Warm welcome home for new Naperville fire chief

For many, the holiday season meant time to take a break from work, but Naperville's new fire chief had a different game plan.

Mark Puknaitis, who was sworn in Dec. 16, spent the holiday lull getting acquainted with his new position so he can hit the ground running in 2009.

The longtime Naperville resident recently was chosen from more than 50 applicants to replace John Wu, who resigned abruptly in April.

He will oversee more than 200 employees and soon-to-be 10 fire stations.

Puknaitis has spent 23 years in the field, including the past 11 as deputy chief in Oak Park.

He has a master's degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. Puknaitis also has worked with Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and Illinois Fire Accreditation Managers group.

He recently spoke to the Daily Herald about his new role as Naperville's fire chief. Here is an edited version of that conversation:

Q. Why did you want this job?

A. First and foremost, this is an outstanding city, this is an exceptional fire department. After living in this community for roughly 18 years and being in fire service for nearly 23, I've always wanted to finish my career at the level of fire chief.

I certainly wanted to be chief of an organization that had an excellent reputation and a fire agency that was built on a high level of programs and initiatives that strives for public safety. Naperville is certainly one of those that stands above the rest not only in this state but around the country.

Q. What will you bring to the job?

A. I'll continue to bring something Naperville already has, which is professionalism. I'll continue to strive for that. I'll continue to enhance the already excellent services that are being provided.

What I'll also bring is a very objective outside viewpoint to look at all the services and all the areas this fire department offers to the city in a very objective way that uses an analytical process to look at the data that's presented. We'll make the best decisions for the community based on the data.

Q. How do you transition from outsider to being seen as the department's leader? What can firefighters expect from you as their chief?

A. The first thing I need to do is get an understanding of what this department is all about. The best way I can do that is to meet and get to know the people of the organization. I want to let them know this is who I am, this is what I look like and get a chance to talk to them briefly and get a chance to hear what their own outlook is of this department and where they feel this department is going or should be going in the future.

I want to meet everybody, communicate what I'm planning on doing. I think by doing that initially it will hopefully show a form of leadership that is open to communication, one that is collaborative. But, at the same time, I want everybody to know I am a decision-maker and I will take the information I receive and make the best decision I can for the community.

I also want to work very closely with other department heads and the city manager's office to make sure all of us collectively make the best decisions for the community. I certainly can't make those decisions on my own. It is a collaborative process.

Q. What is the biggest challenge facing the department?

A. With the economic downturn the department had to shift people around from different divisions and different levels ... and it had to do that in the wake of staff reductions. There has been no hiring of additional staff. So the challenge has been getting the job done. Not only getting the job done but getting the job done efficiently, thoroughly, the way this department has a reputation for but doing it with the limited number of people we have.

I think it's going to be the biggest challenge going forward, especially with Station 10 being built next year ... trying to determine how to initially staff that with existing staffing levels and making a determination going forward as to what those staffing levels are going to be going into the future.

I think a good fire service manager or any manager of an organization regardless of the economic conditions should always look at providing the most efficient services.

Q. What is the current plan for staffing Station 10?

A. From what I understand there is at least going to be a truck company and an ambulance there. There could possibly be an engine there as well.

Q. Is that still set to open in fall 2009?

A. Yes, it's on track to go forward with the time that was initially allotted and it's on schedule. The only thing up in the air going forward is staffing levels. But we need to staff it initially with existing staff and we will do that.

I want to continuously look at the resources we have. This community is still very dynamic. There could be new businesses that move into the city, there could be certain growth areas either from a business perspective or residential perspective that need to be protected and need to be examined.

What I plan on doing throughout my career here is to look at all the risk factors in the community and determine if we have the proper resources to mitigate those risks. Probably the most important aspect is if we have the correct response times to get to where we need to be.

Q. What response times can the community expect?

A. We are a nationally accredited agency ... and we have a "standard of cover." There's a response time objective, a goal we set forth.

(In Naperville it is) six minutes, 90 percent of the time. That includes from the time the call is initiated to the time we arrive on the scene.

That other 10 percent is devoted to those situations we have no control over.

Q. Is there anything you've seen so far you would like to do differently than it's been done in the past?

A. It's too early to say. I think this is an excellent department. I really think it has a lot going for it, it has a great reputation and from what I've seen it has a lot to be proud of in terms of the programs and services.

I want to continue that effort and at the same time look at everything this department does. If I see some weakness in areas - whether it be training, fire prevention, emergency medical services or just the general operations - I will hone in on those areas and do whatever I can to make suggestions on how to improve it even more.

Q. What else do you want residents to know?

A. I can't tell you how welcoming the city has been, the city staff in general but also the members of this department. It gave me a very warm feeling. I felt this way before I came on, but it gave me a bigger boost. I want to do everything I can to be the best leader I can for this organization. That just made me feel good about the people in this department.

Getting to know Mark Puknaitis

Family: Wife Cheryl; kids Mark, Kayte, Danny

Hobbies: Biking in summer, skiing in winter

Favorite Naperville restaurants: Angeli's, Catch35, Hugo's Frog Bar, Jilly's

Favorite firefighter movie: "It's good entertainment for people I'm with but personally I don't enjoy them that much because I don't see the reality in them. What I do like is the documentaries that are out there."

However, Puknaitis did get to watch "Backdraft" being filmed in Oak Park near his station and met Ron Howard and Kurt Russell.

Fun fact: He can play the clarinet, saxophone and keyboard.

Favorite band/musician: "I really like jazz artists in general. I like instrumentalists. There are so many out there - Harry Connick, Michael Buble - those guys are very talented people not only in voice but also instrumentals."

Leader you look up to: President George W. Bush. Although Puknaitis says he doesn't agree with all the president's decisions, "I respect him for the fact that he stood by his beliefs and that he stood by what he thought was right for the country even in light of many factions and individuals going against him."