McLeansboro Fire Department

06/12/2026

05/24/2026

Come see us this Tuesday! Lets talk about your role with us!

04/29/2026

It is that time of year again we will be filling swimming pools again.

03/25/2026

REMINDER!

03/24/2026

Thank you Hamilton County Ambulance, McLeansboro Fire, Hamilton County Sheriff, and McLeansboro City Police for the dual scene flight request! 🚁

Air Evac Lifeteam 172 - Jefferson County, Illinois

02/25/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026

On Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 at 06:48pm McLeansboro Fire Department was dispatched to a residential structure fire, involving multiple structures in the 11000 Block of Anderson School Rd. Immediately, MABAS Box Alarm 84-2 to the Full Still Level was requested moving addition resources into position. Upon arrival, heavy fire was found on both structures. Due to windy conditions, the fire was able to spread rapidly on the exterior of the residential structure and became interior. The alarm was upgraded to a MABAS Box Alarm moving several additional assets to the scene. Firefighters were on scene for approximately 5 hours. There were no injuries to any occupants or firefighters.

McLeansboro Fire fighters were assisted by Dahlgren Fire Protection District, Wayne Fire Protection District, Norris City Fire Protection District, Enfield Fire Department, Eldorado Fire Department, Ewing Northern Fire Protection District, and Hamilton County Ambulance Service. A total of 42 firefighters operated on this MABAS Box Alarm. The Illinois State Fire Marshall was contacted to investigate.

02/16/2026

MABAS is not an option anymore. With the dwindling of volunteers, increasing call volume, and larger response areas it has become a necessity to have willing mutual aid partners. Shout out to the guys at MABAS Division 47. Division 47 always steps up and goes above and beyond. From dispatch to Chiefs, from volunteer agencies to full time agencies, they always step up willing to activate.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐢𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫—𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐰⁣
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Mutual aid was originally built to reinforce local response during large or complex incidents.⁣
Today, in many areas, it’s doing more than that.⁣
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Call volume has changed. Risks have evolved. Specialized teams are expected to deploy quickly and often. Staffing models look different than they did even a decade ago. None of this shifted overnight—but the expectations placed on shared response systems have grown steadily.⁣
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For MABAS, that evolution shows strength. The system adapts because departments keep showing up for one another. At the same time, when something consistently performs beyond its original purpose, that expansion can start to feel normal. Surge capacity becomes routine support. Reinforcement becomes infrastructure.⁣
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Mission creep rarely announces itself.⁣
It settles in quietly, one activation at a time.⁣
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As many gather at the MABAS Summit this week, it’s worth reflecting—not as criticism, but as stewardship.⁣
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Where have you seen the role of mutual aid expand in your region, and how has that changed expectations for your department?⁣
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01/25/2026

We are urging everyone to please stay home. Traveling at this time is extremely difficult and dangerous. IDOT, Local Municipalities and Road Commissioners are doing their best to try to clear the roadways but even they are struggling to navigate the roadways. Emergency Services are beginning to be spread extremely thin and responses to emergencies have been slowed. On top of these already stacked issues, towing services have been suspended until further notice. DO NOT ADD TO THE ALREADY GROWING PROBLEM!

01/24/2026

****Edit***
This public appeal has been lifted as of 10:00 AM 1/24/2026 per the direction of MISO. We appreciate your participation and patience as we navigate this winter event. Please stay aware, check on neighbors, and look for any further communication from the City of McLeansboro as we are all in this together.
Thanks again!

Justin Barrow
City Administrator