Department veteran chosen as new Lake Zurich fire chief

Longtime Lake Zurich firefighter David Pilgard will be sworn in as the village's new fire chief Tuesday night.

Pilgard, who joined the fire department in 1988 as a paid-on-call EMT/firefighter, has been a deputy chief since 2019 and has served as interim chief since the February retirement of former chief John Malcom.

In an announcement of the appointment, Mayor Tom Poynton called Pilgard "the right candidate with the important leadership qualities, education, and experience that will make him a desirable and high-caliber fire chief."

"In addition to a long history with Lake Zurich, he has obvious talent, professional commitment, concern for residents and perhaps, most importantly, a clear vision that will lead the Lake Zurich Fire Department as tomorrow's premier public safety agency," Poynton added.

Pilgard was hired as a full-time firefighter in 1993 and promoted lieutenant in 2001. He rose to the rank of captain in 2013, then was promoted to division chief in 2018. He's also served the department as EMS coordinator, assistant dive team leader, CPR coordinator, Explorer post adviser and president of the Fire Pension Board.

Career accomplishments include receiving the Valor Award from the 100 Club of Chicago, the Ron W. Lee Excellence in Pediatric Care Award from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Village of Lake Zurich.

"Going forward, we will continue our commitment to be prepared to deliver emergency services around the clock to the communities we serve," Pilgard said in the announcement. "We will also continue investing in resources to deliver emergency services; including the professional development and training of our personnel."

In addition to the village, the fire department provides fire protection to the Lake Zurich Rural Fire Protection District, which includes neighboring villages of Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Deer Park, North Barrington, and Lake Barrington.