Mike Doherty, the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Firefighter of the Year. --Supplied photo
‘A good man, among the very best’
Doherty earns MCC’s Firefighter of the Year Award
By Tim Hadac
Many people who deserve awards are modest, sometimes to the point of being surprised and even a bit befuddled when they receive an accolade.
Mike Doherty is one of them.
The longtime Garfield Ridge resident recalled the day earlier this month when he received a phone call informing him he is the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Firefighter of the Year.
“I really didn’t believe it, and I kind of asked why,” he said.
The caller listed the reasons why.
“So I said, ‘OK, well thank you, I guess,’” Doherty recalled. “I was still kind of shell-shocked over the whole thing—not thinking I deserved it. I didn’t look for it. It caught me off guard. But it was a nice surprise.”
The caller was MCC board member Al Cacciottolo, who nominated Doherty for the award.
“Giving the award this year was a no-brainer,” Cacciottolo told the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound. “Mike Doherty is an obvious choice. In addition to serving honorably for years in an extremely important and potentially dangerous job, Mike works hard for the neighborhood at so many times and in so many ways. He’s always among the first to volunteer to help with events sponsored by the Chamber.
“But he’s not only a firefighter. He’s a crime fighter,” Cacciottolo continued. “Mike is a founding member of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch and to this day serves as its vice president, helping make our streets, parks and schoolyards safer.
“He’s solid, straightforward, dependable–a good man, among the very best in Garfield Ridge.”
Doherty accepted the Firefighter of the Year Award at the Chamber’s annual dinner-dance held Friday, Dec. 16 at Mayfield Banquets.
From the neighborhood
He grew up in the Clearing/Garfield Ridge area, attending St. Symphorosa School and then Hale School. He went on to Kennedy High School, where he graduated in 1981.
After that he worked several jobs, most notably as a driver for Battaglia Distributing Co., and then later on the loading docks at the old Dominick’s Finer Foods headquarters in suburban Northlake.
When the Chicago Fire Department administered its exam in 1985, Doherty jumped at the chance. He passed and was added to the list of qualified candidates. He waited 11 years, but never received the call. Then the list was taken down and the next exam was announced.
So he took it again in 1996, and passed again. This time he waited eight years before the call finally came.
He entered the CFD academy in June 2004 and started six months later with Engine 4, at Division and Larabee, in the shadow of the CHA’s Cabrini Green housing projects.
His first day on the job—Dec. 6—was the most eventful of his career.
It was the LaSalle Bank fire in the heart of the financial district downtown. It began at about 6:30 p.m. as an electrical fire on the 29th floor that spread to the 30th. Despite the fire starting after the traditional workday had ended, about 500 workers were still in the 45-story building.
The fire burned for more than five hours and reached temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
“It ended up being a 5-11 with 3 specials, meaning over a third of the city’s fire department was on scene,” Doherty recalled. About 400 firefighters were there.
Yet there was no loss of life, and the CFD actions were hailed for their effectiveness.
The years since
“I remained on Engine 4 for a total of nine years until my transfer to Engine 18 (at 13th and Blue Island),” Doherty said. “I was assigned to the engine but was asked to drive 221, which is the administrative vehicle for the Deputy District Chief. I have been in this position since that time, having worked with many Chiefs over the years.”
But not only is Doherty a Chicago firefighter, he plays one on TV.
For more than a decade, he has worked as an extra on the award-winning Chicago Fire dramatic series that airs on NBC-TV. Engine 18 is home to the show’s production crews.
It’s in his blood
“I’ve wanted to be a firefighter all my life,” Doherty said, adding that his late father (John A. “Jack” Doherty Sr.) was CFD, as were his uncles, cousins and others he knew. Additionally, his brother-in-law and father-in-law served the department.
As a boy, Doherty would “go to firehouse with my dad to do certain things like pick up his paycheck back in the days before direct deposit.” His father was initially stationed with Engine 95, at Wilcox and Pulaski, in the 1960s. “So I kind of grew up in that [CFD] environment.”
“I do this job because I love it,” he added. Being a Chicago firefighter is “one of the best jobs out there. You know, it’s always tempting to think that maybe someone else has it better, like a doctor or somebody like that.
“But this job, I’ll say this: from where I’m at, from my firehouse, I have a perfect view of downtown. I look at the Willis Tower, and I think 90% of the people working in that building hate going to work. On the other hand, I love setting my alarm to go to work, because I have fun. I work with a great group of men and women. It’s really another family for me.”
Doherty lives in the neighborhood with his wife, Michele. They have three sons: Daniel, Christopher and Nicholas.
The 2022 Firefighter of the Year said he enjoys following in his dad’s footsteps.
“My father was my biggest influence and mentor on pursuing my dreams,” he concluded. “He was always there for me during the rough times to help make my dreams come true.”
9 Comments
Local News
Will the month of March leave like a lion?
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . The days are getting longer and slightly warmer. But my prediction of a few weeks ago–March is certainly not leaving like a lamb–may prove to be correct. A sure sign of spring in…
Robin sighting a sign of new beginnings
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I saw a robin the other day. This was the first sighting of the season for me. I remember my mom saying that the first robin of spring is a promise of new beginnings. May it be so. Is…
Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach…
Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice,…
Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored…
Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for…
College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept.…
Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National…
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament…
City wants to buy armory at MDW
Spread the love. Has been vacant since 2017 . By Tim Hadac For decades, it served military purposes, as well as Chicago’s gateway for Presidents stopping off in the city. But the Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., has been mostly vacant since 2017, when the Illinois Army National Guard ceased operations…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance
By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…
Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…
Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal
COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval. Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…
Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…
Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother – both of whom worked in law enforcement. Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
Capitol Briefs: Insurance reforms advance as Pritzker announces California trip
By PETER HANCOCK, JENNIFER FULLER & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposal for sweeping reforms in the state’s health insurance industry passed out of a committee Thursday and will soon make its way to the full House for consideration. Pritzker first outlined the proposal in his State of the…
Mike is an extraordinary person. Not only did he come from a family tradition of public service like firefighters and police officers caring for this city, but also taking part with volunteering to care for the neighborhood for which he lives in. It’s neighbors and friends, like myself, who commends Mike for taking his personal time for making Garfield Ridge/ Clearing area a better community to live in. Thanks buddy.
Mike is a great guy. Well deserved!
Congratulations you deserve it!
Mike is the best!!! We love him on Chicago Fire!
Congratulations Buddy. Well deserved.
Congratulations, with receiving this prestigious award an accommodation. Chicago Clearing/Garfield Ridge is honored.
Michele an your Sons are without a doubt PROUD of You in many ways. Keep up your outstanding work and keeping our Neighborhood the BEST of the BEST.
Stay safe and enjoy a ????????Merry ????Christmas ????????and a safe, healthy New Year.
Congratulations Mike, I also credit your Wife and family who stand beside you, and hard work and dedication are a big part of who you are, so once again congrats ???????????? friend and stay safe out there..
Job well done Mike, thank you for doing all you do for the Clearing/Garfield Ridge Neighborhood.
Michele and you Son’s are PROUD of You and your Pop’s probably saying… “That’s my Boy”
Merry Christmas ????????????????????and hers to a Happy New Year ????????????.
Good job, Brah!