Carmel Roots Run Deep

Carmel Roots Run Deep for Libertyville Fire Chief Rich Carani ’84

Hard working, attention to detail, compassionate, dependable.

Those are important traits that Libertyville Fire Chief Rich Carani has lived by during his 30+ years of service as a first responder in the Libertyville community where he both lives and works.

Ironically, those are also words often associated with our students here at Carmel Catholic.

So, it may come as no surprise that it’s right here at Carmel Catholic where Chief Carani learned some of life’s most important traits, ones that helped catapult him into a career of saving lives.

“Firefighting is part of my DNA but rising to the top of my profession also has everything to do with work ethic and community involvement,” says Chief Carani. “Those are the types of traits, along with building your selfesteem, independence, and compassion, that students reap from a Carmel education.”

A 1984 alum (along with Libertyville Police Chief Ed Roncone), Carani was the first of his five siblings to graduate from Carmel. Looking back, he admits that while he wasn’t totally aware of all the important traits being instilled in him as a teenager, he is acutely aware of the impact Carmel Catholic has made on him now.

“The sense of community at Carmel and its teaching students how to be kind and courteous people plays a big part in my job,” Carani says. “Being a firefighter is a highly customer service-oriented job and if you’re not able to provide that service, then you’re not going to survive and you’re not going to be successful.”

After graduating college in 1988, Carani attended EMT and paramedic school before he realized that firefighting could be a full-time career. He would be hired by the Libertyville Fire Department and promoted to lieutenant in 1997, and then shortly thereafter named assistant chief. He would earn the title of Fire Chief in 2005.

“Being able to rise to the position I am in now has had a lot to do with work ethic and community involvement,” he notes. “Those are the types of attributes I learned when I was at Carmel. Learning to be compassionate and understanding the important pillars of our faith are among the most important qualities that Carmel helps develop for its students.”

“Carmel Catholic has such a strong sense of community and that includes the student, teaching staff, and everyone else there. But it’s a community where everybody looks out for each other. Whether you graduated 10 years ago or 30 years ago, if you’re out there and someone knows you’re a Carmel graduate, they’re looking out for you and they’re going to try and help you out.”