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June 11, 2001
More than 100 area firefighters recently participated in a day-long training workshop sponsored by Nicor Gas at the company's Troy Grove Fire School.
Following the workshop, one firefighter said, "I learned a lot about natural gas and the way it's distributed, but more importantly, I experienced first hand how to most effectively extinguish natural gas fires."
According to Dave Grote, Nicor Gas manager of fleet management and safety, the company has been offering fire training to municipal fire departments since 1971. And since that time more than 3,000 fire department personnel throughout northern Illinois have participated in the training.
"Each Fire School session is limited to 26 students, which allows individualized instruction by qualified professionals," said Grote. "We typically hold four one-day workshops each May." "Participants experience both classroom instruction and realistic, hands-on training. In the hands-on training session, instructors first demonstrate proper technique and then participants practice the technique as they encounter different types of fires in varying environments," added Grote.
"I think it's great that Nicor Gas offers this training," said one firefighter. "We often work with Nicor Gas employees in the community, and that partnership is key when working in emergency situations. But this program extends that partnership beyond emergencies," he added.
Nicor Gas Fire School is conducted on a 10-acre site located in Troy Grove, Ill., about 80 miles west of Chicago. The Fire School was built in 1967 to train company employees.
Nicor Gas serves nearly two million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. The company has provided reliable natural gas services for more than 45 years.
Nicor (NYSE: GAS) is a holding company. Its principal businesses are Nicor Gas, one of the nation's largest gas distribution companies, and Tropical Shipping, a containerized shipping business that operates between Florida and the Caribbean. Nicor also owns several energy-related subsidiaries and is a partner in Nicor Energy, a provider of unregulated energy products and services. For more information, visit the Nicor web site at www.nicorinc.com. | 
