Popurella to retire as Oglesby fire chief

City, IVCC close to annexation agreement

Oglesby Fire Chief Ron Popurella radios to dispatch during a fire at a duplex home in the 200 block of Sunset Boulevard on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023 in Oglesby. — He's calling it a career. Oglesby Fire Chief Ron Popurella, seen here overseeing a 2023 incident, announced his retirement at the end of the month. The Oglesby City Council accepted, with regret, his resignation Monday, April 7, 2025. (Scott Anderson)

April 08, 2025 at 4:21 pm CDT

Oglesby’s fire chief is calling it a career after nearly five decades of service.

Monday, the Oglesby City Council accepted, with regret, the resignation of Fire Chief Ron Popurella, effective April 30. Popurella began as a junior firefighter in 1979 and was named fire chief in 2005. A new chief will be named later.

“It’s been an honor to serve the citizens of Oglesby and Oglesby Fire Protection District,” Popurella wrote in his resignation letter. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with the most dedicated men and women in those 46 years.”

The council praised one of the city’s longest-serving public servants.

“It is well earned,” Commissioner Greg McDermott said of Popurella’s retirement.