Chief Justin M. Stried

I have been a lifelong Zion/Winthrop Harbor area resident and am a proud Zee-Bee! I attended Winthrop Harbor grade schools and graduated from Zion-Benton Township High School in 1996. At that point, I knew I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and pursue a career in the fire and EMS service.

I was fortunate to join the Winthrop Harbor Fire Department shortly after high school graduation and was able to quickly earn EMT, paramedic, and firefighter certifications. In August of 1999, I received a call from Zion Fire Chief David McAdams offering me a position—and I accepted as fast as possible! I also soon realized the value of higher education and have highlighted some of my proudest accomplishments below.

It has been an honor to serve the residents and visitors of Zion and to work alongside some of the best firefighter/paramedics I’ve ever known. I was also privileged to serve as part-time Fire Chief in Winthrop Harbor for seven years, which greatly deepened my understanding of fire service leadership and maintaining positive relationships with department members, the public, and elected officials.

On behalf of all Zion Fire & Rescue staff members, thank you for taking a few minutes to visit our website. We hope you find it informative, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us if we can be of further assistance.

Education

• Executive Fire Officer (2019)
  National Fire Academy, Emmitsburg, Maryland
• Chief Fire Officer (2013)
  Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal
• Bachelor of Fire Science Management (2005)
  Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
• Associate of Fire Science Technology (2000)
  College of Lake County, Grayslake, Illinois