By David A. F. Sweet
A Mundelein native, Lake Forest Fire Department Fire Chief Andy Rick graduated from the University of Iowa in 2006 with a degree in exercise science. He has procured state and national fire and emergency medical services certifications and is completing his chief fire officer certification through the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Rick – a 17-year veteran of the department who lives with his wife and three sons in Libertyville – was promoted to chief recently. Lake Forest Love spoke with him about his career, what makes the LFFD stand out and more.
What prompted your interest in a career in firefighting?
Growing up, my dad was a career firefighter/paramedic at Countryside Fire Protection District in Vernon Hills, but honestly, he never thought I’d follow in his footsteps. It was not a decision I came to until midway through college, when I started to see the aspects of the job I witnessed firsthand were all things I wanted for myself.
New Fire Chief Andy Rick gets together with his wife Terese and sons Caden, Nolan and Wesley.
I saw teamwork, service, excitement, physical activity, decision-making under pressure, and so many more attributes the fire service gets to experience every day. I also saw a job that provided stability for my own family, allowed my parents to be actively involved in my life, and I even felt the pride in knowing what my dad did. In college, I was finding my passions and experiences in health and the medical field were forming a great foundation to start a career in the fire service.
Where else did you work?
I was lucky to be able to join Countryside Fire the summer after graduating college. Having the opportunity to work with my dad at the place I grew up visiting as a kid was a storybook start to my career. I remained there 10 years, working part-time shifts on my days off from Lake Forest until my second son was born. I still have some great relationships, both personal and professional, because of my time there.
What stories can you share about the impact the LFFD has had on you and the community?
I don’t think many firefighters think about the impact they have on the community they serve. Of course, we can reflect on calls where we made a difference, but we don’t do this job for the recognition or thinking of the important things we’ve done. We do it because we love the job, we love solving problems, and we enjoy the opportunity to serve. My hope is our department impacts the community by leaving it better in any way we can. Lifesaving calls don’t happen daily, but the opportunity to make someone’s day better -- big or small -- is a daily occurrence. I have always tried to embrace that and will continue to expect our department to do the same.
What makes the LFFD stand out?
We have an incredibly talented staff who genuinely care about performing at a high level when called upon. Maybe more importantly, they are good people who care about each other, and I love coming to work with them every day.
What are your key goals to achieve as head of the department?
Over the last few years, we have become a young department overall. I know we need to make a focused effort to replace the years of experience we lost with high quality training and coaching. Part of that includes developing leadership for our future at all levels.
Our department has been good at embracing new technology, skills, and tactics which we will continue to do. We have proven to ourselves that trying new things and staying ahead of the curve is beneficial to our department and the community.
Why are you excited about the future of the department?
I’m really looking forward to seeing some of our members with around five years of experience expand their leadership capabilities and move our department forward. I’m also excited to see where our newest members, many with less than one year of experience, grow and become strong firefighter/paramedics. With design for a new Police Station Facility underway, our department is going to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to renovate the Public Safety Building. It was built in the 1960s and while there have been many nice remodels, the building needs a true renovation. There have been a lot of changes in our profession including training needs, demographics of personnel, prioritization of health and wellness, and so much more. We get to address all those changes and can plan to meet the future needs of the fire service.
On a personal level, I’m excited that I still have a long time left to impact our department. I’m relatively young as a chief and think that provides me with a unique opportunity to have as much vested in our future as anyone that has sat in my position. Join Fire Chief Rick and Police Chief Burke to “Chat with the Chiefs” on Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Westside Starbucks (840 S. Waukegan Road) or Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 8 a.m.-9:30 a.m. at Hometown Coffee & Juice (231 E Wisconsin Ave.).