Excerpts from the daily-journal.com:
The mayor recently announced that Bradley is set to make changes within the fire department following the departure of its interim fire chief. However, he didn’t clarify who will be leading the department or how it will work with the neighboring Bourbonnais Fire Protection District. One potential move under discussion is appointing Ed St. Louis, the chief of Bourbonnais Fire Protection District, as the temporary leader of the Bradley department.
About six months ago, the village hired Jim Eggert as an interim fire chief for a six-month term, with the possibility of extending it by another six months if they hadn’t found a permanent replacement. The total cost for his six-month stint was $66,000. Eggert’s last day was Friday, but no new chief has been named yet. According to the mayor, the decision not to renew his contract was based on budget concerns.
Throughout Tuesday, there was confusion about who was in charge of the Bradley Fire Department. Some members believed that Ed St. Louis had already taken over. Kevin Goudreau, a captain and president of the union, along with Capt. Greg Glidewell, stated they were still in command until told otherwise. They are the highest-ranking members. On Tuesday night, department staff were scheduled to meet with St. Louis and village officials. Goudreau suggested that St. Louis might be appointed as the temporary chief, possibly signaling a broader consolidation between the two departments.
While union members don’t necessarily oppose consolidation, they feel caught off guard by the recent developments. If the departments merge, it would require approval from the village board. Currently, the department has six full-time employees and handles around 3,000 calls annually—nearly doubling since it became a full-time department 15 years ago. For months, the union has been negotiating for a new contract to replace the one that expired on April 30.
According to recommendations from the Illinois Firefighters Association, which evaluated the department in 2005, the department should see a significant staffing increase, the addition of a second fire station, better coordination with other local departments, and improved software to track performance metrics.
Local fire departments often assist each other during emergencies. Bradley relies heavily on this support due to its limited staffing. The village values Bourbonnais as a key partner. However, Bourbonnais is pushing for an agreement where it would handle all calls north of Armour Road—an area with more privately insured customers, which means higher reimbursement rates.
"We don’t want to hand over those calls because we’d lose out on revenue," Goudreau said. "It would be better if Bourbonnais provided backup regardless of the neighborhood." This tension highlights the complex balance between financial sustainability and emergency response cooperation.
Thanks, Dennis
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