Excerpts from mysuburbanlife.com:
After 33 years and eight months working for the Berwyn Fire Department – the past 11 years as chief – 58-year-old Denis O’Halloran’s last day on duty was April 2.
After a few years as an EMT, he became a Berwyn firefighter in August 1985. He was later promoted to lieutenant and then to deputy chief/shift commander. After nine years in that role, he was named fire chief in March 2008.
O’Halloran has seen the number of calls nearly double from 4,000 to 5,000 a year to around 8,000. Most of those are medical. About 250 are structure fires each year.
The department is more involved in the community under the leadership of O’Halloran, who made sure firefighters attended block parties and read to students at schools. Before he became chief, he started a Citizens Fire Academy, which teaches residents about the training firefighters go through, from setting splints to climbing fire ladders to using the jaws of life in a staged car accident. It meets each autumn.
Many memories will stay with him forever. In 1976, while in high school, he skipped church to watch the impressive fire at the Berwyn Lumber Yard. The biggest fire he worked was the one at the World’s Largest Laundromat on Cermak Road. Other memorable fires were at a RE/MAX office and the Seneca Restaurant, both on Cermak.
He and other Berwyn firefighters went to New Orleans to help with the cleanup after Hurricane Katrina.
O’Halloran is glad his career was spent working in his hometown. In 1974, he graduated from St. Leonard Grammar School. In 1978, he graduated from Morton West High School, where he played football. He attended the 40th reunion on crutches in September after his softball injury.
The fire department has a new chief. Thomas A. Hayes’ first day was April 3. Kris Coniglio is the department’s new assistant chief.
