Morton Grove swears in three fire promotions, William O'Brien named district chief

The Village of Morton Grove on Jan. 28 promoted William T. O’Brien to district chief and swore in three new lieutenants, marking a series of internal leadership changes in the Morton Grove Fire Department.

The promotions were made public during the meeting’s ceremonial portion. William T. O’Brien, who began his fire-service career in 2002 and holds a chief fire officer certification from the University of Illinois, took the oath of office as district chief. O’Brien was described by village officials as an instructor for state and county training programs and credited with more than two decades of service to the department.

The board also swore in Eric P. Miller and Thomas W. Goodwin as lieutenants. Miller, hired in 2003, serves as the department’s medical officer and holds certifications including company fire officer and hazardous-materials technician. Goodwin, a Morton Grove firefighter since 2006, serves as chairman of the fire investigator team, the new-hire committee and the labor-management committee.

Each officer thanked family and colleagues after taking the oath. O’Brien said he was “honored and privileged to serve the village of Morton Grove residents and looks forward to his new responsibilities as district chief.” Miller and Goodwin likewise expressed appreciation for family support and departmental colleagues.

The board’s ceremonial recognitions preceded the regular business portion of the meeting.