Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Two Libertyville firefighters who will be promoted to top spots next week share more than a long tenure on the department.

Mike Pakosta, is being promoted to deputy chief, and Mike Hall will be promoted to lieutenant taking Pakosta’s place on the same shift. They are hometown guys and childhood friends who met when they were 9 years old.

In 2002, Pakosta began his tenure in Libertyville. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2014 and will become the first deputy chief the department has had in about 25 years, as the position has been vacant due to budget considerations.

The Libertyville fire department has 41 full-time employees and six or seven of them are Libertyville natives, according to Chief Rich Carani.

Also Tuesday, firefighters Mike Stanek, Tom Pitel, Mike Grempka, Justin Haedt, Andrew Yarc and Jered Woodward will be recognized for an award sponsored by Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital recognizing team efforts that save lives.

thanks Dan