Which Towns Get Most Of Elmhurst's Mutual Aid?

ELMHURST, IL — Two of Elmhurst's neighbors have received far more of the city's mutual aid for emergency medical services than they have given, according to city records.

Meanwhile, one of Elmhurst's neighbors gives a lot more aid to the city than it receives.

On Monday, the city released its mutual aid numbers for 2019 and 2020 to a City Council committee. Elmhurst, population 46,746, is considerably larger and has a far higher median household income than the three other towns in question.

Patch asked the city for the reasons behind the disparities. Here is the information:

• Northlake: In 2020, Northlake, which borders Elmhurst's northeast side, received the city's mutual aid 88 times and gave it 10 times. The 2019 numbers are similar. The Northlake Fire Protection District only staffs one ambulance and Elmhurst is one of the first departments it calls for mutual aid when it is unable to respond, according to the city. Another reason is that Northlake is the site of Concord Place Retirement Community, which is a high rise. This is where the vast majority of Elmhurst's mutual aid to Northlake goes. Elmhurst's median household income of $118,609 is more than double Northlake's. Northlake's population is about a quarter the size of Elmhurst's.

• Bensenville: The town, which borders Elmhurst's north side, received the city's mutual aid 45 times and gave it six times in 2020. This was a big difference from 2019, when Elmhurst and Bensenville exchanged mutual aid a handful of times. Bensenville suffered staffing issues, requiring the department to request a tax hike through a referendum, according to Elmhurst. The referendum passed, with Bensenville returning to normal staffing. The calls to Bensenville have since declined, according to Elmhurst. Bensenville's population is about 40 percent of Elmhurst's. Its median household income is about half.

• Villa Park: The town, which borders Elmhurst's west side, gave Elmhurst mutual aid 110 times and received it 17 times in 2020. In 2019, Villa Park provided mutual aid 58 times and got it four times. According to the city, the Elmhurst Fire Department's administrative staff met with Villa Park in 2020 to discuss how the two towns could help each other more by regularly sharing resources, training and equipment. The city attributed the disparity, in part, because of a construction project, which took a bridge at St. Charles Road and Route 83 down for several weeks. "We asked Villa Park to assist us with coverage in that area due to the increased time it would take Elmhurst equipment to get into the area. The bridge construction is complete and the response should equal out in 2021," the Elmhurst city government said in a statement. Villa Park is about half the size of Elmhurst in population. Its median household income is about two-thirds of Elmhurst's.

During an Elmhurst City Council meeting in November, Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram, who represents the city's northeast side, said the city provided more mutual aid to towns neighboring the city's north side than those on the south side. He was likely referring to Bensenville and Northlake.

This mutual aid to the northern towns came from the city's north fire station, Bram said. He said it was one of the reasons the north side needed a "rapid response" vehicle for emergency medical services. Such a vehicle is based on the city's south side.