Excerpts from the daily-journal.com:
Kankakee Fire Chief Damon Schuldt joined the Milford Fire Protection District in October 1984 starting his journey as a firefighter and paramedic. The journey led him to the Bradley department in September 1989, then to the Kankakee in December 1990, where he retired Friday as the department’s chief.
He was appointed the interim chief in May 2017 and then officially became the department’s 19th chief in August 2017.
He met with Mayor-elect Chris Curtis earlier this week and was informed he would be replaced as chief. Curtis has since announced his choice for fire chief will be Kankakee Fire Capt. Bryan LaRoche.
Schuldt said he thought about retiring last winter since he had reached 30 years of service but decided to stay on as the COVID-19 pandemic lingered.
Now there will be time for Schuldt and his wife, Gayle, to work on their collection of classic vehicles, travel and spend time with their two sons and daughter.
Looking back over the past four years as chief, Schuldt said he was able to get most of his five-year plan in place.
“We were able to purchase two much-needed ambulances, including both being the first-four-wheel drive ambulances in the department’s history,” he said. “We also secured two staff vehicles — one all-wheel drive Explorer for shift commanders and a car for the fire prevention bureau. We recently ordered a new pumper with great assistance from our apparatus committee, and laid the groundwork for the refurbishment of an engine.
“I strived to stand up for my department and at times had to go up against some aldermen to accomplish that.”
Helping the department get an ISO 1 rating for the city is another achievement he is proud to have obtained during his tenure.
In October 2020 he became one of 1,400 fire chiefs to achieve the Chief Fire Officer designation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission on Professional Credentialing.
As he looked back over the past four years, he said he tried his best guiding the department during his tenure.
thanks Dennis
