Des Plaines fire chief returning

Des Plaines Fire Chief Randy Jaeger plans to return to the job Monday after recuperating from two brain surgeries.

Seen in plainclothes at city hall Friday, Jaeger said he's headed back to the job after the weekend.

Jaeger has been on medical leave since September, just after he took over the fire department's top job. Jaeger succeeded retiring Fire Chief John Heavey on Sept. 3.

Doctors found bleeding in his brain and operated to remove the fluid in late September.

Three weeks later, doctors found more fluid and operated a second time.

Jaeger's return comes just in time for budget talks addressing a plan to build new fire stations.

Aldermen expect to make a decision Nov. 13 on whether to add at least one new fire station and rebuild the oldest of the department's three existing fire stations. That plan will cost at least $14 million.

Jaeger began his firefighter career in 1979, when he started with Bensenville. Later that year, he was called to the scene of the crash of American Airlines Flight 191, which killed 271 on board.

Jaeger became a Des Plaines firefighter paramedic in 1983 and then a lieutenant in 1990. He was promoted to captain in 1993 and to battalion commander in 2001. Jaeger became deputy fire chief in 2003.