Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills Swapping Fire Trucks

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – The Clarendon Hills Fire Department's ladder truck is expected to go to Hinsdale for a few weeks while Hinsdale's truck is in the shop, officials confirmed Thursday.

Meanwhile, Clarendon Hills will have use of a Hinsdale fire engine, Village Manager Zach Creer said in an email to Patch.

"The Chiefs from each town believe it's an opportunity to cross-train on equipment and provide better aerial support coverage regionally," Creer said.

The response to Clarendon Hills fire calls will be the same because Hinsdale automatically answers them anyway, Creer said. In fact, he said, service will improve as Hinsdale firefighters are more likely to have the relevant aerial training.

"(G)iven Hinsdale's higher staffing level the apparatus can focus on acting as a ladder truck rather than the Swiss army knife role it plays when staffed by Clarendon Hills," Creer said. "If Hinsdale has inadequate staffing as determined by Chief (Dave) Godek, Clarendon Hills ladder will return to Clarendon Hills station."

In an email to Patch, acting Chief Godek said Clarendon Hills firefighters started training with Hinsdale crews this week and will continue through Monday. Training with Hinsdale's fire engine begins next week.

The two departments are in an unusual moment – they both have acting chiefs.

Late last year, Godek took the helm after Clarendon Hills put longtime Chief Brian Leahy on leave. In February, Leahy and the village agreed on his departure, ending his nearly 40 years as the chief.

In Hinsdale, Jon Carlson recently took the fire department's reins on an interim basis with the retirement of Fire Chief John Giannelli.

A couple of years ago, Clarendon Hills considered not replacing its aging ladder truck. Leahy spoke against such a move. So did many residents, some of whom posted signs in their yards. For safety's sake, they said it was important to have such a ladder truck nearby.

The village ultimately decided to buy a new ladder truck, but manufacturing delays mean it could take a while to get it.

For years, officials in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills have called for greater sharing between their fire departments.