The Salem Fire Protection District covers approximately 103 square miles of Marion County, Illinois, including the City of Salem, protecting approximately 13,000 residents, businesses and industry. We protect about 13 miles of Interstate 57 from mile marker 109 at Illinois 161 to mile marker 122 at the Martin Road overpass. Additionally, the SFPD protects many square miles of agribusiness, agricultural activities and more than 16 square miles of oilfield. The SFPD provides fire suppression, rescue, auto extrication and hazardous materials mitigation.

A two-and-a-half-year member of the Salem Fire Protection District has been voted by fellow firemen as their fireman of the year.

Matthew Eastin said he was 100 percent surprised with winning the honor, feeling a lot of others were more deserving.   The award was presented at the fire department’s annual Christmas party on December 9th.

Eastin has lived in Salem since fourth grade and said he had no family members involved in the fire service.

“I don’t really know, I guess just seeing wildfires in California. I know that sounds weird, but that is what got me interested in doing it.”

Eastin likes the variety being a firefighter provides.

“Everything you do is unique.  There are some things I never want to see again which is sad, but someone has to do it.  I don’t really have a special memory.  Everything is always so different, it always seems to top the last it seems like.”

Several other firefighters were also honored.

Andrew Dice was honored for the highest number of calls answered at 246.  The rest of the top five are Greg Miller, Jake Heminover, Bill Fulton, and Jim Bryant.

The firefighter with the most training hours is Greg Miller, followed by Jesse DeForest, Glenn Benzing, Dakota Hires, and Bill Fulton.

The department presented Ben Trinkle with a 15-year pin, Kenny Benzing for ten years, Paul Michael Anderson, Jesse DeForest, Shawn Duffy, and Ryan Meador with five-year pins, and Matt Arrasmith, Andrew Dice, and Travis Nix with three-year pins.

2023 Annual Incident Report

The Salem Fire Protection District responded to a total of 293 calls for service. We responded to 88 fires including 43 building fires, 18 vehicle fires, 23 brush/grass fires, and 5 other type fires. We responded to 46 vehicle accidents and 9 other rescue calls. We handled 8 hazardous materials and 13 hazardous condition calls, 14 service calls and 112 good intent/false alarms. We also recorded over 5,000 man hours of training both in house and in classes put on by outside agencies such as the Illinois Fire Service Institute. We always strive to be the best we can for our community.

We hope everyone has a good 2024 and as always we are here when you need us.

Fire Protection

The Salem Fire Protection District provides fire protection and suppression services to the nearly 13,000 residents of the district utilizing the following apparatus:

• 4 - Class A Engines

• 1 - 95’ Aerial Platform

• 1 - Heavy Rescue

• 5 - Brush / Utility Vehicles

Training & Squibb Training Center

The Salem Fire Protection District holds regular weekly training on Tuesday evenings and Friday mornings. Additionally, the SFPD has frequent opportunities for weekend training sponsored locally and in cooperation with the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.

In 2022, SFPD firefighters completed more than 3,572 training hours for an average of 92 hours per member.

The Squibb Training Center is located on Selmaville Road on the West side of the district.

Rescue, Extrication and Hazardous Materials

In addition to fire protection and suppression, the SFPD is trained in and performs vehicle extrication, hazardous material mitigation, grain bin, rope and other rescue services.

Firefighters

The heart and soul of the SFPD are the members, both past and present. The SFPD employs four full-time career Engineers. The Engineers staff the station, maintain the apparatus, equipment and station. The Engineers respond the first due apparatus to all calls. In addition to the Engineers, the SFPD employs more than 40 paid-on-call firefighters and officers. The Board of Trustees all have firefighting experience and worked their way up through the ranks to include Fire Chief and a former Illinois State Fire Marshal. Retired fire fighters, engineers and officers frequently stop by the fire station for a cup of coffee and to share an interesting lesson in firefighting lore.

Salem Illinois is located at the intersection of Interstate 57 and US Route 50. Salem is the county seat of Marion County Illinois. Salem is 60 miles East of St. Louis Missouri and 265 miles South of Chicago Illinois.