Plainfield opens new, larger emergency services center

When former Police Chief John Konopek Jr. first joined the Plainfield Police Department in 1994, the village had about 5,000 residents and a lot of cornfields.

Rising through the ranks, he became chief in 2011, a post he held until his retirement in July 2022. By that time, Plainfield’s population was approximately 44,000 and there were a lot fewer cornfields.

During much of the that time Konopek also worked with the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)—a volunteer-based organization that assists in the recovery from any major emergency or disaster that may impact the citizens and services within the village.

“Even though my name is on the building. It is really for the members that have come before me and the ones that will come after I am gone.”

—  John Konopek Jr., former Plainfield police chief

For his dedication and commitment to the organization, Konopek was recently honored with the dedication of the new Plainfield Emergency Management Agency building as the John J. Konopek Jr. Plainfield Emergency Management Agency Center, a 15,000-square-foot facility located at 14805 S. Wood Farm Road.

Announcing that the building would be named in his honor at his retirement recognition ceremony, Konopek said, “It was an unbelievable honor and shocking.”

“Even though my name is on the building,” he said. “It is really for the members that have come before me and the ones that will come after I am gone.”

“And the new building is going to take us into the future,” Konopek added.

“The volunteers will come out and handle any kind of disaster for the safety and security of residents.”

—  Anthony Novak, deputy director of the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency

In his retirement, Konopek still works with PEMA on a volunteer basis assisting on calls and helping with administration. Taking a step back, he said, he is letting newer members handle some of those duties, while he can still fill in to help.

The group started with five volunteers in a rickety building, according to Plainfield Police Department Commander Anthony Novak who also serves as the deputy director of the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency.

“He was instrumental in making it what it is today,” he added, “Working side by side [with Konopek] he always wanted a new facility for the volunteers who do so much on their own time.”

Whether it be tornados, blizzards, floods or any other type of situation, Novak said, “The volunteers will come out and handle any kind of disaster for the safety and security of residents.”

The approximately 30 current members of the all-volunteer group also help with traffic control, weather spotting, search and rescue, event support, and clearing storm debris.

Novak praised Konopek for doing a “tremendous job” and respecting those who work for PEMA. “They are volunteers, they are not going to come back if they don’t feel like their work is appreciated or valued. He does a great job of putting them first,” Novak said.

In the aftermath of the deadly 1990 tornado that destroyed so much of Plainfield, Konopek said, the Plainfield community embraced the recovery of the village and the Plainfield Emergency Management Agency.

Going forward, he said, the community members “want to make sure the Plainfield is a resilient community and ready for any emergency or disaster that may impact it.”

Today, PEMA supplements the efforts of the fire and police departments, he added.

However, in terms of severe weather, Plainfield Emergency Management Agency is the front line of preparedness and response in the community.

“We are the ones out doing the weather spotting. We are the ones who tell them to set off the warning sirens for a tornado warning,” Konopek said.

The previous training facility was an old public works building that PEMA inherited in the 1980s.

“It was only 2,400 square feet,” Konopek said. “When I first became involved in PEMA, there wasn’t even running water in the building. We made it work.”

He said PEMA is fortunate to have the support of the Village Board and community and community to get the new center built. “They had the vision for our current members and for the future,” he said.