Carroll Fire Department

09/10/2025

Carroll Fire and Eastern Prairie Fire Protection District conducted joint training on static water supply and drafting operations. This training helps prepare departments in situations where there is no hydrant nearby, and water supply has to be shuttled in from tenders.

Staff went over proper deployment and setup techniques of a portable tank and connection of hard suction hose to the engine.

Engineers also went over drafting procedures to ensure that a water supply was established to provide water to the fire nozzles.

This training ensures both departments remain ready and prepared for any emergency where a hydranted water supply is not feasible.

09/09/2025

🚒🔧 Carroll Fire would like to give a big shoutout and thank you to Blaine’s Farm & Fleet for their generous donation of a brand-new toolbox!

Community support like this helps us stay organized and ready to respond when our neighbors need us most. We truly appreciate the partnership and commitment to helping local volunteer firefighters. 👨‍🚒👩‍🚒

08/21/2025

🚨 Structure Fire – Ivanhoe Mobile Park 🚨

At approximately 12:16 p.m. today, Carroll Fire was dispatched to a confirmed structure fire on Rowena Dr. in the Ivanhoe Mobile Park. It was later upgraded to a 2nd alarm fire.

Two trailers and one vehicle were destroyed, with three additional trailers sustaining heat damage to siding and insulation. Thankfully, no injuries were reported and pets were successfully rescued.

Carroll Fire was assisted on scene by Eastern Prairie Fire Protection District, Thomasboro Volunteer Fire Department, St. Joseph - Stanton Fire Protection District, Savoy Fire Department, City of Urbana Fire Department, Rantoul Fire Department, and Champaign County Sheriff's Office.

A special shout-out as well to Edge-Scott Trustee, Lorenzo Macedo, for assisting with translation efforts among residents affected by the fire.

We’d like to thank our neighboring departments for their quick response and teamwork, and the community for their continued support.

08/19/2025

🚨🔥 Incident Update 🔥🚨

Yesterday, a fire broke out at the Illini FS building located at East Leverett Road and County Road 1350 East. Two empty spare propane tanks ignited, creating a dangerous situation.

Carroll Fire responded and assisted Thomasboro Volunteer Fire Department in quickly extinguishing the flames. Thanks to the teamwork and fast response, the fire was contained without further spread.

07/21/2025

Today, Carroll Fire Protection District demonstrated solidarity with our neighbors at the Champaign Fire Department.

We participated in the community's commemoration of Trace Conover's life, a day marked by sorrow, introspection, and reverence. Our thoughts are with Trace's loved ones and the entire Champaign Fire family as they cope with this devastating loss.

In times of adversity, the fire service stands united. Carroll Fire is honored to stand alongside our fellow firefighters, providing strength and support during this challenging time.

07/16/2025

It is with a heavy heart we announce the off-duty passing of Firefighter Trace Conover on July 9, 2025. Trace dutifully served the community for over three and a half years. Trace served on the board of the Champaign Firefighters Benevolent Fund, which mission is to honor and support fellow firefighters and local community groups and recently became a member of the CFD Peer Support Team. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

07/16/2025

A Heartfelt Tribute to Trace Conover

On July 9, our community experienced an unimaginable loss. Champaign Firefighters Local 1260, the Benevolent Fund Board,
Fire Family, and countless others are grieving the tragic passing of Trace Conover — a
devoted member of our fire service family and a beloved member of our board.

If you feel moved to honor Trace’s memory and support his loved ones, we invite you to
contribute to the Champaign Firefighters Benevolent Fund. Every dollar donated will go
directly toward covering final expenses and providing vital support to his family during this
incredibly difficult time.

Thank you for your compassion and generosity as we come together to remember and
honor Trace.

Venmo: https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3704867235301182751&created=1752255900.445482&printed=1

PayPal:
https://www.paypal.me/ChampFireBenevolent?locale.x=en_US

Check: Champaign Firefighters Benevolent Fund
1601 Bentbrook Drive Champaign, IL 61822

07/07/2025

We had a great time celebrating Independence Day with our community, showcasing our apparatus, and waving to all the friendly faces along the route. Thank you to everyone who came out to support and celebrate; we’re honored to serve such a great community.

🎆🚒

06/16/2025

🚨 Congratulations on a Well-Earned Retirement! 🚨

The Carroll Fire Protection District would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to two outstanding individuals on their recent retirements:

👨‍🚒 Derald Seeds retired after 18 years of dedicated service as a Board Member, most recently serving as President of the Board of Trustees. His leadership and commitment to the district have left a lasting impact, and we thank him for his years of service.

🔥 Tom Harnsbarger also retired, marking the end of an incredible 44-year journey with the department. Tom joined Carroll Fire in 1980 and became a trustee in 1981 after joining the Urbana Fire Department. In 1983, he was appointed Fire Chief of Carroll, a role he held with honor until December 2000. Even after stepping down as Chief, Tom continued to serve the department as a trustee until his recent retirement. We’ve included a few photos from his time as Chief to honor his legacy.

Please join us in celebrating Derald and Tom, two individuals whose dedication and service have shaped the Carroll Fire Protection District for decades. We wish you both the very best in this next chapter!

06/14/2025

06/04/2025

Eastern Prairie Fire Protection District personnel, in collaboration with the Carroll Fire Department, recently conducted night training exercises focused on mayday scenarios and firefighter rescue techniques. These joint drills with mutual aid partners are essential for maintaining proficiency in critical skills and enhancing interagency coordination. Training together strengthens operational readiness and ensures a more effective and unified response during real emergencies.

05/22/2025

Carroll Fire was one of more than 20 firefighting units called to the scene Tuesday evening after a fire broke out in an abandoned building at the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul.

The three-alarm fire was reported around 7:30 p.m., triggering a widespread emergency response. Firefighters remained on scene for nearly four hours working to extinguish the flames.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.