Oak Lawn Fire Chief Announces Retirement

OAK LAWN, IL -- Oak Lawn Fire Department Chief George Sheets retired on Tuesday. Sheets was the village’s first African American fire chief and served in that capacity since 2009. He also assumed the responsibilities as chief for the Village of Chicago Ridge in 2014, under a model “shared use intergovernmental agreement” approved by the governing bodies of both communities. Sheets also reportedly retired last week from his position as fire chief for Chicago Ridge.

Deputy Fire Chief Robert Tutko was appointed Oak Lawn’s acting fire chief during the village board’s executive session following Tuesday’s regular village board meeting. Tutko’s appointment takes effect immediately.

“I thanked George for his service and wished him and his family the very best in his future endeavors,” Deetjen said.

Sheets began his firefighting career in Missouri in 1981. He spent the past two decades in fire chief positions in Michigan and Wisconsin. He was recognized as an organizational change manager and is one of only 600 firefighters throughout the country to earn the prestigious designation as a chief fire officer, according to his bio on the Village of Oak Lawn website.

He presided over Oak Lawn’s fire department during periods of great volatility. Sheets said he had been contemplating retiring for the past year.

“After serving 36 years in the fire service with 22 of those years as a career fire chief, nine years with the Village of Oak Lawn, and four years serving concurrently as the shared fire chief in Chicago Ridge, reporting to twelve board members, two mayors and a village manager, it is time to move forward,” Sheets said. “To say that I have not been tremendously challenged, reporting to fifteen elected officials who have varying degrees of opinions, needs and wants, would be an understatement of the grandest kind.”

Sheets said he had no ill will toward Oak Lawn’s board of trustees but stated he and the village board had differences of opinions for how things were done.

“The route they’re going puts a wedge into good relations with the fire department,” Sheets said. “[Oak Lawn’s] is a fantastic fire department and organization, with a good bunch of firefighters who take care of the community. Yes, there were issues as there with any other fire department, but it’s how you address those issues. My approach was to sit down as a team to discuss it.”

“I am totally at peace with my decision,” he said.

Image via Village of Oak Lawn