Tinley Park Fire Chief to Retire

Fire Chief Ken Dunn on Tuesday announced his retirement from the Tinley Park Fire Department, effective June 30. Dunn made the announcement in a letter to Village Manager Dave Niemeyer.

“It has been a pleasure working with so many good people, and I would like to thank you for that opportunity,” Dunn said in the letter.

Dunn was the Village’s Fire Inspector from 1972 until he became Fire Chief in 1996. He has an associate’s degree in fire science and received the Illinois State Medal of Valor for saving a firefighter’s life.

“Ken has served the Village admirably throughout the past few decades, and we will miss him very much,” Tinley Park Mayor David G. Seaman said. “We wish Ken and his family the best moving forward.”

Dunn served in the U.S. Army Security Agency, specifically in communications security. He spent 13 months in Korea and two years in Germany. By the time he left Korea he was promoted to Specialist E-5, and in Germany he was responsible for running an office.

“Ken has had an incredibly impressive career, and I wish him nothing but the best in his retirement,” Trustee T.J. Grady, Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said.

In his letter, Dunn recounted the story of how he became associated with the fire department. More than 40 years ago, as a public works employee, Dunn was given a mandate by his then-boss, former Public Works Department Director Bob Powers.

“We were all given applications to become members of the Tinley Park Volunteer Fire Department,” Dunn said. “Bob Powers gave us instructions; ‘Fill these out or don’t show up for work on Monday.’ If you knew Bob Powers, on Monday you had the form filled out. Little did he know what a great thing he had done for me.”

Three years later, Dunn started working with the Tinley Park Fire Prevention Bureau. After several years there he became Fire Chief.

“It has been an honor to work for this community and the men and women of the department,” Dunn said in the letter. “I grew up in Tinley Park, as did my dad, my wife, my children and now their children. Tinley Park is a great place to grow up.”