Mundelein, Illinois – The Mundelein Professional Firefighters Union is urging firefighters from outside departments not to accept offers for a newly posted Battalion Chief position within the Village of Mundelein.
In a letter dated Feb. 7, leaders of International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4786 said the union believes qualified and capable candidates already serving within the Mundelein Fire Department are prepared to fill the vacant command role.
According to the letter, the Village of Mundelein recently posted a vacancy for the Battalion Chief position. Union leadership stated that the executive board and membership strongly support promoting an internal candidate to maintain continuity and leadership within the department.
“As a result, we implore IAFF members from outside departments to refrain from accepting offers for the Battalion Chief position in the Village of Mundelein,” the letter states.
The correspondence was addressed to IAFF members and signed by Frederick Meek, president of Local 4786; Patrick Collins, vice president; and Michael Nasca, secretary-treasurer. The union did not identify specific internal candidates or outline the village’s hiring timeline.
The letter emphasized that the request reflects the union’s belief that internal promotion would best serve the department and community. It did not allege wrongdoing or impropriety in the hiring process, nor did it state that external applicants were prohibited from applying.
Union leaders provided contact information for further questions but did not indicate whether discussions with village officials regarding the hiring process are ongoing.
The Village of Mundelein has not publicly responded to the letter, and it remains unclear whether the position will ultimately be filled internally or through an external candidate search.
Fire department leadership and hiring decisions are typically overseen by municipal administrators, subject to local policy and collective bargaining agreements.
