New Arlington Hts. fire chief thanks 'family'
More than two decades after joining the Arlington Heights Fire Department, Andrew Larson has formally taken the helm as only the sixth chief in the department's history.
His ascent of the department ranks - from his hiring in 1997 as a firefighter to his appointment as chief last month - was by no means an individual effort, Larson said.
The Sycamore resident thanked those in the village board room who were there for his swearing in ceremony Monday night, including others in the fire service industry, where co-workers become like family, he said.
"As I have risen through the ranks of the fire department, acquiring many life lessons and hopefully maturing, I am appreciating the positive aspects that family brings to my life each and everyday," he said.
Larson was Village Manager Randy Recklaus' choice to succeed Ken Koeppen, who stepped down last November to become deputy chief of administration at the Schaumburg Fire Department.
He has spent 22 years in Arlington Heights, including time as a firefighter/paramedic, firefighter/engineer, lieutenant, battalion chief and deputy chief. He was appointed acting fire chief last November and, in February, Recklaus chose him to take the job on a permanent basis.