Excerpts from daily-journal.com:
The mayor recently confirmed that Bradley is looking to make changes within the fire department following the departure of its interim chief. However, he didn’t provide clarity on who will be leading the department or how it will work with the neighboring Bourbonnais Fire Protection District. One potential solution being considered is temporarily placing Bourbonnais Fire Protection District Chief Ed St. Louis in charge of the Bradley department.
Six months ago, the village hired Jim Eggert as an interim fire chief for a six-month term, with the option to extend if a permanent replacement wasn’t found. The total cost for his six months was $66,000. Eggert left on Friday, but no new chief has been appointed yet. According to the mayor, the decision not to renew his contract came down to financial concerns.
Throughout Tuesday, it remained unclear who was officially in charge of the Bradley Fire Department. At least one firefighter believed that St. Louis had already taken over. However, Captain Kevin Goudreau, the union president, and Captain Greg Glidewell, the department’s highest-ranking members, maintained control until they received new instructions. They were scheduled to meet with St. Louis and village officials later that night. Goudreau suggested that St. Louis might be named the temporary chief, possibly as part of a broader plan to consolidate the two departments.
The union isn’t against consolidation, but they feel caught off guard by the recent developments. If the departments merge, it would require approval from the village board. With six full-time employees, the department handles around 3,000 calls annually—nearly doubling since it became a full-time operation 15 years ago. For months, the union has been negotiating for a new contract after the previous one expired in April.
In 2005, the Illinois Firefighters Association conducted an assessment of the department and recommended several key improvements, including increased staffing, the establishment of a second fire station, closer collaboration with other departments, and better performance tracking software.
Local fire departments often assist each other with emergency calls. Because of its limited staff, Bradley relies heavily on support from Bourbonnais. However, Bourbonnais is seeking an agreement that would allow it to handle all calls north of Armour Road—an area with more privately insured customers, which means higher reimbursement rates. “We don’t want to lose those calls because we’d be losing revenue,†said Goudreau. He believes it would be better for Bourbonnais to respond regardless of the neighborhood.
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