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WONDER LAKE, Ill. (WGN) — After 48 years with the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District, Chief Mike Weber has decided to embark on a new chapter: retirement.
“I feel good,” Weber said. “My family is proud of me for doing this, my friends are proud of me for doing this. I’m going to miss it. There’s no way I am not going to miss it, but I feel good about it.”
Over a hundred community members attend his final radio call Friday, which is a tradition where a first responder sends out a final public safety message to mark the end of someone’s service.
Since announcing his retirement, Weber says he’s received countless messages.
“People have been stopping by all day, that I’ve worked with or helped train when they were young,” he said. “People who can’t make it tonight have been stopping by my house all week, so that’s kind of nice.”
Weber joined the department in 1977 as a firefighter in training. Over the years, he worked his way up through the ranks and was eventually named chief in 2019.
As one of the longest serving firefighters in the Chicago area, Weber is known for his compassion and generosity.
His colleagues say he often went above and beyond to help people out, including the next generation of firefighters.
“The largest impressionable thing about Mike is he really just goes above and beyond, not just for his position as Chief, but also for so many different aspects within the community,” Dan Dycus, Village President, said.
But now, after all these years, he’s ready to pass the torch. Officials plan to announce his successor in the coming weeks.
“I’m excited for the town, I’m excited for the new chief. I’ll be here for him. My office is here, my firefighters are here, I’ll be here for them,” Weber said.
Weber says his first order of business in retirement is to travel.
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Emmy Victor
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