Posts Tagged Oak Forest Fire Chief David Griffin

Oak Forest Fire Department news

Excerpts from the Village of Oak Forest:

The City of Oak Forest has named Jack Janozik as its new fire chief and Patrick Duffy as its new deputy fire chief, effective immediately. Both appointments were approved on March 22 after the city council accepted the resignation of former Fire Chief David Griffin.

Janozik was hired by the City of Oak Forest in 1986 as a paramedic/firefighter. In 2009, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He also served as the director of the Fire Prevention Bureau, and in 2014 was appointed to the position of deputy fire chief.

Throughout his tenure with the department, Janozik has received two merit awards from the city and earned recognition from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. He earned two associate’s degrees in fire service management studies and emergency medical services/paramedic studies from Moraine Valley Community College and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in fire and emergency services management. He also has completed his certification as a chief fire officer through the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and serves as a member of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) 24 Safety Officer Response Team.

Duffy was hired by the City of Oak Forest in 1989 as a paramedic/firefighter and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2008. In this role, Duffy was responsible for staffing and scheduling, conducting business premise inspections, responding to multiple alarm incidents as a safety officer for MABAS Division 24, maintaining the National Fire Incident Reporting System, supporting the computer-aided dispatch program, and coordinating the use, maintenance and purchase of communication devices.

Duffy earned a bachelor’s degree in fire service management from Southern Illinois University and is currently pursuing a master’s of public administration from Governors State University. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Associated Firefighters of Illinois, the Illinois Association of Fire Chiefs, and the National Fire Academy Alumni Association.

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Oak Forest fire chief resigns

Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:

David Griffin has resigned from his position as Oak Forest’s fire chief after being put on leave earlier this month.

In a March 8 letter to the mayor, Griffin said that he was resigning from his position as chief due to personal reasons, but asked that he immediately return to the department with his rank of lieutenant.

Griffin, who was named to the chief’s position in June 2014, was placed on paid administrative leave March 3 after some purchase invoices for the department were red-flagged as requiring further investigation, City Administrator Troy Ishler said. The invoices were not paid by the city. Ishler said Griffin remains on leave from the department, and it has not yet been determined when he will return as a lieutenant.

The city council may be asked at its meeting Tuesday to approve a new or interim chief. John Janozik is the department’s deputy chief.

Griffin, 43, of Tinley Park, has been with the fire department more than 15 years and has held the rank of lieutenant since 2012. He was appointed chief to replace retiring Chief Terry Lipinski.

thanks Dan

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New fire chief for Oak Forest

The Southtown Star has an article about a new fire chief in Oak Forest:

Oak Forest aldermen on Tuesday night approved the appointment of David Griffin as fire chief, replacing retiring Chief Terry Lipinski.

Griffin, who became the interim deputy fire chief last month, has served 14 years with the Oak Forest Fire Department and was in charge of training. He said Lipinski ran the department well, and “it’s going to be a fairly easy transition for us. I don’t think anything needs to be remodeled.”

Replacing Griffin as deputy chief will be John Janozik, a 28-year department veteran whom aldermen also appointed Tuesday night. He served as the department’s first deputy chief for one year in 1996.

Griffin was named interim deputy chief May 27 after aldermen removed Deputy Chief Charles Sopko from the position. Sopko had been on paid suspension since he and his wife were indicted in December, accused of embezzling about $352,000 over 30 months from the Palos Heights Fire Protection District where Michelle Sopko worked part time as an administrative assistant/bookkeeper.

Griffin said Charles Sopko still is employed by the fire department, but neither he nor Janozik were certain of Sopko’s status, specifically whether he remains suspended with pay.

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