Dispute arises between the Barrington FD and the Barrington Countryside FPD

The *Daily Herald* has another report on the ongoing split between the Barrington Fire Department and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. The two agencies officially went their separate ways on New Year’s Day, but not without some last-minute confusion that highlighted deeper issues in their long-standing relationship. At midnight, 19 firefighters who had been employed by the Village of Barrington were laid off and transitioned to the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. However, they were not allowed to take their personal protective equipment (PPE) with them—despite the fact that this gear was paid for by taxpayers. This left the fire district scrambling to find alternative solutions. In the days leading up to the split, the Barrington Countryside Fire Department had to borrow PPE from the Fox River Grove Fire Protection District. They are now also working on leasing additional gear as they prepare for the coming months. The issue stems from the fact that the village hired these firefighters through a third-party contractor, Paramedic Services of Illinois, rather than directly employing them. Barrington Village Manager Jeff Lawler explained that the equipment is considered public property and can’t be transferred without proper legal procedures. He claimed he had already discussed the matter with fire district officials in early December and was confused about why the issue wasn’t resolved before the split. However, Barrington Countryside Board President Tom Rowan said that the conversation Lawler mentioned was one-sided—something only the village remembers. During their decades-long partnership, both agencies co-owned all shared equipment, and it was always intended to be divided evenly when the contract ended. That included vehicles and other resources. But with the sudden change in employment structure, the transfer of gear became complicated. Jeff Swanson, chief of the Barrington Countryside Fire Department, acknowledged the need to follow rules but emphasized that safety should never be compromised. While the legal process could have taken time, the firefighters needed the gear immediately on New Year’s Day. He added that the new PPE ordered for the 19 firefighters won’t arrive until spring, so they’re currently using leased equipment. Despite the initial challenges, both departments have reported that operations have continued smoothly since the split. The Barrington Fire Department now only covers the village’s five square miles, while the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District serves a larger area, including parts of Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, South Barrington, Inverness, and unincorporated sections of Cook, Lake, and McHenry counties. Morale among the newly hired firefighters appears to be high. According to Rowan, the staff even cleaned all their equipment shortly after receiving it from the village at midnight on Wednesday. It's a small but telling sign of their commitment. In terms of apparatus, here's what we know so far: - **Barrington Fire Department** has: - One engine - The quint - The battalion buggy - Two ambulances - **Barrington Countryside FPD** has: - Two engines - The squad - The tanker (plus a newly acquired one) - Two ambulances As of now, the ownership of the brush unit remains unclear. We'll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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