Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:
Glenview Fire Chief Ralph Ensign
Glenview Fire Chief Ralph Ensign is set to retire after a 43-year career as a firefighter, 24 of those in Glenview. Ensign’s retirement follows the June retirement of Deputy Fire Chief Paul Klicker.
Ensign began his career in Winnetka as a firefighter/paramedic. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University, he joined the Highland Park Fire Department in 1978 where he became a lieutenant in 1989 and captain in 1991. Ensign also worked as a paid-on-call and paid-on-premise firefighter with the Northfield Fire-Rescue Dept. Ensign’s father retired as assistant chief in Northfield in 1979. Hired by Glenview as a deputy chief in 2008, Ensign took over leadership of the department when Wayne Globerger retired in 2014.
During his career Ensign assisted in development of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division III Hazardous Materials Response Team as a founding member or the organization. He played a key role in moving firefighters out of Station 6 on Glenview Road to make way for the Midtown Square development, and in the design and construction of the new Station 6 on the site of the old village hall on Waukegan Road.
After retiring from Glenview’s department in June, Deputy Chief Klicker took a job as chief of the Spring Grove Fire Protection District in McHenry County.
Tony DeRose and Mike Rutkowski have been hired to replace Ensign and Klicker as deputy chiefs. Both will start Monday, Sept. 16. Battalion chiefs will run day-to-day operations during the week-long gap between Ensign’s retirement in early September and DeRose and Rutkowski’s start date.
DeRose, hired as a deputy chief, will serve as interim fire chief. He is currently a battalion chief for the Countryside Fire Protection District with 19 years as a firefighter. Mike Rutkowski, is a battalion chief for the Grayslake Fire Protection District has 20 years as a firefighter. Both will earn $145,000 annual salaries. DeRose will be paid an additional $15,000 stipend for his role as interim chief.
