Excerpts from the ForestParkReview.com:
Phil Chiappetta is Forest Park’s new fire chief appointed by the mayor and unanimously approved by commissioners Sept. 28. He is replacing Chief Bob McDermott who retires effective Sept. 30, at which point he will join the North Riverside Fire Department as chief. Also retiring are Lieutenant Tom “TJ” Janopoulos and of Lieutenant Russ Nelson.
Chiappetta has served as deputy chief in Forest Park Fire since 2016. He started as a contract paramedic in 1997 and in 2001 was hired as the first firefighter/paramedic in Forest Park. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2010.
This appointment leaves an opening for deputy chief, a position that will take about 3-6 months to fill. The promotion must be made off a list of lieutenants who have taken the captain’s test, but currently there isn’t a list since none of the lieutenants took the last test that was offered. The village is working on scheduling the test now.
At the Sept. 28 meeting, the council voted to direct the Fire and Police Commission to appoint two candidates from its current fire lieutenant eligibility list and two candidates from its current probationary firefighter eligibility list to fill vacancies.
