My name is Tom Shubert, and I have been married to my wife Rona, for 31 years. We have one son, Zach, who is a Peoria firefighter. We also have one grandson, Owen.

In 1983, I became a volunteer firefighter with the Buckheart Fire Protection District, where my dad served for several years. During my time with Buckheart, I served as a training officer, Lieutenant, and Captain. I also took every class I could to learn as much as possible, obtaining several certifications along the way. I realized firefighting was my chosen path, but training firefighters became my passion.

In 1993, I became a career firefighter with the Canton Fire Department. During my time there, I was promoted to Lieutenant and Assistant Chief and then appointed Fire Chief before retiring in 2017.

In 2005, I was hired as a part-time field instructor with the Illinois Fire Service Institute, where I taught everything from basic firefighting to leadership classes. When I retired from the Canton Fire Department in 2017, I continued to teach for the institute. In 2019, I applied for a full-time Director of firefighting programs position with the Illinois Fire Service Institute and was offered the position. As director, I was responsible for all firefighting programs across the state. 

My first introduction to the CCFD/CFD was several years ago when I was teaching part-time for the Illinois Fire Service Institute as a field instructor. I was called upon to teach a class at the Chillicothe Fire Department under the leadership of Chief John Myer. Chief Myer was very passionate when explaining his department. He spoke with great pride about the department and the community.

I can remember being very impressed with the operations of the department. I remember the classroom was packed, and all the members were very engaged in the class. After the class, I spoke with several firefighters and officers in the department. They all spoke about their pride in the department and the community they serve. After teaching my first class at Chillicothe Fire Department, I taught several more over the years. After my first encounter with the department, it left me with an ever-lasting impression of pride and commitment, a sense of family and community. As several years passed, I saw where the department was advertising for the position of Fire Chief. I immediately prepared my resume and turned it in for the position, hoping my chances would be good. I went through the interview process with the board and was offered the job. I couldn’t be more excited about being part of the department and Community, especially being allowed to lead the department.

I look forward to contributing to the department and being part of this community.