Mayor Eidam extends a congratulatory handshake to Chief Kooyenga with his wife Jennifer by his side. (Photo: Josh Bootsma)
by Jennifer Yos
Chad Kooyenga (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)LANSING, Ill. (March 25, 2019) – At the March 19 meeting of the Village Board, Mayor Patty Eidam and the Lansing Trustees officially appointed Chad Kooyenga as Lansing’s new Fire Department Chief. In a brief induction ceremony, Chief Kooyenga’s wife Jennifer did the honor of pinning his Fire Chief badge to his uniform lapel, after which Chief Kooyenga shared a few words: “I’m excited and look forward to working with the Village to rebuild the department and to bring the traditions and our reputation back to the fire department to where it once was.” Kooyenga acknowledged having “some of the best fire and EMS personnel in the state.”Chief Kooyenga’s wife Jennifer pins his Lansing Fire Department Chief badge to his lapel while the Board and Department Heads look on. (Photo: Josh Bootsma)
In a subsequent interview, Chief Kooyenga spoke of improving the department with a renewed focus on collaboration amongst department members, on training, and on improving department visibility and communications within the Lansing community. “Going forward, we are going to roll out a lot of [community] programs,” he said, specifically mentioning programs for seniors, for parents/guardians using children’s car seats, and CPR training.
Chief Kooyenga began his career as a Paid on Call Lansing firefighter from 2001 through 2009, after which he was hired full time. He had also worked for one year in the University Park Fire Department from 2008-2009. Chief Kooyenga has been a Lansing resident for many years, dating back to 1978, when his parents first moved here from Dolton. Kooyenga and his wife Jennifer have lived here most of their married life with son Jason and daughters Megan and Amanda.
Jennifer Yos grew up on Walter Street in Lansing with nine siblings. She attended St. Ann’s School and T.F. South, and she earned a BA in the Teaching of English from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and a MS in Education: Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Francis, Joliet. For 34 years she taught English, as well as Creative Writing and Drama, at Lincoln-Way High School. She dabbled in freelance journalism for the Joliet Herald News Living section. Now retired, Jennifer appreciates the opportunity to write for The Lansing Journal and is uplifted by the variety of positive people she has already met who are making a difference in Lansing.
