Firefighters held protest over safety issues, questions surrounding fire chief's eligibility
Firefighters held protest over safety issues, questions surrounding fire chief's eligibilityDolton's interim fire chief remains at the center of a bitter controversy. Firefighters in the village say his leadership is putting their safety and the safety of the residents at risk.
Interim Dolton Fire Chief Quention Curtis says allegations that he's putting firefighters and residents in harms way could not be further than the truth. In the exclusive interview, Curtis addressed what he calls attacks on his reputation. He wants to set the record straight after the village's firefighters' union expressed concerns to the Village Board about his qualifications, along with ongoing equipment issues in the department.
"I feel like they attempted to damage my reputation, but I am who I am. I do what I do," Curtis said.. They also filed a lawsuit last month, asking that Curtis be discharged for allegedly failing to meet requirements for his position.
"This is not about an individual," Dolton firefighter Ed Knoblock said. "It's about the position and the responsibility that comes with it. When that standard isn't met, it creates real liability.
" According to Illinois state law, an interim fire chief can only be in the role a maximum of 180 days. Curtis was appointed to the position in October of 2025 and has sinceAccording to Illinois law, a permanent fire chief requires certifications as a chief fire officer and advanced fire officer. They also must have an associate degree or higher or a minimum of 10 years of experience within that specific department.
The 61-year old firefighter, who founded the Black Fire Brigade and retired from the Chicago Fire Department as a lieutenant after 38 years of service, says when he took the job last year, he met all the requirements, except he didn't have an advanced fire officer certification. The Office of the State Fire Marshal, which administers certifications, says Curtis is in good standing.
"Once I take the state exam for a fire officer, advanced fire officer that will end all of this," Curtis said. "It will lay it to bed. " Curtis says the attacks against him aren't about his qualifications, but about him cutting overtime pay for the department's 16 full-time firefighters. He says he did that to address the alleged financial mismanagement under former Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
The interim chief says since taking over the Dolton Fire Department last October, he's cut overtime costs for the department by 55%. He says he's used that money to replace the brakes on the fire department's aging fleet and make other repairs. ABC7 attempted to verify Curtis' claims by requesting information from the Village of Dolton through the Freedom of Information Act, but has not received the documents yet.
Curtis says despite the controversy, he's still fulfilling his administrative duties while remaining committed to the highest level of service and safety for both the firefighters and the people of Dolton.
"But I am here to make a better department for all of us, for all the residents of the Village of Dolton," Curtis said. "That's my job. That's my responsibility.
" Interim Chief Curtis says once he takes his advanced fire officer test next week, he looks forward to presenting the certification to village officials and residents at the next board meeting.
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