Forest Reeder is quite passionate about firefighting and has been over the past four decades. He’s also quite proud of the fire service program at Moraine Valley.
Forest Reeder is quite passionate about firefighting and has been over the past four decades. He’s also quite proud of the fire service program at Moraine Valley.
After 20 years as a career firefighter, Reeder, now the fire chief in Tinley Park, went back to school. “I had accomplished everything I could in terms of licenses and certifications through the state, so it was time to earn my degrees,” he said. Reeder earned an associate degree in fire science technology from Moraine Valley, a bachelor’s degree in fire science management from Southern Illinois University and a master’s degree in public safety administration from Lewis University.
“I got a late start in education, but I went from an associate’s to a master’s in five years, so I think I was able to catch up relatively quickly,” he said, adding he is happy more emphasis is placed on education for today’s firefighters. “The shift is now for degrees to be completed much earlier in a firefighter’s career. I’m glad to see that. I don’t think a lot of people know the amount of education a lot of their firefighters have.”
As chief, he’s finding a rewarding part of this job is seeing the involvement they have in the community. “I’m really proud of the professionalism of the Tinley Park firefighters. They obviously have to deal with some very difficult moments, and I think we have a positive impact both in an emergency and a non-emergency capacity,” he said.
The focus over the past few years, Reeder said, has been on the critical incident stress issues that have been overlooked. “The number of fire service and emergency responses is up. A lot of the factors that affect the firefighters are attributed to things you can’t un-see, un-hear or un-smell. We’re working hard to address this,” he said.
Reeder has remained connected to Moraine Valley, where he has been an adjunct teacher for nearly 30 years, is a curriculum advisor and for 15 years oversaw the Fire Science Program.
“It’s been fun to watch the program grow—especially under Andy Hufnagl’s (Fire Academy coordinator) leadership. To now have a professional fire academy program, a fire apparatus garage, dedicated classrooms for the EMT and fire academy programs that are so very well respected in the area—it’s amazing,” said Reeder, who is a recipient of the George D. Post Instructor of the Year by the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and Instructor of the Year by the Illinois Society of Fire Science Instructors.
Reeder noted the men and women in the stations always try to find something on the job they can find humor in. “For us, it tends to be a little bit of a tension release. Firefighters are the greatest practical jokers—and some of the greatest chefs in the world,” he said.
“It’s a very rewarding career, and I’ve been blessed to be able to hang around and do it as long as I have.”
