Amy Pais-Richer, published author and investigative writer, said firefighters are placed in conditions that prevent them from doing their jobs effectively, noting that many come from legacy families, face daily moral and ethical strain, and have struggled to advocate for adequate staffing needed to provide safe, reliable service to Lake Forest.
“They're being put in a position where they can't do their job properly," said Pais-Richer on the Lake Forest podcast. “People don't go into this profession to make money. They're doing it because they care about people. They care about this community. These are men and women, most of them. This is a generational type of thing. They're a legacy family, and they're like their legacy families.”
“Not only are they risking their lives, their mental health to do this, they fear morally and ethically every single day that they are on the job," said Pais-Richer. “They can't provide the best service. And they have been trying to advocate for themselves, and they have not been successful because they want to give the residents of Lake Forest the best service. What that means is, when you're understaffed like that, you're playing—you're playing literally with fire.”
This full episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This episode of the Lake Forest Podcast features host Pete Jansons with guests Amy Pais-Richer, advertising exec with Super Bowl ads, published author, and investigative writer, former Illinois State Senator Susan Garrett, and co-host Jeff Urso Jeff Urso as they discuss concerns about firefighter staffing in Lake Forest, including rising overtime hours, reduced shift coverage, increased emergency call volume, and significant personnel losses over the past year. The conversation reviews data on mutual-aid imbalances, safety standard gaps, and recent capital spending without added hiring, and notes upcoming dates tied to the release of a staffing report and an upcoming city council meeting.
The Lake Forest podcast is hosted by Pete Jansons, an entrepreneur with a background in neuroscience; Rick Lesser, an attorney and former village trustee; and Joe Weiss, who has experience in multiple government and public service positions. The podcast covers topics and politics impacting the area around the city of Lake Forest, according to the Lake Forest podcast website.
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