Pease Named Highland Park Fire Chief

From City of Highland Park

Fire Chief Patrick Tanner will be recognized by City Council for 29 years of service to the City of Highland Park at the City Council Meeting on December 1, 2014. Chief Tanner announced his plan to retire effective December 1 after a rewarding career with the Highland Park Fire Department.

“I am thankful to the City for allowing me to serve the residents of Highland Park for 29 years in a profession that I absolutely love,” Chief Tanner said on his retirement. “Having started my fire service career in Highland Park at age 19, I consider it the City that I grew up in and I leave knowing know the city is in excellent hands.”

City Manager Ghida Neukirch is pleased to announce the promotion of Deputy Fire Chief Dan Pease to Fire Chief of the Highland Park Fire Department following Chief Tanner’s retirement.

“Dan has served the Highland Park Fire Department for 27 years and has earned numerous honors throughout the years for his service,” City Manager Ghida Neukirch stated. “He brings to the position a wealth of experience, great leadership, a teamwork approach and an extraordinary commitment to the Department and the City.”

Pease started with the Highland Park Fire Department in 1987 as a firefighter and emergency services technician. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1997, Battalion Chief in 2008 and Deputy Fire Chief in 2010.

Pease is certified in a multitude of areas including Hazardous Materials Incident Command, Weapons of Mass Destruction Response, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, National Incident Management System, PADI Ice, Evidence and Open Water Diver/Rescue, and has been a certified paramedic since 1989. He serves on the Board of Directors for both the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy (NIPSTA) and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division 3.

Pease holds a Bachelors of Science from Southern Illinois University.

“It has been a privilege serving the City of Highland Park in the various positions I have held over the past 27 years,” Deputy Fire Chief Dan Pease said. “As Chief, it will be my honor to lead this department into the future. I look forward to fulfilling our department’s mission and working with the residents, business owners and city staff.”

Dan Pease will become the City’s Fire Chief effective on December 2, 2014.