No Shifts For Clarendon Hills Fire Captain

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – A Clarendon Hills Fire Department captain was barred recently from working shifts because he lacks the right credentials as an emergency medical technician, the acting chief told him.

In a Nov. 27 letter, acting Chief Dave Godek informed Capt. Dave Sobottke that he didn't feel comfortable about patient care with someone who had not reached the level of EMT basic.

So Godek said Sobottke could no longer work shifts. But he said Sobottke could perform driver training and attend training nights as usual.

Dave Godek (left), acting chief of the Clarendon Hills Fire Department, attends a Village Board meeting in November. He is next to Police Chief Paul Dalen. (David Giuliani/Patch)

Godek also said his decision would not affect Sobottke's ability to respond to calls for paid-on-call department members.

He said Sobottke could attend an EMT basic class, which the department would pay for.

Godek's decision was two weeks after Sobottke spoke publicly against a village proposal for a mandatory retirement age of 65 for firefighters. It would affect four department members, including Sobottke and Fire Chief Brian Leahy, who was placed on paid leave Nov. 7.

Patch obtained Godek's letter through a public records request.

In response to the request, the village acknowledged Sobottke's grievance against Godek. But the village declined to provide it.

In withholding the grievance, the village cited the exception under the state's open records law that allows secrecy for records relating to a public body's adjudication of employee grievances.

In an interview, Sobottke, who joined the department in 1977, said it appeared as if Godek was eliminating shift work by paid-on-call residents.

"These are people who have been the backbone of the fire department since the village was founded," Sobottke said. "He appears to want to replace them with paramedics from out of town."

He said he receives continuous training in the area of emergency medical response.

"This is just acting Chief Godek saying he's uncomfortable," Sobottke said.

Godek referred questions to Village Manager Zack Creer.

In a statement to Patch, Creer said having proper medical certifications is important for the village's safety. And he said Clarendon Hills is already behind many full-time departments that require paramedic licenses for all firefighters.

Such licenses, Creer said, allow departments to engage in simultaneous advanced life support responses and guarantee all necessary tools to provide patient care.

"I will not comment on Captain Sobbotke's individual case as it's an ongoing personnel matter," Creer said.

Asked whether the latest action was in response to Sobottke's criticism of the mandatory retirement policy, Creer said, "The Village does not engage in retaliation."

He said the village is trying to create a program to allow longtime firefighters such as Sobottke to stay in limited emergency roles where they act as a supplement rather than the first responders on the scene.

"The biggest concern is safety of the community and providing quality service to residents," Creer said.

Next Monday, the Village Board is expected to take a final vote on the mandatory retirement policy.