Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

An Oak Park firefighter died Monday night just hours after finishing his shift. Firefighter Kenneth K. Harris, 56, was found dead in his Berwyn home the evening of Jan. 11. Harris was a 28-year veteran of the Oak Park Fire Department.

According to Deputy Fire Chief Peter Pilafas, Harris had just worked a 24-hour shift, ending the morning of Jan. 11. Afterward, Harris put in another six hours of fire prevention work. “I actually saw him on Jan. 11 in the morning,” Pilafas said. “He just got off a shift. He seemed perfectly fine.”

With the department still coming to grips with the loss of its colleague, Pilafas recalled only positive memories of his late friend.

“He was a hard worker who was a fireman’s fireman,” Pilafas said. “He truly understood the commitment of the job, loved being a firefighter, loved the Oak Park Fire Department and loved serving the village of Oak Park. What’s going to be missed is he always put a smile on your face even when you had a bad day. He’s not replaceable. He will be sorely missed.”

Harris leaves behind a wife, five children and three grandchildren.

thanks Dan

Tags: Deputy Fire Chief Peter Pilafas, IAFF Local 95, Kenneth K. Harris, Oak Park Firefighter dies after shift, Oak Park Firefighter Paramedic Ken Harris