Tim Isaac's indigestion had caused heartburn that wouldn’t go away. It was Valentine’s Day and he had stopped to eat in Rock Falls with his wife and sister-in-law on their way to Clinton, Iowa. Soon, he would be slumped over the wheel of the moving car he was driving.

In addition to supporting co-workers, many other personality traits are needed for a career in EMS. Among them are problem solving, flexibility, adaptability, compassion, empathy and teamwork.

For Erie native Chad Miner, emergency medical services is a family business.

Nick Dinges has grown Dinges Fire Company into a major player in the fire service industry while remaining local in Amboy. As a fireman himself, Dinges jumped at the opportunity to be part of creating and distributing fire safety equipment.

The police academy at Sauk Valley Community College is the eighth academy in Illinois and the first in northern Illinois. It opened its doors on Aug. 8, 2022. The first class, made up of 21 recruits, graduated in January 2023.

For Erie native Chad Miner, emergency medical services is a family business.

Over the past few months, newsrooms across the Shaw Local News Network have been interviewing, filling notebooks and assembling stories about the first responders who serve cities and counties throughout northern Illinois.

A May 15 program at the the Whiteside County Senior Center will go over safety tips for seniors.

The Rock Falls Police Department is working to educate area residents on the realities of policing through its Citizen Police Academy and Law Enforcement Explorer Post No. 626.