April 27, 2026

Orland Fire Protection District Makes 483 Public Documents Accessible to All Residents

New DocAccess platform gives the community searchable, translatable, mobile-friendly access to 5,235 pages of public information — including legacy files and archived content.

Orland Park, IL — April 27, 2026 — The Orland Fire Protection District today announced that it has made 483 public documents totaling 5,235 pages accessible through DocAccess by CivicPlus, giving residents a faster and more inclusive way to find the information they need.

With growing awareness of digital accessibility and as more residents expect to interact with their government online, the District said it is choosing to act now rather than wait — making sure people who use screen readers, families helping an aging parent, residents reading on a phone, and community members whose first language is not English can all reach public information on their own terms. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act has required equal access to State and local government services since 1990, and the District said this effort reflects a long-standing responsibility to residents, not a new burden.

The newly accessible collection includes board and committee meeting agendas, minutes, budgets, strategic materials, and other public records across the District’s website — including archived and legacy content. DocAccess transforms those PDFs into WCAG 2.1 Level AA-aligned HTML that is searchable, easier to navigate, and easier to translate, while preserving the integrity of the original documents.

“We wanted to make sure our documents work for real people, not just for people sitting at a desk with a perfect internet connection,” said John Purtill, Deputy Chief. “If someone is trying to understand a board packet, a budget, or an emergency-related notice, they shouldn’t have to struggle to get there. We’re proud to take this step now because it’s the right thing to do for our community.”

Residents can now view documents on mobile devices, translate content into more than 250 languages, and even ask questions about documents in their preferred language. The District also partnered with Aira.io to provide 24/7 live visual interpretation at no cost to the public, offering an additional layer of support for residents who need help navigating documents, filling out forms, or understanding content. Human support remains central to the effort, with both internal human-in-the-loop review and external accessibility experts available in English and Spanish.

“Even with fully remediated files, we can never fully assume what questions or needs might arise,” Purtill said. “That’s why we wanted a solution that brings together technology, human support, and humility. People deserve options.”

DocAccess also gives the District new analytics tools that show which documents generate the most interest, what questions residents are asking, and which languages are being used. Those insights will help the District communicate more clearly and respond with data-informed transparency — while protecting privacy through request-scoped processing, no AI model training on District content, and only aggregated, de-identified usage data.

About the Orland  Fire Protection District

The Orland Fire Protection District serves the residents and businesses of Orland Park, Orland Hills, Illinois, with fire protection, emergency response, prevention, and public safety services. The District is committed to serving the community with professionalism, transparency, and accessible public information.

About DocAccess by CivicPlus

DocAccess, a CivicPlus solution, transforms PDF documents into WCAG-aligned, searchable, and translatable formats, helping public-sector organizations meet ADA compliance requirements while improving transparency and access for all residents. Learn more at docaccess.com.