Manhattan Fire District Details Kankakee Tornado Response, Station and Apparatus Progress

Manhattan Fire Protection District Meeting | March 16, 2026

Article Summary: The Manhattan Fire Protection District Board of Trustees received comprehensive operational updates detailing recent severe weather responses, including mutual aid for a Kankakee tornado, alongside progress reports on the new fire station and the acquisition of new brush trucks.

Manhattan FPD Operational Updates Key Points:

• District leadership deployed 57 members from the MABAS Division and Technical Rescue Team (TRT) to assist with a tornado response in Kankakee.

• Locally, the district handled a surge of 17 weather-related calls on the morning of the board meeting alone.

• Battalion Chief Boyle traveled to Texas to inspect two new brush trucks currently in production, with delivery anticipated by the end of the summer.

• Construction on the new fire station continues, with drywall installation on the administrative side nearing completion.

The Manhattan Fire Protection District Board of Trustees convened on Monday, March 16, 2026, to review a series of significant operational developments, highlighting the department’s response to regional severe weather and ongoing capital infrastructure projects.

Meeting at Fire Station #81 on South Park Road, the board heard extensive reports from the district’s top command staff. Fire Chief Steve Malone detailed a heavy operational period driven by severe weather that impacted both the immediate hyper-local area and neighboring jurisdictions.

According to the meeting minutes, Chief Malone reported that district leadership recently responded to a tornado in neighboring Kankakee. Demonstrating the critical nature of regional mutual aid, the Manhattan Fire Protection District deployed 57 members from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division and the Technical Rescue Team (TRT) to assist with the emergency in Kankakee.

The severe weather also took a toll locally. Malone noted to the board that on the morning of the March 16 meeting alone, Manhattan fire personnel responded to 17 calls directly related to weather conditions.

In addition to the weather responses, Deputy Chief Dave Piper delivered the February operational report, noting that despite the call volume, response times and overall staffing levels have remained stable. Piper informed the trustees that crews handled several significant incidents over the past month, including a barn fire and multiple vehicle accidents.

To maintain that stable staffing, Piper announced that one new full-time member was successfully hired. This new hire fills a vacancy created after a previous member was awarded a duty disability pension. Furthermore, the district welcomed a new class of part-time personnel and interns who officially began their duties on the day of the meeting.

Beyond daily emergency responses, the command staff provided updates on the district’s long-term capital investments, specifically regarding fleet upgrades and facilities.

Chief Malone announced that Battalion Chief Boyle was currently in Texas meeting with the Brush Truck committee. Boyle traveled out of state to physically inspect the manufacturing status of the district’s two new brush trucks. According to the chief’s report, the district is hoping to have the specialized vehicles delivered by the end of the summer.

Simultaneously, progress continues on the district’s new fire station. Malone reported that the facility is moving along steadily, noting specifically that the drywall installation on the administrative side of the building is almost complete.

The board accepted the operational reports without objection before moving on to the remainder of the agenda.