Has anyone considered the fact that maybe all the "facts" are not really known. If the assistant chief had in fact blatantly disregarded the command structure on the July 29 incident, wouldn't something really have been done? Maybe there is more to the story than just what the 5 resigning members are saying. Obviously they are going to turn the story around to fit what they want everyone to think. Why is it that instead of trying to work these problems out some of the firefighters are taking the easy way out and quitting. Do they think they are really helping anything? Possibly putting their community at risk because of their childish behavior. Everyone needs to be adults and get to the heart of the problem. Somebody doesn't like somebody else and immaturity is running rampant. It sounds like there is way more to the story than we are hearing. I believe that if the assistant chief is in charge of one of the township boards that is definately a conflict of interest. But,isn't there a legal mature way to find out? Aren't there by laws? How can the assistant chief be a part of the fire department board? The 5 firefighters that left the department and disregarded their community should be ashamed of themselves. Stop letting your personal feelings get in the way of protecting people and saving lives.

For all of you who like to complain about the lack of response from Fire and EMS members, and to blame those members of the Fire Department who resigned. Maybe you should volunteer. Thats just it. Every member of both departments is a volunteer! They have full time jobs, families, and other resposiblilties. Instead of paying the clerical staff from the Village $50,000 a year or the Public works Department overtime and benifits to part time employees, maybe Darien could have a few full time paid employees for fire/rescue. Unfortunatley this is Darien we are talking about, politically nothing has changed in the Village or township in 50 years, why now. I think that anyone who is concerned about their safety in any part of Dairen needs to speak up and both village and township meetings, I also think that if you feel that there are not enough members on either department that you should seriously concider volunteering you time! talk about put up or shut up! Just think about how many hours each and every member puts in for schooling, meetings, and trainings, not to mention calls. Just a thought,Justawelder, maybe you should volunteer on the departments since you seem to have all the answers, Or better yet maybe you should really keep track of the police department, just incase they ever leave the station at the corner market. Are you kidding do you even read the Darien newsletter or do you just see what you want too???

I have been reading these comments and all I see is whining & rhetoric. If you people want to do something other than yammer at each other get out there and find someone to run for the township board. Not just anybody but someone who has real chance to win. They are out there. If you want a hint the former county board member for the township would be great.Then start on the FD elections

Actually if this guy doesn't have his credentials why is he an assistant chief? Unless I'm mistaken you have to have all of your credentials before you can even be active....or that is how it logically should be. It completely defies logic as to how he can be an assistant chief if he doesn't even carry the basic credentials to be on the team regardless of any almost blatant conflict of interest. This situation should be looked into by whatever state powers oversee the local fire departments and sanctions should be taken. This is incredibly dangerous to the public at large and this incident should be proof of how bad it could be. I drove by that gas leak and by how it was cordoned off it looked like it could have taken out half of the town that day. I shudder at the thought of how bad it could be if something should happen at the school while my children are there and we have buffoons like this calling the shots from 8 minutes away.....instead of following protocol and letting those on the scene handle it until proper protocol can be established. I guarantee I would be looking at all legal actions and remedies immediately and not let this drag on through meetings that will more than likely never accomplish anything since this guy has power on the township board. Maybe that is the solution. All of those put in harms way should file some kind of class action suit against the town for being left in harms way. I have no idea what kind of actual footing there is for that, but I know if I worked at the bank, or the lumber yard, or any other business over there I would be outraged. For that matter almost anybody that lives on that side of town had potential loss involved if this would have went bad while this guy was trying to get his crap together.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST MAYBE. I GUESS WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR ELECTIONS TO HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. AND THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE FIRE DEPT MEMBERS. IF THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMEONE TO RUN AGAINST HIM. I SAY HE SHOWS PROOF OF HIS EDUCATION. I DONT THINK HE EVEN HAS THE CREDENTIALS TO BE A REGULAR FIRE FIGHTER LET ALONE A CHEIF. HE LEFT THE DEPT FOR A WHILE AND GOT BACK ON WITHOUT ANY TRAINING. IF HE HAD THE TRAINING HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HE MAY NOT BE ACTING THE WAY THAT HE IS. WHAT DOES IT TAKE. FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING STUPID. SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. MAYBE SOMEONE DIES BECAUSE HE DOESNT HAVE THE TRAINING HE'S SUPPOSED TO. THAT OPENS THE DEPT, THE VILLAGE, AND THE TOWNSHIP UP FOR A LAW SUIT. MY FAMILY LIVES THERE. I GREW UP THERE. IM SERIOUSLEY WORRIED. DAN BOSS IS A LIABILITY.

DEAL WITH THE CAPS LOCK. THATS THE WAY I LIKE TO TYPE. THANK YOU.

