Hinsdale Honors Fallen Firefighters In Silent Parade

HINSDALE, IL — Dozens of Hinsdale residents stood out in the dark Friday night watching a long procession of blue and red lights leave the Hinsdale Fire Department.

Normally, such a blinding display of lights would be accompanied by deafening sirens, but this time, there were only bright lights, and the flags and cheers of onlookers.

The annual Silent Parade started in Hinsdale Friday night, restarting an annual tradition put on hold by the pandemic that honors firefighters who died in the line of duty, and any civilian who died in a fire. About 20 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles from Hinsdale and surrounding communities drove through Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Westmont, Downers Grove, and ended up in Lisle.

Hinsdale Fire Chief John Giannelli told Patch that even though he didn’t see nearly as many people watching on the streets as he did in years past, he was still moved by the show of support. “A bunch of people were out there with flags, and flashlights, and just yelled thank you to us – that’s always the best part,” Giannelli said.

Firefighting is a dangerous profession: firefighters can die not only in fires, but also from cancer, heart attacks due to stress and overexertion, crashes, falling, and more. 59 firefighters died in Illinois from 2000 to 2015, according to data from the Illinois Fire Service Institute. In 2019, 48 firefighters across the United States died in the line of duty, according to the National Fire Protection Association. This was the first time since the NFPA began conducting the study in 1977 that the national figure fell below 50.

In the Hinsdale Fire Department’s 100+ years of service, two firefighters have died in the line of duty: most recently Deputy Chief Mark Johnson, who suffered a heart attack in the station while on duty in 2010. Before him, Firefighter Walter Flemming died fighting a structure fire in 1946, according to the Village of Hinsdale.

Firefighting can also place stress on firefighters’ mental health. A 2015 study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 30% of first responders develop behavioral health conditions like depression and PTSD. In years past, participants heard remarks on firefighter mental health from Lt. Matt Olson, a former lieutenant with the Bolingbrook Fire Department who co-founded and now directs Illinois Fire Fighter Peer Support, which provides a network of trained peer supporters who provide 24/7 assistance to first responders.

“We’ve quickly learned that encouraging our brothers and sisters to discuss the issues they’re facing with a peer can prevent significant emotional wellness issues down the road,” Olson said in a statement on IFFPS's website. “We know that a first responder who is physically and emotionally fit is better able to serve the citizens in communities across Illinois. I want to share with all firefighters, in Illinois and beyond, the power of a conversation.”

The parade capped off Hinsdale’s Fire Prevention Week, which lasted from Oct. 4-10. Throughout the week, Hinsdale students participated in a Fire Prevention coloring and escape plan contests, and winners received home visits from Hinsdale fire trucks.

On Saturday, the Hinsdale Police and Fire departments hosted an open house that roughly 1000 people attended, which featured firefighting and fire extinguisher demonstrations, escape plan tips, kids’ firefighting games, and opportunities to ride in trucks. Families were also able to tour the police station, meet SWAT and CSI teams, and take part in child fingerprinting demonstrations.

All photos below from the Open House are courtesy of the Hinsdale Fire Department.