Des Plaines fire chief to retire « chicagoareafire.com

Excerpts from the randolphheraldtribune.com:

Des Plaines Police Chief William Kushner will take the position of director of public safety when Fire Chief Alan Wax retires on Oct. 18. Kushner will oversee operations of both the police and fire departments during the search for a new fire chief.

Kushner’s salary will increase 5% while he serves as director of public safety, then return to its current level of about $160,000 once a full-time fire chief is in place. The city manager estimates the process to hire a new fire chief will take 6-8 months. In the meantime, he plans to contract recruiters to create and distribute ads to attract candidates. Despite acknowledging that having a permanent public safety director overseeing both departments would save money, he said it’s better to have separate chiefs leading each agency.

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax, Des Plaines fire chief to retire, Des Plaines Fire Department, Des Plaines to appoint police chief as public safety director, Police Chief William Kushner

Excerpts from deplaines.org:

After more than 10 years of service with the Des Plaines Fire Department, Chief Alan Wax has announced his retirement on October 18, 2019.

Des Plaines Fire Chief Alan Wax

Chief Wax joined the Des Plaines Fire Department in October 2009, bringing with him 30 years of experience as a highly respected and dedicated firefighter. He is looking forward to spending more time with his family and the opportunities that the future may bring.

Chief Wax was an active participant in regional and state-wide public safety initiatives, seconded only by his ongoing involvement with nonprofit organizations such as Operation North Pole and local community-minded groups.

In response to Chief Wax’s announcement, the city will appoint Police Chief William Kushner as Director of Public Safety. He will oversee the administration of both the fire and police departments, focused on enhancing the continuity of the city’s highly respected emergency response services, while continuing to serve as police chief.

With over 40 years of public safety experience and leadership, Chief Kushner will optimize the mutual collaboration that currently exists between the city’s fire and police personnel.