Excerpts from ChicagoCBSlocal.com:
A number of firefighters in the small suburb of Merrionette Park have stepped down or weren’t reappointed, leaving the fire department operating at less than half its usual capacity. However, Fire Chief Tom Wendt claims the department is still functioning smoothly.
Merrionette Park is a tiny community, covering less than half a square mile. The local fire department relies on part-time, on-call firefighters who are only paid when they respond to emergencies. These positions are renewed annually, and the firefighters are appointed for one-year terms.
Tony Calzaretta, vice president of the Merrionette Park Firefighters Association, said he and 13 others resigned after Chief Wendt replaced three long-serving officers — a deputy chief, a captain, and a lieutenant. Wendt took over as fire chief following the retirement of longtime leader Len Edling at the end of April.
According to Wendt, the firefighters who left were rarely showing up for calls. He plans to appoint 10 new firefighters at the next village board meeting on May 17. In addition, starting next month, two firefighters will be stationed at the firehouse around the clock.
Calzaretta, however, expressed concerns that the new hires lack the experience and local knowledge of those they’re replacing. “What’s going to happen is that the people who really know the town, the equipment, and the procedures are going to leave, and they’ll be replaced by outsiders and young people with no real fire service background,†he said.
From the Merrionette Park Fire Fighters Association Facebook page:
The Merrionette Park Fire Fighters Association would like to take a moment to honor the 17 members who either weren’t re-appointed by the village or chose to resign this week. These individuals have been the backbone of the MPFD, contributing tens of thousands—perhaps even hundreds of thousands—of combined hours to serve the community. Whether it was responding to fires, EMS calls, or hazardous material incidents, or supporting local charities, attending training sessions, or volunteering countless unpaid hours at the firehouse, these members have always given their all.
It's hard to put into words the bond these firefighters share. Their dedication over the years has been truly incredible. If you ask any firefighter in the surrounding area what they think about where MPFD was 10 years ago versus now, they’d say it's nothing short of amazing. These individuals are the reason for that transformation. We invite you to check out some of the photos in our Facebook album to get a glimpse into their lives over the past few years. This is just a small portion of the 120 years of service these members have contributed, which will be leaving the village as of May 1, 2017.
Here are the names and years of service of each member:
Katie Quinn Schneider – Dept. Secretary – 19 years (not reappointed)
Deputy Chief/EMT Pat Carter – 17 years (not reappointed)
Captain/Paramedic Tom Ziolkowski – 15 years (not reappointed)
Lt./EMT Jim Carter – 8 years (not reappointed)
Lt./Paramedic Tony Calzaretta – 7 years (resigned)
EMS Coordinator Shannon Ziolkowski – 8 years (resigned)
Engineer/Paramedic Kyle LaPorta – 6 years (resigned)
Engineer/Paramedic Joe LaPorta – 5 years (resigned)
FF/EMT Rick Whitlock – 6 years (resigned)
FF/Paramedic Mike Haas – 6 years (resigned)
FF/Paramedic Jeff Goworowski – 4 years (resigned)
FF/Paramedic Scott Staal – 4 years (resigned)
FF/Paramedic Connor Hughes – 3 years (resigned)
FF/Paramedic Sean O’Connell – 2 years (resigned)
FF/EMT Sean Devane – >1 year (resigned)
FF/EMT Mose Demasi – >1 year (resigned)
FF/EMT Chris Ibrahim – >1 year (resigned)
*Lt./Paramedic Joe Guarascio – 7 years (on leave, not returning)
Thanks Josh
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