BOSS HAS CONTROL OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THE TOWNSHIP HAS MORE MONEY THAN THE VILLAG, AND ANYTIME THE VILLAGE HAS TO BUY ANYTHING THEY HAVE TO BORROW IT FROM THE TOWNSHIP. BOSS IS SECOND IN CHARGE OF THE FIRE DEPT, AND I THINK IS HOLDING SOMETHING OVER THE FIRE CHEIF. SO WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE BOSS HOG OF DARIEN. WE HAVE THE BOARS NEST AND THE BOSS HOG.

I have a few questions and concerns based on the article and all the comments that neither have addressed.

1st is Dan Boss on any kind of administrative leave? On any other team he would be on leave pending an investigation, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If he is not on leave and he is incompetent in his job it begs to question what other further damage can be caused by him being in his position.

2nd If he is on the city board should he not be ineligible to even hold this position? This seems like a case of gross conflict of interest. If he is in a position to boss the fire chief himself around outside of the firehouse there is no way he should be able to hold any position other than volunteer...and even that should be carefully reviewed.

I can feel the frustration of everyone on the fire department, past and present, under these circumstances. Anyone else anywhere else would be under extreme review and removed from the situation pending a full investigation. The whole political aspect of this and what appears to be a blatant conflict of interest is what bothers me the most. This is potentially a silent power struggle that is putting the community at risk.

And for those that mentioned the Favre saga.....this is the Favre saga in reverse. The team is being sacrificed for the prima dona, not the other way around....or at least that is how it appears, and that is from the wording in the article based on the circumstances. I would not want to put my neck on the line, or risk others lives for the sake of an assistant chief that doesn't follow protocol to be in charge when he isn't on the scene.

Nekcuta- I would like to start off by apologizing to you, my intentions where never to offend you with my opinions. First and foremost it is my opinion that you do not need to be a taxpayer of a particular community to be concerned about community events and concerns. If you have family that resides within the area that the Darien Fire Department serves or for that matter any area, in my opinion you have every right to be concerned with the quality of emergency serves that they may or may not be receiving. As far as the cost of training new personnel I understand that not only can it cause a monetary strain on the budget of the fire department, that then can put a strain on the general budget of a municipality and certainly with the condition our economy is in now we all have to be somewhat cognizant of how money is being spent. I also fully understand that attending and completing these courses can take many precious hours away from ones family. However when I referred to the training as being relatively inexpensive I was trying to look at the bigger picture and was referring to what options the Township and Village of Darien may have, cost of hiring a 24/7 crew that are professionals that can conduct themselves in that manner or even contracting services out. Both of those options would put a bigger monetary burden on the Village and Township than educating new personnel. I have attended the Darien Cornfest for the majority of my life as well. I have always had the understanding that the Darien Fire Department operates the corn stand itself and has done a great job for many years. Again, I was looking at the bigger picture and beyond the corn stand and have seen many hours spent by Village employees preparing and cleaning up after the festivities. It is only my opinion but I think that their time could be better spent. So in closing I feel taking time to volunteer for your community in whatever way you can is great, weather as a firefighter, EMT, or participating in community events. It seems to me that we are all concerned about the current state of the Darien Fire Department. I hope that these issues will be resolved soon, however until they are I am sure the Darien Fire Department could use everyone’s support and will continue to do the job to the best of there ability.

justawelder, I understand what you are saying about employees, officers and anyone else that you mentioned. However the topic at hand is the fire department! No I am not a taxpayer in Darien. My family lives there and I grew up there. Do I need to be a citizen of a particular town to be concerned? Doesn't living there for 3/4's of my life justify my right to have a concern about a situation? Also, before you go taking a stab at me and my knowledge of things maybe you should know who I am. First off don't insult my intelligence! I do know how much the schooling costs! I know the time involved and the amount of training and schooling. By saying that it's just a small cost is just making yourself look uneducated on the topic. As for the the corn fest, I can tell you that the corn stand itself is ran and set up by firefighters and volunteers. This means that no one is being paid to take care of the corn stand. Do you go there and work or do you go there to eat the corn? I'm guessing you eat there for free and complain about it. I can tell you that I have worked at the corn stand for many years for free! Many people that work at corn fest are not compensated for their time, they do it free to help support their community. You're correct maybe they do need to look for higher qualified people for the EMS. These people need to be in control! Darien needs to stop losing qualified people because of one person. No I haven't had to wait a half an hour for EMS to respond. They were always when needed. I guess the half an hour wait does probably hold true now seeing Mr. Boss' standards of how a call is to be handled. So please "justawelder" next time you want to take a stab at someone or question someone's intelligence maybe you should stop doing here in an opinionated ran comment section and do it towards the Asst. Chief in question.
PS. someone said that "infarctfighter" should stop using caps. Maybe he shouldn't if it is his opinion and he is expressing how angry he is with his typing! I congratulate him for stating what he believes in regardless of how anyone else feels. We need more people like that!

how many on here even are ff or emts? probably 2 or 3 including myself. its a tough job and every dept has that one person that thinks there better then everyone else for some reason. look at the big depts. what certs do you need to be on one of them? a lot more then this boss guy has. he needs to give it up hes not doing anything for darien at all. hes putting ppl in to harm insted of preventing it. give it up boss and let the real fire men/woman do there job. also chief retire your dept diserves someone who knows how to be a chief.

