Fire Chief Ron Kobyleski Announces Retirement
Published on March 05, 2025
A dedicated and decorated public servant to the Village of Oak Park for 40 years, including the last three-plus leading the men and women of the Oak Park Fire Department, Fire Chief Ron Kobyleski has announced his retirement date. His final day as Fire Chief is slated for May 10, 2025.
“It has been an honor and privilege to spend my career with the fire department here in Oak Park,” said Kobyleski. “The bravery and dedication shown by all of the men and women of this department has been inspiring to me and something that keeps all of us motivated to be our very best every single day. It’s a bittersweet feeling to step away from a role that I deeply cherish, but I will do so knowing that the Oak Park Fire Department is in great hands and remains committed to carrying on the mission and serving the Village with pride.”
“Chief Kobyleski has poured his heart and soul into this Village and for the critical function our fire department serves for four incredible decades,” said Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson. “From firefighter all the way to chief, Ron has risen through the ranks with a strong sense of integrity and commitment to safety, while never failing to put the needs of the community first. I congratulate him on a uniquely amazing 40-year career of service in Oak Park. It has been an absolute honor working with Chief Kobyleski over the past three years. And, on behalf of all Oak Parkers, I thank him deeply for his unwavering dedication, leadership and service to our Village.”
Kobyleski was named Fire Chief in November 2021. Prior to that promotion, he briefly rotated interim Fire Chief duties since April of that year following the retirement of another longtime public servant, Chief Tom Ebsen. Similar to Kobyleski, Ebsen served Oak Park for more than 40 years before his own retirement in 2021.
In Kobyleski’s three full calendar years as Fire Chief (2022-24) the department has upheld its commitment to protecting the public by responding to more than 26,000 fire calls, including over 16,300 for emergency medical services. Recently, the department responded to a record 8,925 calls in 2024. OPFD has conducted more than 2,500 building inspections for fire safety since 2022 and it has annually inspected the Village’s 1,239 hydrants, while making 124 repairs and seven replacements.
Under Kobyleski’s leadership, great strides were made to provide accommodations for all genders and sexual orientations by improving the sleeping quarters at Oak Park Fire Stations One and Three by enclosing each sleeping area. This also provides firefighter/paramedics with better rest and further controls of the spread of germs. The washroom and locker facilities at Station Three were also reimagined to better fit with modern standards by providing private wash areas, and is now a model for local area fire departments who are looking to update their own fire stations.
Two fire engines and two ambulances have been ordered under Kobyleski’s watch to replace aging equipment. Due to ongoing manufacturing and supply delays, there is an extended wait time for all emergency vehicles and one engine and an ambulance are on schedule to be delivered later this year; additional equipment will be delivered in 2026. In 2023, three additional Firefighter/Paramedic positions were requested and authorized. The following year due to the increased staffing, a third and ambulance was placed into service in order to handle the rising number of emergency calls in Oak Park.
Since joining the department in 1985, Kobyleski has held every available rank in Oak Park. In addition to his three-plus years as Chief, he served one year as Deputy Chief, 10 years as a Battalion Chief and seven years as OPFD’s training officer.
Throughout his tenure in Oak Park, Kobyleski has served as a certified Fire Investigator, Hazardous-Materials Technician, Technical Rescue in building collapse, high-rise rescue, trench rescue and confined-space rescue. In addition, he created the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Technical Rescue Team and lead the them for nine years.
Kobyleski is certified by the state Fire Marshal as Advance Fire Officer and Training Program Manager, and he’s studied architectural design and building construction. Notable professional activities and affiliations include the International Fire Chief’s Association, Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and National Fire Protection Association.
A comprehensive search to name a successor and fill the forthcoming vacancy is scheduled to begin soon.
To learn more about the Oak Park Fire Department, please visit www.oak-park.us/fire.
About Oak Park - The Village of Oak Park, located just nine miles west of downtown Chicago, offers a distinctive urban/suburban lifestyle in a thriving, multi-cultural community. Well-known for progressive values, tree-lined streets and bustling business districts, Oak Park serves as an ideal place to live, work and play. As a longstanding community of choice, the Village benefits from convenient access to local and regional transit, high-quality public schools, and arts and cultural attractions, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio and his acclaimed Unity Temple, which was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.