Center Cass Fire Alarms Do Job: Fire Chief

DARIEN, IL – The local fire chief says his agency sees no safety risk in the fire alarm systems at schools in Center Cass School District 66.

This is in contrast to a district-funded study of the systems and political advertising in favor of a property tax increase.

"We know the system works. It has to be working," James Karasek, chief of the Darien-Woodridge Fire District, said in an interview Monday.

If a system is not working, a school is given a timeframe to fix it, he said.

"I don't think there is a safety issue," the chief said. "I think they work appropriately. They do their job."

He added, "Could the system be improved? Could they put in better detectors, something more computer-friendly? Yes," Karasek said.

He said he has been at the school for fire drills.

"The teachers and the administrators – the people who work with the kids on a day-to-day basis – are a big part of getting the kids out safely," Karasek said. "Everyone from the janitor to the superintendent is there for fire drills. It would be very surprising for me if they weren't able to get out."

A mailer sent to residents earlier this month asked, "Could kids get out quickly enough?"

It presents what it calls a fact: "Center Cass fire alarms are antiquated & unreliable."

Fire district inspection reports for Center Cass' three schools – Lakeview Junior High and Elizabeth Ide and Prairieview elementaries – say they met fire safety standards, including with their alarms.

But the flyer cites a November 2021 report from Wold Architects & Engineers, which Center Cass hired.

According to Wold's study, the fire alarm systems at Elizabeth Ide and Lakeview are aged and fail frequently, posing a risk in an emergency.

New systems for the two schools are estimated to cost nearly $150,000.

The mailer was paid for by the Save Center Cass School District 66 committee.

Voters decide Nov. 8 whether to increase the Center Cass portion of the property tax bill by nearly 20 percent.