Neckcuta- If you are truly a tax payer in the Village of Darien I think you should have bigger concerns over where you tax dollar is going rather than the relatively small amount of money it may take to educate a few new firefighters. Although you might be someone who thinks it is all right for the Public Works Department to be setting up and preparing for the Darien Beerfest with Free Corn or maybe you enjoy walking past the same dead animal on the road for weeks. Perhaps you may even think the Darien Police Department is stationed out of the Corner Market (formally Rollette Oil). Have you ever seen what Village clerical staff wages are, come on it is only Darien. I agree with Ram003 maybe it is time for the Village and Township to explore the option of hiring some higher qualified individuals to fill some positions within the Fire and EMS departments. Have you ever called EMS and have another municipalities ambulance or private ambulance show up at your door after a half hour of waiting. I feel it is due time for change. Neckcuta, you write about how highly qualified these firefighters where, maybe you should research a little more before making this statement. I was also eluding to the fact that some previous members that may already be qualified may want to return to the department after the three pre mentioned “members” are gone.

infarctfighter - STOP USING CAP'S FOR EVERYTHING YOU WRITE!!

Proud? The majority probably voted him into the position and maybe they were not in the majority but it sounds like they would be now. Voices will be heard by larger numbers not by walking away. That's the easy way out. They all will feel bad if something happens and they weren't there to help prevent it.

sounds like darien needs to get some new policies. do you have sops and dept guidelines for these situations? looks like boss thinks hes all that to me. if he was this great A.C. and amazing fire fighter that he can be in charge of a scene from miles away and do a better job then someone on scene he should be working for City of Janesville or Madison were he can really be the big man. Tell him to get off the box. Honestly the five that quit should be proud of themselves and hopefully more do until they take care of him and the chief sense hes to scared to do it himself. Fire figheters have enough to deal with they dont need the drama in the fire house to.

Well maybe Darien will have to have some full time people on 24/7, like BloomField/ Genoa City and Lake Geneva. That cost ought to get someone's attention.

IF THE CHEIF DOESNT DO ANYTHING, WHO WILL. HOW DOES THIS GET RESOLVED? BOSS RUNS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THEIR NOT GONA DO ANYTHING. THE VILLAGE SAID IT WAS UP TO THE FIRE DEPT TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO WHERE DOES THAT PUT US. 5 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT, POTENTIALLY MORE, AND A JERK CALLING ALL THE SHOTS. IT DOESNT SOUND LIKE ANYTHING IS GOING TO GET DONE TO ME. NOBODY WITH THE POWER IS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.

What would having more applicants do? Cause new people to feel the same frustration!?! Do people not realize that we the tax payers are paying for the training ans schooling of all of the firefighters? Because one person is an idiot it will cost "us" more money and potentially harm or a major loss on our properties and/or families! People need to pull their heads out and make things better! FAST!

Has DFD received applications from anyone now that Iverson, McKInney, and Morgan have left. Just a thought.

How can we, the community of Darien just “blow off” the resignation and loss of five well trained, well qualified first responders? Firehouse politics are a mute issue when you need an E.M.T. or a Firefighter, and the loss of five first responders has left our community vulnerable. We, as a community, need to contact our local government, and demand a resolution to this matter NOW! We can’t have our first responders quiting in droves because they are frustrated with one jackass!

“If this goes on much longer, I plain won’t go back,” McKinney said. “It’s getting to that point where I feel like I’m not wanted there.”

It's like reading the story of Brett all over again!

Sorry...as I read the end of the news story that is the fisrt thing that came to mind. It's sad when people on power trips can't get over themselves and do what is best for others.

