Waconda Fire Chief David Dato « chicagoareafire.com

Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:

Longtime Wauconda Fire District Chief David Dato will retire in August, officials announced Friday. A traditional walkout ceremony is planned for Aug. 6, his last scheduled day of work.

Dato, 57, has served with the fire district, which covers Wauconda, Island Lake, and other nearby communities in Lake and McHenry counties, for 37 years. He’s been chief for 23 years, taking the reins in 1992. He began working with the department part-time while in college. He spent two years with the North Maine Fire Protection District in Des Plaines before joining the Wauconda district for good in 1984.

Although leaving the fire service, Dato said he is considering employment opportunities in public safety communications.

He’ll be replaced by Michael Wahl, the district’s deputy chief, who joined the Wauconda Fire District in 1987. He served as lieutenant and captain before being named deputy chief.

Tags: Deputy Chief Michael Wahl, fire chief to retire from Wauconda, Waconda Fire Chief David Dato, Wauconda Fire Department, Wauconda Fire District

The Chicago Tribune has an article about last night’s 2-Alarm fire for the Wauconda Fire District:

A fire caused extensive damaged to a Sikh temple in the far northwest suburbs.

Firefighters were called to the Guru Nanak Sikh Mission temple at 217 W. State Road in Island Lake at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday [to answer an automatic alarm] according to Wauconda Fire District officials. Firefighters arrived to see smoke “billowing from the building,” said Wacounda Fire Chief David Dato.

At first, firefighters were able to battle the blaze from inside the building but as flames spread, crews had to take a defensive position, Dato said.

Firefighters put out the blaze just after midnight, and no injuries were reported, officials said.

Fire officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as the Illinois state fire marshal’s office will investigate because the structure housed a place of worship.