The *Naperville Sun* recently published an article discussing ongoing conversations about the potential regional consolidation of fire protection services and how it might affect the City of Naperville.
A task force within DuPage County is currently evaluating whether merging firefighting services across the county could lead to greater efficiency. While some local fire stations may face closure as part of this effort, officials have indicated that Naperville is not likely to see any immediate changes in its current setup.
Mark Puknaitis, the Naperville Fire Chief, is part of a group that includes members from the DuPage Fire Chiefs Association, the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, and DuPage County Board member Gary Grasso. Together, they are exploring ways to consolidate certain fire department services to reduce costs without compromising public safety.
Last week, Grasso introduced a preliminary plan proposing a quadrant system that divides the county into four regions. Under this model, Naperville would be placed in the southwest quadrant, alongside a large portion of Lisle. This approach is part of a broader discussion among DuPage officials who have been looking for ways to enhance fire protection while making it more financially sustainable.
Puknaitis noted that Naperville’s taxpayers are in a relatively strong position when it comes to fire service funding. He mentioned that his own property tax bill includes only $100 per year specifically for fire protection. This is due in part to the city's use of alternative revenue sources, such as sales tax, which helps offset the cost of fire services. In contrast, many other fire protection districts operate as separate taxing bodies, relying almost entirely on property taxes for funding.
While no one on the task force has yet suggested merging taxing bodies, the quadrant idea is still in its early stages. Any form of service consolidation would likely require cooperation between different districts. Puknaitis sees value in the quadrant system and supports the idea of shared services, such as joint equipment purchases—a major expense for fire departments. He also believes that improved coordination could help reduce response times by allowing neighboring districts to assist when closer to an incident.
Naperville handles approximately 20% of all fire and emergency medical service (EMS) calls in DuPage County. The role of fire departments has evolved over time, shifting from primarily handling structure fires to providing a wide range of services. On average, Naperville responds to 25–30 significant structure fires annually, but deals with around 11,000–12,000 other calls, including EMS emergencies, false alarms, and smaller incidents.
Despite these changes, Puknaitis remains confident that the entire county can improve fire protection and make it more cost-efficient without having to close any fire stations in Naperville. His goal is to maintain high-quality service while ensuring financial responsibility for residents.
Thanks, Dan.
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