La Grange addressed first responder needs Monday by swearing in a new Fire Chief and a new Patrol Officer.
The Village Board unanimously approved the appointment of Daniel Reda to replace the outgoing Fire Chief, Steve Norvilas.
“I’ve always liked the area, and the town is beautiful,” Reda said when asked what interested him in the Village. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about the department … I like the smaller setting.”
Reda began Dec. 18 as an “at-will” employee, meaning that he serves without a contract. His salary will be $146,560 and he is eligible for all employee health care benefits. He will also participate in the Fire Pension Fund.
Reda said that his first priority would be to become familiar with his staff.
“First and foremost is to meet the guys and go over what’s worked, what hasn’t worked and what we can improve on,” he said, going on to say that the being acclimated to the new department could take up to six months.
Reda, 51, grew up in Orland Park, graduated from Sandburg High School and has spent his career in fire service, beginning at the Tinley Park Fire Department, where he began as an entry level firefighter.
From there, he gradually progressed up the department’s command, starting with Engineer, moving up to Lieutenant, then Captain, and Assistant Chief, and finally, Deputy Chief.
While the bulk of his career has been with Tinley Park, Reda also served for four years as Fire Chief of the Blue Island Fire Department.
His background includes experience in planning, budgeting, coordinating training, and focusing on next-generation recruitment.
Reda also has a record of service in professional organizations outside his official duties. That record includes serving as Senior Advisor to the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), Division 24.
MABAS is a statewide mutual aid response system for fire, EMS, and special incident operational teams. Reda also served as Secretary to the Executive Board of the MABA 22 Chiefs Association.
Reda is a member of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and holds certificates from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall, the National Fire Academy, the Intergovernmental Risk Management Association, and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Also sworn in Monday was a new probationary Patrol Officer, Marisol Aleman.
Aleman graduated from the Illinois State Police Academy in 2016, an Associates in Applied Science from Robert Morris University, and spent most of her career since then as an officer with the Metra Police Department in Chicago.
The next La Grange Village board meeting will be 7:30 p.m., Jan. 22, at the La Grange Village Hall, 53 S. La Grange Road.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
