Westmont, Illinois -- Date Issued: November 8, 2021
At a recent Village Administration Committee meeting, several Westmont Fire Department personnel were recognized.
PROMOTION
Lieutenant Tom Bills was promoted to Battalion Chief. Tom has served the Westmont Fire Department for almost 25 years and is the department’s quartermaster along with overseeing the Fire Department’s candidate program.
SERVICE AWARDS
Bob Barr was honored for his 45 years of volunteer service with EMA (Emergency Management Agency). Bob has been a volunteer since 1976 when the program was called ESDA. He has been an EMA Lieutenant for the past 15 years.
Deputy Fire Chief Jim Connolly was recognized for his 40 years of service with the Westmont Fire Department. He has been with the department since 1981 and has held the rank of Deputy Chief since 1993.
CHIEF FIRE OFFICER CERTIFICATION
Westmont Deputy Chief Kevin O’Hare recently completed a one-year certification course to earn the title of Chief Fire Officer (CFO). This is the highest level of certification fire department personnel can achieve. Westmont Fire Department now has a total of five employees that hold this certification.
FIRE CHIEF’S CITATION AWARD
Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley presented the Fire Chief’s Citation Award to three Westmont Firefighter/Paramedics, Matthew McCarthy, Patrick Lenzi, and Andrew Puckett, who participated in a 12-day deployment to Louisiana for Hurricane IDA relief efforts. They traveled to Louisiana and assisted communities with firefighting as well as tree removal and potential carbon monoxide hazards.
After receiving their awards, Firefighter/Paramedics McCarthy, Lenzi, and Puckett stated their great appreciation for the support they received from Fire Chief Steve Riley as they embarked on the deployment. presented a plaque to Fire Chief Riley for his dedication in sending the members off to Louisiana at 4:00 a.m. and welcoming them back home 12 days later at 2:30 a.m. The special plaque includes 2 flags that were flown on the back of fire engine 181 the entire time it was in Louisiana assisting the resident in the time of need.
The Fire Chief, Mayor and Village Board would like to thank all who were recognized for their continued service and dedication to the Village of Westmont.
Photos from the meeting are posted in the Village of Westmont photo gallery.
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