Retired Evanston, Winnetka fire chief to lead Northfield Fire-Rescue

The Village of Northfield is turning to a familiar face in North Shore public-safety.

Alan Berkowsky, the former top fire official in Winnetka and Evanston, is coming out of retirement again, this time to take the job in Northfield upon the retirement of Fire-Rescue Chief Mike Nystrand on Nov. 14.

“I am honored to be selected as the fire chief for the Village of Northfield,” Berkowsky said in a statement released by the Village. “I am looking forward to working with the members of the Fire-Rescue Department, the Village’s administrative team and all Village employees.”

Berkowsky began in the Evanston Fire Department in 1981 and worked his way up to captain, division chief and eventually department chief in 2004. He retired from that department six years later.

In 2011, Berkowsky took the fire chief job with the Village of Winnetka and served until his second retirement in 2018. Since then, Berkowsky has worked with Polaris Public Safety Solutions, a firm that consults with public agencies.

According to his profile with Polaris, Berkowsky won the 2016 Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Life-Safety Award and has served as an instructor for Oakton Community College, as well as regional and state organizations.

In Northfield, Berkowsky will reunite with Village Manager Patrick Brennan, who was the village manager for Kenilworth from 2012-2024. Kenilworth is served by the Winnetka Fire Department, which Berkowsky led from 2011-2018.

“Al brings a fantastic level of experience to Northfield,” Brennan said in the release. “He has worked for both large- and medium-sized communities and his base of knowledge will amplify the skills of our firefighters and paramedics. I am excited to have someone of his caliber joining our team.”

Nystrand announced his retirement over the summer, signaling the end of a 37-run as a Village of Northfield employee.

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