as possible. Every emergency organization, regardless of its size, needs the services of competent professionals to guide it and help it avoid legal problems. We provide services to organizations on an on-going annual basis, as well as consulting with other organizations not regularly our client on special projects when an unusual need arises. While our focus is on helping our clients avoid court action, in the event that either prosecution or defense of a claim is necessary, our firm includes several highly trained and experienced trial attorneys who are “at home” in a courtroom and available to help.

We represent emergency services organizations in various counties throughout the central part of Illinois.

We strive to provide the highest quality legal services possible to our clients, and to do so in a timely and cost-effective manner. We realize that with ever-fewer dollars available to emergency service organizations, those dollars available must be wisely used, and stretched to cover many different areas. We work with our clients to keep legal fees a reasonable part of their total yearly budget.

If our background and goals might satisfy your organization’s needs, please contact our firm to discuss how we might work together to answer your needs for legal representation.