When moving to a new area, home buyers don't want to have to be looking over their shoulders for muggers all the time. They need to trust that their employers will give them proper training and safety gear for operating lifting slings for example. They want to know that their drinking water isn't contaminated with heavy metals. In other words, they want to know that they can trust their new city to keep them safe. Aurora healthcare officials want those looking at real estate in their area to know that they take their health and safety very seriously, so we're passing this information on to you.
Crime
In the 1990s, Aurora, IL developed a reputation as a hotbed of gang activity. During this time crimes, from petty theft of water treatment chemicals for backyard pools to drive-by shootings, were at their highest levels in years. However, the Aurora Police Department with help from the FBI conducted Operation First Degree Burn which resulted in the arrest and subsequent convictions of 31 gang members, many of whom were leaders. Since then crime rates have fallen dramatically, a situation that is maintained by the Cease Fire program run by the Police Department which keeps at-risk kids away from gangs.
Safety Services
Aurora, Illinois's fire department has been serving the city for over 150 years. With nine stations throughout the city the fire services stand ready to handle everything from a kitchen grease fire to the explosion of a central heating boiler. The Aurora police department handles crime response and prevention, with special programs for crime-free multi-family housing, neighborhood watch training, and curfews for teenagers. The city's health and safety department handles workplace inspections to insure that all employers are following national standards on workplace safety.
Citizen Observer Program
Aurora, Illinois' reputation is admittedly not that great when it comes to health and safety. Some new residents worry whether coming here as part of a foreign worker program was a mistake that might end with them being the victim of a crime. However, the city of Aurora has taken steps to rectify this perception with the Citizen Observer program. This web-based service gives citizens access to real-time data on crimes and missing persons in the city so they can see exactly what's going on. It also acts as a portal for citizens to report anything suspicious to Aurora PD.
Hospitals and the Environment
As an industrial city Aurora has had its problems with pollution, particularly in the Fox River. However, a cleanup operation is underway thanks to state funding and the work of volunteers, so that someday the river might be clean again. For the time being, though, if you fall in or you have an accident involving xray shielding you may want to report to one of Aurora's two hospitals, both of which are equipped to handle trauma. Provena Mercy also has special capabilities in obstetrics, behavioral treatment, and pediatric cardiology. Across town, Rush-Copely specializes in cancer care and neuroscience.
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