Mount Prospect names four new fire lieutenants

Mount Prospect this week swore in four new fire lieutenants as well as the new fire chief and deputy chief whose appointments were announced a couple of weeks ago.

Village Manager Michael Cassady said the top tandem of Fire Chief Brian Lambel and Deputy Chief John Dolan came highly recommended by former Fire Chief John Malcolm, who was in attendance at Wednesday's meeting and is now the fire chief in Lake Zurich.

Cassady said the duo, who had held the jobs on an interim basis, met such administrative challenges as implementing the SAFER grant that enabled the department to hire six new firefighter paramedics.

Lambel, who grew up in Mount Prospect and recently relocated to the village, began his career in the fire service in 1990 and in Mount Prospect in 2000.

He previously served with the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District.

Dolan is a 19-year veteran, whose experience includes work as a diver.

He was introduced to the fire service through the paid-on-call program.

Lambel called him "a tremendous leader, well respected," adding "we will lead this department together."

The new lieutenants are Matthew Woleben, Todd Novak, Richard Schwegler and Thomas Wang.

Woleben served on the department's Technical Rescue Team and was involved in fire department committees.

Lambel referred to Novak as the department's "EMS guru," noting his participation in the hospital and EMS committees with the department.

Schwegler, Lambel said, over the years has gathered valuable information about buildings in town and systems, "some of the quirks that we have that most people aren't aware of" but are essential to firefighting.

Wang has been a part of numerous department committees.

"Tom is another future leader of our department," Lambrel said.

The village board also recognized Robert McKillop, a member of the board of fire and police commissioners from 2000 to 2008 and chairman from 2003 to 2008.