McHenry County fire departments struggle with staffing

Excerpts from the NorthwestHerald.com:

As a part-time firefighter, Jonathan Fleck doesn’t qualify for health insurance through the Huntley Fire Protection District. But after seven years of service, he’s finally getting some support.

Alongside fire departments in Cary, Rutland-Dundee, and Sugar Grove, Huntley is set to share a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The funding aims to help part-time firefighters stay with their departments over the next four years by offering financial incentives.

Fleck, like other part-timers in Huntley, will receive a $75 monthly stipend if he completes six hours of training and works six shifts each month. This money can be used toward healthcare, childcare, education, or retirement savings—areas where part-time firefighters typically lack support.

Part-time firefighters often earn less and have fewer benefits compared to full-time colleagues. That makes it tough for departments to retain and recruit qualified personnel. Some offer financial rewards, while others highlight the potential for career advancement within the field.

Huntley Fire Chief Ken Caudle says the department has around 30 part-time and 58 full-time firefighters. Ideally, he’d like to increase the number of part-timers, but many are hesitant to commit to the demanding training and limited pay. A shift as a firefighter/paramedic usually pays about $17 or $18 an hour, which isn’t enough to attract long-term volunteers.

This challenge isn’t unique to Huntley. Many local departments rely on the same small group of part-timers, making it hard to grow the team. As Cary Fire Chief Jeffrey Macko explained, “A lot of our guys end up becoming full-time firefighters elsewhere, but they still come in on their days off to protect their own community.”

The grant, known as the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, is designed to help departments maintain and expand their part-time workforce. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, only 8% of fire departments nationwide are staffed entirely by career firefighters, and none are in McHenry County.

In McHenry County, most fire departments rely heavily on part-time staff. Only two departments—Crystal Lake Fire Rescue and Huntley Fire Protection District—are considered mostly career, with 51% to 99% of their staff working full time.

At the Richmond Fire Protection District, Chief Rick Gallas is the sole full-time firefighter at a station that operates 24/7. Hiring more full-time staff isn’t feasible due to budget constraints, so Gallas focuses on training part-timers to eventually transition into full-time roles.

“Our goal is to train them and keep them for five to seven years before they move on,” Gallas said. “Then we’ll lose them.”

Gallas is currently recruiting five to 10 candidates from within a 10-mile radius. They must complete the department’s mini-academy to earn their Firefighter Basic Certificate. The cost of the training—$2,400—is shared between the department and the trainee.

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