Fire district willing to pay cost for clean

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CHANNAHON — Channahon Fire Protection District Chief David Riddle feels the purchase of a new disinfecting device, Zimek, is going to be worth every penny.

Riddle and the Fire Protection District showed off their new cleaning gadget Saturday morning when Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson stopped for a visit.

The district is the first in the state to purchase the device at a cost of approximately $40,000.

“The cost is hard to digest,” Riddle said. “But if you think about one person getting sick, it’s worth the price.”

Another Zimek was purchased by Kankakee County Department of Corrections.

The device, which was hooked to the station’s ambulance for the visit, disinfects using a dry mist that reaches into every nook and cranny on the inside of the ambulance to disinfect and aid in the stop of viruses and bacteria such as H1N1, MRSA, TB and more.

“The device is run biweekly on top of the wipe downs performed between runs,” said Ryan Jandura. “If we know we have a bio-hazard situation, it continues to kill them for two weeks.”

The Zimek device can be used for emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks, as well as entire rooms within the fire station.

When used on a vehicle, the hose is connected to the open window of the vehicle with a foam piece that creates a seal, making the vehicle air tight as the mist is blown into the vehicle.

Prior to connecting, all the doors and drawers are opened, as well as any bags or boxes, so the dry mist can infiltrate every area, Jandura said.

“It’s safe for electronics and radios because it is dry,” said Jandura. “The mist goes in for two minutes and then is left for 10 minutes before we open the doors to air out the vehicle.”

When used in a confined space, such as a meeting room, the device is hooked to its own vacuum, which pulls the particles from the air.

The time for a room is dependent upon square footage, which the machine determines once the operator enters the footage into the device’s computer.

While they have always used sprays and wipes, the disinfection can’t be as complete as it is with the new device, Jandura said.

Halvorson said the device makes “too much sense.”

“You guys are our heroes,” said Halvorson. “I commend the Channahon Fire Department for being proactive and purchasing the Zimek.”

Halvorson serves on the House Fire Services Caucus and was one of the original co-sponsors of the Fire Grants Re-authorization Act, which passed through the House this past week.

The Act provides funds for local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase equipment.

Channahon Chief Riddle said he hopes to partner with other fire protection districts in the area and possibly schools and police departments that would use the equipment and help subsidize some of the cost.

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