Tolley Set to Become Mendota Fire Chief 

MENDOTA — Nate Tolley is expected to be appointed as the next chief of the Mendota Fire Department during Monday’s Mendota City Council meeting, succeeding Chief Dennis Rutishauser after 48 years with the department. Rutishauser joined the department on Oct. 8, 1979, became a full time firefighter and paramedic in 1993 and was appointed fire chief in May 1996. During his career, he earned certifications as Firefighter III, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Fire Officer I, Incident Safety Officer, Fire Investigator and Fire Service Instructor I, along with extensive training in technical rescue, hazardous materials response and emergency medical services. His certifications also include Technical Rescue Awareness, E.R.T. Basic Concepts, N.I.M.S., Vehicle and Machinery Operations, Confined Space Technician, Structural Collapse Technician, Rope Technician, Trench Technician, Vertical Operations, HazMat Technician, HazMat Incident Commander, Swift Water Technician, Surface Ice Rescue Technician, M.A.B.A.S. Division 25 Technical Rescue Team, M.A.B.A.S. Division 25 HazMat Team, P.A.L.S., I.T.L.S., A.C.L.S. and A.H.A. Healthcare CPR. Beyond his certifications, Rutishauser helped establish M.A.B.A.S. Division 25 and served as its president for more than 10 years. He also helped create the division’s Hazardous Materials Team, led the effort to establish its Technical Rescue Team and continues to serve on the M.A.B.A.S. Technical Rescue Team Committee. He is a member of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Tolley joined the department as a paid on call firefighter on April 1, 2006, and moved into a full time firefighter paramedic position in October 2025. He holds certifications in Firefighter II, Fire Apparatus Engineer, Fire Service Vehicle Operator, Fire Service Instructor I, Technical Rescue Awareness, Rope Technician, Water Operations, Watercraft Technician, Swiftwater Technician I and II, Surface Ice Rescue Technician, N.I.M.S., Illinois Licensed EMT Paramedic, NREMT Paramedic, A.C.L.S., P.A.L.S., I.T.L.S. and A.H.A. Healthcare CPR. The Mendota Fire Department consists of six full time firefighters and 20 paid on call personnel.