Firefighters urge Franklin Park to boost pay and training to retain experienced crew
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Summary
Three Franklin Park fire department members told trustees that recent incidents and staffing strains show the village needs competitive pay, advanced training and retention strategies to preserve institutional knowledge crucial for public safety.
Lieutenant Anthony Tricoci, who identified himself as president of Local 1526, told the board on March 2 that a Feb. 23 Northlake response escalated to a "MAYDAY" call and that the incident was averted because of training, experience and investment. He told trustees the village should support competitive retention, advanced training and career development for firefighters and submitted supporting documents for distribution.
Lieutenant Bart Borowiec said three firefighters survived that incident because of their extensive training and warned that the department’s institutional knowledge cannot be replaced quickly. Borowiec estimated it would take about 7,639 hours of training and education for a new hire to reach the same level and said recruitment and retention shortfalls risk long-term damage to departmental capacity.
Firefighter–paramedic Pasquale DeCicco, a seven-year department member, said he is proud to serve Franklin Park but that the village is no longer competitive on wages. He urged restoring pay and benefits that previously made the department an attractive employer so the village can recruit and retain qualified professionals.
Transcript records show these remarks came during the public-comment period; no board vote or immediate staffing decision was recorded at that time. Later in the meeting the trustees entered executive session for collective bargaining negotiations under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) and returned at 8:19 p.m. with no action taken in closed session.