EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Jon Czerwien, Class Of 2004

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Jon Czerwien remembers the exact day when he knew he wanted to become a firefighter.

It was September 11, 2001. Czerwien was a sophomore at Evergreen Park Community High School when news broke that four hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. America was under attack and the world would be forever changed.

“We were taking standardized tests that day,” Czerwien remembers. “I did not even know anything was happening until lunch break. When watching all the chaos, panic and fear occurring, one thing remained clear to me: the (New York City) fire department responded and in an incredible act of bravery performed the single largest rescue operation I have ever witnessed.”

In an unprecedented event of immense chaos and uncertainty stood the FDNY, NYPD, and the Port Authority PD.

“What they were able to accomplish that day was real life heroism in the face of grave danger,” Czerwien said. “To see that selflessness, bravery, and discipline displayed made me know right then and there that I wanted to be a firefighter.”

Upon graduating from EPCHS in 2004, Czerwien did just that.

He started in the cadet program at the Evergreen Park Fire Department in 2005, a year later completed a 6 month EMT-B program and a year after that a one-year paramedic program. His first firefighter/paramedic contract came in October 2007 with the Westmont Fire Department.

Now, Czerwien is a firefighter for both the Evergreen Park and Chicago fire departments, having recently surpassed his 10-year mark with Chicago.

“Being a firefighter is difficult to describe,” Czerwien said. “No 2 calls are ever the same. Sometimes people are jerks to you and other times mothers are handing you their children because they have no one else to turn to, they are looking at you to save their child’s life. There are incredible highs and incredible lows but what truly makes it worth it for me is when you get a sincere ‘Thank you’ from someone you helped. That feeling is like no other.”

While the differences between working for Chicago and suburban Evergreen Park are apparent, Czerwien says the similarities are as well.

“(The) Evergreen Park fire department can be compared to a residential neighborhood of Chicago like Mt. Greenwood,” Czerwien said. “There are commercial and residential buildings, parks, bodies of water, trains, large daytime populations, etc. It’s when you get into different neighborhoods or downtown when you start seeing more of the differences such as high rise response, water rescue incident, subway incidents, L train etc.

“Each department faces their own specific challenges of having the right equipment, staff and training for their specific area. Being a proud member of both departments, I must say that they each do an exceptional job of being prepared to respond to any type of emergency.”

Through finding success and passion in the world of firefighting, Czerwien remains a proud EPCHS alum now two decades post-graduation.

“Looking back, EPCHS holds a special place in my heart,” he said. “The teachers, staff and students were exceptional.”

Shop classes were the highlight of his high school career.

“Having a place to work with your hands and produce a physical product from what started in your mind as a simple idea was amazing,” Czerwien said. “It teaches so much more than just a trade. It teaches responsibility, safety, mechanical reasoning, problem solving, having a plan B when plan A goes awry, etc.”

Czerwien also played baseball and football as an EPCHS student and was involved in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and auto mechanics club.

“Besides Mr. Swan and Mr. Ridenour in the shop classes I will always remember Mr. Gustafson aka Mr. G,” he said. “His way of teaching was unlike any others. He took the material and would challenge you to think about it, and made you develop your opinion on it. He would take a stance on a subject that he didn’t necessarily believe himself, rather he did it to have you think critically and argue your point of view on it.”

Looking ahead, Czerwien says he will be studying for future promotional exams, traveling and “settling down with a wife and kids hopefully when I find the right lady.”

Advice for Current EPCHS Students

Enjoy your time at Evergreen and make some quality connections with people. I, to this day, still talk with about 15 of my friends from high school on a regular basis. We have a common bond and shared experiences of coming of age at EPCHS. Honestly it was fantastic.

To those of you who do not believe they are having a great experience just remember “this too shall pass” high school is not the end all be all. Keep your head up, keep moving forward and I promise you things will get better. I have many favorite quotes that keep me grounded but one I enjoy is “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor” so no matter what you’re going through or how hard you think your life is right now it is building you towards something. Your character and tenacity is developing. Stay positive, look towards the bright side and do not develop a “woe is me mentality” you are better than that and deep down you know it!