KIRKLAND – Kris Habermehl of Davis Junction watches over people from above and saves them from fire. Habermehl is a real-life angel: his wings are helicopter propellers and he helps put out fires as a volunteer firefighter.

He has been on the air since 1992, reporting traffic and breaking news. During his more than 25 years as an airborne reporter 1,000 feet above ground in a helicopter, he has won five Emmy awards: two for camera work and three for reporting.

He has found missing people, spotted fires, traffic and airplane accidents and was a first responder in Fairdale after the town was devastated by a tornado. He also is the color commentator of WBBM NewsRadio’s coverage of the annual Chicago Air and Water Show.

Habermehl’s desire to help others led to his joining the Kirkland Fire Department in 2005. He was named Kirkland’s Firefighter of the Year for 2015. He is the captain of the six-member Kirkland Fire Department Extrication Team, which competed in the 2016 National Vehicle Extrication Challenge in Clearwater, Florida, in November. The team qualified for the national event by winning first place at the Midwest Regional Extrication Competition in Cherry Valley in May.

Habermehl met with MidWeek reporter Katrina Milton to talk about firefighting, the Kirkland Fire Department Extrication Team and why helping and being involved in the community is important.

Milton: Tell me about the extrication challenge competitions.

Habermehl: Fire squads compete against each other to extricate people from cars. Extrication is actually a misnomer. You’re actually trying to remove the car from around the person. During the competition in May, we won first place in limited with only hand tools, first place in unlimited with hydraulics and first place overall. Winning the competition allowed us to travel to compete in the nationals in Florida.

Milton: What did you learn by competing?

Habermehl: We were able to get our feet wet and compete against national and world-class teams. This was the first time Kirkland was able to go to the national competition. We learned tips and points that we will be able to use on the street in Kirkland. We gained knowledge that we can pass on to local firefighters. It benefits everyone at large; we can better serve the public.

Milton: Is extrication a fast, urgent process?

Habermehl: Extrication is a rapid but metered operation. On the street, where a real patient may really be injured – as opposed to in an exercise or competition – time is of the essence. “Fast” is a relative term, since every crash is different, with different challenges. A judged competition is a world apart from the street. We are methodical during competition in order to hone our skills when they’re needed to be faster. Judges are looking to evaluate our technique in achieving our goal – getting the patient out safely. In real life, we will work diligently and quickly using the skills we possess to move metal and get a person to advanced care as rapidly as possible.

Milton: What do you do as the team’s captain?

Habermehl: I make all the decisions regarding procedures and extrication. I tell the team if we should do a roof removal, dash lift or remove the doors. It is definitely a team project, with tool handlers and an EMT. There are six people on the team: me, Jake Miller, Kevin Carlson, John Doles, Jenn Doles and Zach Wolf.

Milton: How did you become a traffic reporter?

Habermehl: During all of my jobs, people always told me that I had a good voice, that I should be on radio. I have been on the air for 25 years in Chicago. Twenty years were on CBS2 TV, the rest were on WMAQ AM670 as overnight traffic reporter, a stint on WLUP “The Loop” 97.9FM doing news, traffic, sports and weather. Then I was on WLS AM890 as a traffic reporter and now WBBM NewsRadio 780AM/105.9FM. I won five Emmy awards: two for camera work and three for reporting.

Milton: How did you help after the Fairdale tornado?

Habermehl: I was a first responder and helped in Fairdale after the tornado for two weeks. As first responders, we wanted to be there, not because it was our job, but because we wanted to. I helped establish “The Fairdale General Store,” a supply depot, in the middle of the tornado’s damage path. It was a message center and rendezvous point for everyone. It had supplies, such as food, drinks, bandaids, gloves, sunscreen and eyewash. Everything was sorted and separated. I was in Plainfield after their tornado, and I remember the devastation. Their houses, their neighborhood was gone. The residents had to return every day to dig through the remainder of their belongings. They were victimized again every day. After supplies were gathered, I thought that it was important for everything to be located at one central location. I wanted to normalize their lives somehow, give them a hug and handshake and tell them everything will be OK.

Milton: How did you come to live in the area and join the fire department?

Habermehl: I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and moved constantly. When the time came, I bought a farmhouse in Davis Junction. I wanted somewhere away from work, a farm with some acreage. I moved in 2004 and started collecting fire trucks. I purchased a 1938 Ford fire truck from the Kirkland Fire Department. It was leaking coolant and I realized it had two water pumps. I was working on the truck, when I was asked, “You’re here enough, why don’t you join the fire department?”

Milton: Have you always wanted to be a firefighter?

Habermehl: During the 1990s, I was covering a training burn in Schaumburg. They set fires and put it out. They handed me an air tank and gear and asked me to go in with them. So I went in, and I didn’t want to come out. I realized that fighting fires is a great way to do something for the community. You’re doing something for others, not yourself. Training makes sure nothing happens to you or others. It’s a wonderful way to give back to the community.

Milton: Did any event that you reported on change your perspective on emergencies?

Habermehl: I was 1,000 feet up, at the scene of someone’s worst nightmare. I was above the city’s Southeast side, and I had a break from 5 to 5:30 p.m. I was overlooking the boats and ships in the harbor, when a call came in. There was a call for the possible drowning of two young boys. I was right there, two minutes away. There was a run-down trailer park, with a bunch of people circled around a swimming hole, a glorified puddle. The boys’ legs were wrapped up in the vegetation and they couldn’t get out. The more they struggled, the more they were stuck. A man, probably a father, was in the water, trying to find them. I went on air, covering the breaking news.

Milton: What happened next?

Habermehl: A fire engine approached, using a hose filled with air as a floatation device. After 25 minutes, the two boys were removed from the water, lifeless. It was extremely emotional, and I was told that I did a good job handling it. I never thought that at the time, but it taught me a life lesson. They did everything they could to save those boys. By joining the fire department, you could do something, interact with people.

Milton: What is being a firefighter like?

Habermehl: Being a part of a firefighting team is like being part of a brotherhood or sisterhood. People volunteer and can give the ultimate sacrifice during their service. ... We run into danger with our own free will. We’re running into the fire when others run out. When we come up to a scene and do well, we’re not doing it for bragging rights or awards. We just want everyone to be safe and to go home.