Fire District Trustee Resigns, Board Appoints Commissioner To Seat

ORLAND PARK, IL — The Orland Fire Protection District Board of Trustees voted at a special meeting Friday evening to accept the resignation of longtime trustee Jim Hickey, and appoint in his place Fire Commissioner Dr. Beth Damas Kaspar.

Hickey, who has been on the board since 2009, resigned for personal reasons, according to the district. Dr. Damas Kaspar will serve as a trustee, formally running for the seat in the next election. Hickey's term was set to expire in May 2026.

Hickey's resignation and the appointment of his replacement come just weeks before newly elected trustees Angela Greenfield and Tina Zekich will take their seats.

The four remaining board members, President John Brudnak, Christopher Evoy, Craig Schmidt and Jayne Schirmacher, voted unanimously to approve Kaspar's appointment. The board discussed the appointment in executive session, and returned to vote on it publicly.

"We believe Beth will fulfill our commitment to ensure that the taxpayers of the Orland Fire Protection District continue to receive the best and most professional emergency response services from our first responders," said Board President John Brudnak.

"Our commitment has never wavered to ensure that our firefighters not only have the best equipment and training to do their jobs but receive the compensation and benefits suited to their phenomenal performances. We need individuals who understand that the priority is to ensure the Fire District continues to provide the most professional services to our residents."

Brudnak spoke about an effort to move the board away from politics, to focus almost exclusively on providing emergency services to residents, according to a release.

"We have a fully funded pension. 100 percent funded," he said. "That means there is no tax debt obligation that will be placed on the taxpayers, as unfortunately is the case with many other governments. The Orland Fire Protection District has the highest Cardiac Arrest Save Rate in the region and possibly the nation, 71 percent, compared to only 10-15 percent elsewhere. That is exactly why we are all here, to save lives and to ensure we have the absolute best firefighters and paramedics and emergency first responders."

"With great leadership and training, and support from a board that understands that the focus is on emergency services, not politics, the Fire District has an ISO 1 rating, the highest you can receive. That means lower insurance premiums for our residents. The higher the ISO rating the lower the insurance premiums. The lower the ISO rating, the higher the insurance companies charge residents in fire department jurisdictions."

Brudnak expressed the board's best wishes to Hickey, who has dedicated many years to making the fire district the best in the nation.

Kaspar will be administered the oath of office May 23, along with Zekich and Greenfield.

Kaspar's Background

Dr. Beth Ann Damas was born and raised in Lemont, Illinois. In 2005, she graduated as one of only five students with a dual DDS and MS degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. Upon graduation, Dr. Damas entered the private practice of general dentistry in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago from 2005 to 2008. Subsequently, Dr. Damas entered the endodontic residency program at the University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan. She completed her residency training in 2010.

Dr. Damas is an active member of the American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Association and the Chicago Dental Society. Her expertise includes regenerative endodontics in adolescents and she has presented this research to various study clubs nationally. Dr. Damas completed her American Board of Endodontics Diplomate certification in 2015, which is the highest academic achievement in the profession.

Dr. Damas resides in the southwest suburbs with her husband, two young children and dog. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading and creating art projects.

Dr. Damas has lived in Orland Park since 2012. She was appointed to the Orland Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners, which oversees personnel matters.

She is married to Scott Kaspar and they have two kids, Caroline and Caden, who attend St. Michael School.