Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:

The Des Plaines Fire Department added two firefighter/paramedics – Ryan Lomen of Crystal Lake and George Trikolas of Orland Park who join 93 fire department employees with sworn positions, including 87 emergency response shift personnel.

During their nine-week fire academy program at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy, theywere part of a company that earned the highest honors for physical achievement. Both also earned high academic honors at the academy.

Before he decided to become a firefighter, Lomen had already been a licensed paramedic for six years. 

Trikolas, who was a U.S. Marine for four years, already had years of experience as a paramedic and worked for a private company as well as Wheaton Emergency Medical services after graduating from EMT school.