Sycamore, IL, Taps Retired Fire Officer to Lead Department Temporarily
A seasoned fire service veteran is taking over as fire chief in Sycamore -- at least temporarily.
DeKalb Fire Chief Mike Thomas has been named interim fire chief, effective March 9.
He is replacing Fire Chief Bart Gilmore, who had been in the positon since 2023. No reason was given for his sudden departure, 102.3 reported.
However, he recently raised concerns about firefighter staffing following a fire that destroyed the popular Tom and Jerry's Restaurant.
He recently expressed his frustration at the department being short staffed after the fire that destroyed Tom and Jerry’s restaurant.
“Sycamore is running very minimally, and it creates a hazard not just to the firefighters, but it hampers our ability to serve the citizens,” he told the council at a meeting last month.
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Susan Nicol
News Editor
Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.