Chicago City Wire

Former EMT battalion chief Mark Townsend, who retired in November 2018, saved $244,403 toward a pension over 29 years working for fire departments, Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, Townsend would collect as much as $5.38 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes Chicago City Wire.

The projection assumes Townsend received $112,999 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 3 years of retirement, Townsend will have already received $349,269 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the state pension fund.