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10 Oct 2019
Rich Evans calls South Jacksonville home, but South Jacksonville isn’t just home, it’s where he is living his lifelong dream – a dream of being a fireman. Evans says, “Growing up, I always wanted to be a firemen, but in the back of my head, [being fire chief] was my goal.” Today, Evans serves as fire chief for the South Jacksonville Fire Department (SJFD). He says, “I look forward to moving the department forward and bettering it [every day].”
Evans began his story with a smile, “I’ve lived within a two block radius of [the fire department] all my life.” His father served as a volunteer firefighter for 35 plus years and retired as assistant chief for the South Jacksonville Fire Department. As a boy, he would often be found just in the department – hanging out. Evans said, “I couldn’t wait to turn 21 and get on with the department.”
Community Guide is Available
The City of Jacksonville is located in west central Illinois, 35 miles west of Springfield, the state capital. It is the county seat of Morgan County and one of the oldest towns in the Land of Lincoln, founded in 1825. Jacksonville was established by Yankee settlers from New England, who laid out farms, constructed roads, erected government buildings, and established post routes. They were part of a wave of European/American farmers who headed west into what was then the wilds of the Northwest Territory, during the early 1800s. Download Here!