Minooka volunteer is crisis go-to guy

MINOOKA -- Village clerk Mary Ray swore in Minooka's newest emergency management coordinator Tuesday, putting into motion the village's plans to be prepared for any type of disaster.

Bob Stewart, of Minooka, accepted the volunteer appointment and will work with the village; Minooka's police department and fire protection district; other area police and fire protection districts; and state and federal emergency management offices.

As emergency management coordinator, Stewart will head up Minooka's Emergency Operations Center, making sure that each department and person knows what to do in the event of an emergency, said Minooka fire Chief Al Yancey.

"The important part about this position is if there is a disaster in the village, the police, fire and mayor's office will be busy. You need that component for the emergency management side to coordinate it all," Yancey said.

Stewart will create plans and work with the various departments to make sure the EOC is ready in a short period of time, Yancey said.

Stewart is retired from ComEd, serving most recently as management safety advisor from 1984 to 2009. He has served 22 years on the Minooka Fire Department and is a part-time employee and volunteer.

He is certified as a firefighter instructor from the University of Illinois, has an associate's degree in fire science from Joliet Junior College and is an emergency medical technician.

In 1991, the Minooka Fire Protection District named Stewart Firefighter of the Year and EMT of the Year. He was also awarded the Exelon Chairman's Environmental and Safety Award for ComEd public safety outreach in 2008.

Stewart's first objective it to sit down with local emergency personnel and arrange tabletop drills, he said.

"That will put names and positions together," he said.

Stewart will work out of Minooka's downtown fire station until the new facility on Minooka Road is completed this coming spring.