DAN NICKELS AND DON IVERSON WERE A GOOD TEAM. NICKELS DID THE POLITICAL END AND TRIED TO KEEP EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLEY AND DON WAS THE MAN WHO GOT THINGS DONE. THEY BALANCED EACH OTHER WELL, AND WERE EFFECTIVE. WHEN DON HAD TO LEAVE DUE TO MEDICAL PROBLEMS BOSS MOVED RIGHT IN AND WHEN BOSS GETS INTO A LEADERSHIP POSITION THERE IS NO BALANCE OR HARMONY BECAUSE HE WANTS THINGS DONE HIS WAY REGARDLESS OF RULES OR OTHER PEOPLES POSITIONS OR AUTHORITY. I PERSONALLY THINK HE'S HOLDING SOMETHING OVER THE CHEIFS HEAD AND THATS WHY THE CHEIF WONT DO ANYTHING TO HIM. BEFORE BOSS YOU HAD A FIRE DEPT THAT GOT THINGS DONE, AND DONE WELL. A FIRE DEPT THAT MET THE STANDARDS AND FOLLOWED THE RULES OF INCIDENT COMMAND JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPT IN THE COUNTRY. NOW WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

I can tell you that I know for a fact that Mr. Iverson had to have extensive surgery that caused his retirement. It was not what he wanted to do but, had to do. As for Mr. Boss taking the position I cannot answer that question as I am not part of the department.

From reading these posts it seems that one if not more are on the Darien FD or just quit. Maybe one of you can explain a few things. Why is Iverson no longer asst. chief? Was he voted out? Was it by show of hands or secret ballot? How close was the vote when Boss was elected?

Letting go of one asst. chief for another is a big part of the problem. The problem is going from one asst. chief who cares and does the job correctly to going to the new asst. who's only care is barking orders and causing potential harm and loss. Wouldn't you have a hard time letting go to if you were in that situation? I would!

The headlines are deceiving, the ex firefighters want things done? Sorry you lost your voice when you walked out on the community and the department. Now it's up to the Chief and the department to take the appropriate measures. Maybe they the ones that left couldn't take the changes from one Asst Chiefto another. Everyone has their own style.

I really wish that this issue would be resolved quickly. How many firefighters have to quit or how many people have to die in a fire because of someone that is on a power trip because of his position? I know 90% of this fire department and can tell you that it was an very close knit family until Asst. Chief Iverson retired. I wish the "mannequins" in power would see that one particular person is causing a disaster happen to a very good department and community. I know Mr. Iverson very closely and I can tell you that he never acted in a manner like Mr. Boss has acted. I know that so many people looked up to Mr. Iverson and for the most part he ran the entire department as if he were the chief but, he was only the Assistant Chief! Maybe Mr. Iverson should be the chief and get this situation worked out. Let good men like Mr. Morgan and Mr. Kinney do what they love to do and let them retire in respect instead of having to turn their backs in disgust on what used to be precious to them! Why is it so hard for people to realize that one bad apple is starting the whole orchard on fire?!? Should the firefighters resign if Mr. Boss stays in this position? Yes! Would you be able to live with the thought that a family just died in a house fire because some Napoleon complexed wanna be god wouldn't let FULLY TRAINED grown people do what they live for, save lives? I can tell you that if it were my place on fire or any other type of disaster and I found out that something could have been done better there would be a civil suit. Open your eyes and eliminate the problem!

neverbpc-got it! a little slow today, I am!

THEY NEVER HAD THESE PROBLEMS WHEN ASST CHEIF IVERSON WAS THERE.

Can someone explain the "mannequin" comment for me.....not sure if it is a firefighter term for something, but I am curious about it....

Neverbepc1: I can see your point. However, when someone resigns, it often becomes easier for those in charge to cast aside their complaints after time has passed. Also, it takes those that resigned out of the "direct loop" so to speak and that might lessen their impact on the issue. Either way, I hope the situation gets resolved. It sounds dangerous. Also, I hope people keep their postings here civil or I fear the Gazette will shut down the forum before long.

I can sympathize with the firefighters' complaints but think they kind of blew it by resigning.

ONE OF THE MAIN RULES OF INCIDENT COMMAND, IN WHICH EVERYONE THAT IS IN EMERGENCY SERVICES HAS TO TAKE A CLASS IN, STATES THAT THE FIRST PERSON ON SCENE ESTABLISHES COMMAND AND HOLDS COMMAND UNTILL THEY RELINQUISH IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. THE ASST CHEIF CAN NOT HAVE COMMAND IF HE IS NOT ON SCENE. NO ONE CAN. I QUESTION HIS EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS TO HOLD THE POSITION HE IS IN. IM ALSO WONDERING WHY HE DIDNT HAVE HIS GEAR WITH HIM AND THEN LEFT LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO GO GET IT. ANY OTHER FIREFIGHTER WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF DICIPLINARY ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST THEM FOR DOING THAT. THERE WERENT THESE PROBLEMS GOING ON IN THIS DEPT UNTILL DANNY BOSS GOT ON. SOMEBODIES GOT TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE ITS NOT GOING TO STOP HERE. PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE, IM SURE THE SURROUNDING FIRE DEPTS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT BOSSES LEADERSHIP SKILLS. ASK THEM.

This needs to stop, either they move on without the five that resigned or they should remove the asst chief