Schaeferville Fire Department

09/22/2026

Schaeferville Fire Protection District has been awarded $144,761.90 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

Together with the District’s required local cost share of $7,238.10, this represents a total project investment of $152,000.

This new equipment will provide our firefighters with safe, functional respiratory protection while operating at fires and in other hazardous environments.

We also thank Rep. Darin LaHood and Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth for their continued support of federal fire-service grant programs. Programs like the Assistance to Firefighters Grant make critical safety improvements possible for small departments and the communities they serve.

We are grateful for this opportunity to complete a long-overdue equipment upgrade and better protect the members who answer the call for our community.

09/13/2026

Future firefighters in training! 🚒

The kids have been getting a little hands-on experience today—taking the hose, taking aim, and knocking down their very own “house fire.”

It’s been a lot of fun watching them figure it out, get a little wet, and see what it’s like to handle the hose.

Stop by and let your little firefighter give it a try! 🔥🚒

Schaeferville Fire Protection District — Neighbors Serving Neighbors

09/13/2026

We got back to our roots yesterday, with our tender tending to the horses at the Marigold Festival. 🐴🚒

Did you know that by the latter half of the 1800s, much of the fire service relied on horse-drawn apparatus? Caring for and tending to those horses was part of the firefighters’ daily responsibilities.

The equipment has changed quite a bit since then, but every once in a while the fire department still gets called on to take care of the horses.

We were happy to get back to our roots and lend a hand at a great community event!

09/06/2026

We want to start by thanking the Illinois State Fire Marshal, State Representative Travis Weaver, and Senator Neil Anderson for their support of programs that provide critical funding to fire departments across Illinois.

For small districts like ours, programs like this make a real difference. As the cost of protective equipment continues to rise, grant funding helps us replace aging gear, improve firefighter safety, and make the most of the local resources entrusted to us.

This new gear will directly protect the firefighters who answer the call for our community, and we’re grateful to have it going into service.

08/29/2026

Today, we had the incredibly difficult task of laying one of our own to rest.

There are no words that make a day like today easier. Saying goodbye to Ethan was something none of us were ready to do, but we are deeply grateful that we did not have to do it alone.

To everyone from our community who came out today, sent a message, shared a memory, offered a kind word, or simply stood alongside us — thank you. To the firefighters, first responders, honor guards, and departments from across the area who came to pay their respects and help us honor Ethan, your presence meant more to us and to his family than we can adequately express.

Ethan’s time with us was far too short, but the friendships he made, the lives he touched, and the memories he left behind will remain a part of this department for years to come.

Rest easy, Ethan. Your watch has ended, but you will always be one of us.

And as we move forward from an incredibly difficult week, we ask everyone to take care of one another. Check on your friends. Check on your family. Check on the person who always seems to be okay. Sometimes the people who need us most are the ones who have the hardest time saying so.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. You do not have to carry it alone.

988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 anytime, 24/7.

Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.

For first responders
Safe Call Now: 1-206-459-3020 — confidential crisis support for first responders and their families.

Please look out for one another. It matters.

08/27/2026

At the request of Ethan’s family, we would like to invite any area fire departments and fire service personnel who wish to pay their respects to Firefighter Ethan Venzon this Saturday.

Services will be held Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Henderson Funeral Home & Crematory, 2131 Velde Drive, Pekin.

Visitation: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Memorial Service: 12:00 p.m.

A uniformed first responder walk-through will take place prior to the noon memorial service on Saturday. All first responders wishing to participate are asked to arrive no later than 11:30 a.m. to allow time to assemble and organize prior to the walk-through.

Please feel free to share this with other area departments or fire service members who may wish to attend and honor Ethan’s memory.

Please message our page or email us at [email protected] to receive updates.

08/26/2026

The outpouring of love and support for Ethan, his family, and our department over the past few days has meant more than we can put into words.

We have appreciated every message, every kind word, and especially the stories and memories people have shared about Ethan. Each one has been a reminder of how many lives he touched in his 24 years.

Ethan’s obituary and service information are now available at the link below. For those who knew him, we hope you’ll continue to share your stories and memories. For those who didn’t, we hope they give you a glimpse of the young man we were fortunate enough to call one of our own.

The best way we can honor Ethan is to keep his memory alive—in the stories we tell, the laughs we remember, and the ways we continue to look out for one another.

Thank you for standing beside Ethan’s family and our department during an incredibly difficult time.

https://www.hendersonfuneralcare.com/obituaries/ethan-venzon?fbclid=IwdGRleAT7U9RwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNNWKeEuqBS1_x_hJB-4F5WYPZM0sWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5bRJgd9KK_IULu0it1GIRjAZfTD3FXCG983p8zbyIJT1HmrPkXuI-lY84l-Q_aem_pDgZIG4wSSInLi9P-CdTzQ

View Ethan Scott Venzon's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/25/2026

It is with tremendous sadness that we share the passing of one of our own, Firefighter Ethan Venzon.

We have struggled with finding the right words today. Out of respect for Ethan’s family and their wishes, we also wanted to give them the time they needed before we shared anything publicly.

Ethan wasn’t simply a member of our department. He was our friend, our brother, and part of our fire department family. His loss hurts, and he will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him and serving alongside him.

Our hearts are with Ethan’s family and everyone who loved him. In the days ahead, we hope people will remember Ethan for who he was, the friendships he made, and the lives he touched.

Rest easy, Ethan. We’ll take it from here.

06/23/2026

🚒 All Aboard for Training Night 🚂

Tonight we learned about locomotive operations, railroad safety, and hazardous materials response.

Despite what some of our firefighters may have hoped, “I played with trains as a kid” does not qualify someone to drive a locomotive.

A big thank you to our local partners for helping us better understand the unique challenges of rail emergencies and how to keep both responders and the public safe.