Michael Ross Schofield Jr.

Fire chief for the Orland Fire Protection District
Class of 2003
Michael Ross Schofield Jr. has spent 46 years in the fire service and has been the fire chief for the Orland Fire Protection District since 2015.

Schofield wanted to be a firefighter from childhood. He started as a cadet at the Orland Fire Protection District while he was in high school. After graduating, he took fire science courses at Moraine Valley and became a volunteer fireman while working in the construction industry.

In 1983, he was hired by the Chicago Fire Department as a paramedic and earned awards for valor, extreme acts of bravery and exceptional performance. While working in Chicago, he continued to serve as a volunteer firefighter in Orland Park. Early in his career, he also worked in
Country Club Hills and Homer Township. He was a part-time fire chief in Homer Township before becoming a battalion chief in Orland Park. He has worked in the Orland Fire Protection District since then. Under Schofield’s leadership, his department has grown significantly.

Schofield is strongly committed to training firefighters to ensure their safety. After he took classes in rescue techniques, he and a group of instructors in Orland Park shared their knowledge with fire departments throughout the state. Because of his expertise in rescue, he was
appointed to a State Fire Marshal committee to develop rescue certifications and related testing for building collapse, trench rescue, rope rescue and more.

Schofield developed a program called “In the Blink of An Eye” to educate young people about the dangers of addiction and bring the topic to the public’s attention.

His dedication to learning and setting an example for his children led him to return to Moraine Valley to complete his Associate in Applied Science degree in fire science in 2003. He thought it was important to earn his degree before his children did, so he took classes while working
full time. He was grateful for the college’s flexible schedules and supportive faculty.

Schofield gives back to his community by volunteering for Project Fire Buddies, a program that helps children who have cancer and supports first responders and their families. He and his family have created scholarships for local students. He also serves on the board of directors
for the National Football Players Father’s Association.

He and his wife, Kathy, enjoy spending time with their six children and their grandchildren.