The State Fire Marshal annual Fire Prevention and Life Safety Award is to recognize extraordinary efforts in furtherance of fire prevention and life safety performed by fire departments, firefighters and staff from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal. Nominations for this award shall be made using a nomination form provided by the Office at the link below. Anyone may submit a nomination and previous nominees who were not awarded can be nominated again. A committee consisting of staff from the Office will review nominations and will select a recipient from each nomination category. Recipients will be presented the award during the Fire Fighting Medal of Honor ceremony in Springfield, Illinois on May 12, 2020.

A copy of the nomination form is available on our website by clicking on the link below:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/sfm/SFMDocuments/Documents/NominatIonForm.pdf

Nominations can be submitted to:
Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal
Attn: Robin Sudduth
1035 Stevenson Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62703
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) introduced legislation that would allow incarcerated mothers to remain with their child for 72 hours after giving birth, unless a medical professional determines otherwise.

“It’s crucial for a baby to spend its first moments with its mother, and we want to ensure that,” Van Pelt said. “This way the baby gets the care it needs, while the mother is inspired to stay on her best behavior in the hopes she may return to her child.”

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SPRINGFIELD – This afternoon, the Illinois Senate Public Health Committee, chaired by Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago), heard from the Illinois Department of Public Health on the status of the response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Illinois.

Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike explained the testing process. First, samples are taken to a state lab. If a result is positive, it is sent to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation.

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SPRINGFIELD – the Illinois Senate is one step closer to approving an effort led by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) to allow an early learning and youth development center to purchase the state-owned property it has occupied for decades from Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, a move that would require General Assembly approval.

Because the Carole Robertson Center for Learning sits on land that is not technically surplus state property, the transaction requires specific legislation. The plan has received the approval of Governor Pritzker’s office and DCFS.

“I am happy the Senate has moved The Carole Robertson Center one step closer to reaching independence. Unfortunately, the Center is in need of renovations that the state is simply unable to perform,” Van Pelt said. “Selling off state property is not a move anybody involved makes lightly, but in this case it is necessary. Under the Center’s ownership, it will become possible for thousands of disadvantaged children on Chicago’s West Side to benefit from renovations to the site.” 

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