Merrionette Park Fire Department news

Excerpts from ChicagoCBSlocal.com: More than a dozen firefighters in the small suburb of Merrionette Park have either resigned or weren't reappointed, leaving the fire department operating at less than half its usual strength. However, the fire chief insists that operations are continuing without any disruption. Merrionette Park is a tiny community, covering less than half a square mile. Its fire department operates on a unique model: firefighters are only paid when they respond to calls. They are appointed annually for their on-call positions, which means their availability depends on the village’s needs. Tony Calzaretta, vice president of the Merrionette Park Firefighters Association, said he and 13 others resigned after Fire Chief Tom Wendt replaced three long-time high-ranking officers — a deputy chief, a captain, and a lieutenant. Wendt took over as 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 anyway. He plans to appoint 10 new firefighters at the next village board meeting on May 17. Additionally, starting next month, two firefighters will be stationed at the firehouse around the clock. Calzaretta expressed concerns that the new hires won’t have the experience or local knowledge that the departing firefighters brought. “What’s going to happen is more of the experience that knows the town, the rigs, and the procedures is going to leave,” he said. “He’s replacing it with outsiders and young people who haven’t worked in the fire service before.” From the Merrionette Park Fire Fighters Association Facebook page: The Merrionette Park Fire Fighters Association would like to take a moment to recognize the 17 members who were not re-appointed by the village or who resigned this week. These individuals have been the backbone of the MPFD, contributing tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of combined hours of service to the community. From responding to fires and emergency medical calls, to participating in charity work, completing ongoing training, and volunteering countless unpaid hours at the firehouse, these members have always given their all. Their dedication has helped transform the department over the years. If you ask any firefighter in the surrounding area about where MPFD was 10 years ago versus now, they’ll tell you it’s nothing short of amazing. These members are the reason for that progress. We invite you to look through 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 part of the 120 years of combined service that will be leaving the village as of May 1, 2017. Here are the names and years of service of those leaving: - 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 (will not return from leave) Thank you, Josh.

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