Chicago Fire Department
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| Chicago Fire Department |
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| Established | August 2, 1832 |
| Staffing | Career |
| Strength | 4,314 firefighters and 619 paramedics |
| Stations | 98 |
| Engines | 129 |
| Trucks | 62 |
| Squads | 4 |
| Helicopters | 2 |
| EMS Level | BLS & ALS |
| Commissioner | John W. Brooks |
The Chicago Fire Department, also known as the CFD, is the principal fire suppression, prevention, and rescue agency of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the largest fire department in the Midwestern United States and is one of the nation's largest departments after the Fire Department of New York City, Los Angeles City Fire Department, and the Los Angeles County Fire Departments which all have more stations than Chicago. It is also one of the oldest major organized fire departments in the nation. Concurrently, some firefighters serve as paramedics with the Chicago Emergency Medical System.
The Chicago Fire Department is led by the Commissioner, who is currently John Brooks. The Commissioner is appointed by the mayor. He is assisted by the First Deputy Commissioner, who oversees the department's bureaus. There are five bureaus under the First Deputy Commissioner: Administrative Services, Fire Prevention, Operations, Support Services, and Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Services.
Until December 2006 Chicago firefighters donned the famous three-quarter boots and jacket, instead of the now generally accepted bunker gear worn by many departments, especially those of the suburbs. An example of the boots and jacket can be seen in the photo below.
A unique feature on the apparatus of the CFD is the green emergency light that is typically found on the right front of the apparatus, in addition to the red light on the left front. This tradition dates back to the 1930's when a fire commissioner, formerly in the Navy, adopted the port and starboard naval light scheme for all apparatus.
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[edit] Chain of command
Listed below are the chains of command for the two major divisions of the Chicago Fire Department's Operations Bureau: Fire Suppression and Rescue, and Emergency Medical Services. The lists rank from lowest-level employee to senior command staff. Employees in these ranks may also serve in other divisions and bureaus.
[edit] Fire Suppression and Rescue Division
- Firefighter Candidate/Emergency Medical Technician
- Firefighter 1st Class
- Fire Engineer
- Fire Lieutenant (Company Officer)
- Fire Captain (House and Company Officer)
- Fire Battalion Chief
The following positions are appointed by the Fire Commissioner:
- Deputy District Chief
- District Chief
- Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner
- Deputy Fire Commissioner
- First Deputy Fire Commissioner
- Fire Commissioner (Appointed by the Mayor)
Geographically, the CFD is organized into six districts and a total of 24 battalions.
[edit] Emergency Medical Services Division
- Fire Paramedic Candidate
- Fire Paramedic
- Paramedic in Charge
- Paramedic Ambulance Commander
- Paramedic Field Officer
The following positions are appointed by the Fire Commissioner:
- Asstant Deputy Chief Paramedic
- Deputy Chief Paramedic
- Chief Paramedic
[edit] Notable Incidents
The history of the Chicago Fire Department includes several notable fires, most notably the Great Fire of Chicago on October 8-10, 1871.
As early as 1849, when the population of Chicago was still under 20,000, a significant fire destroyed a central portion of the city including the Tremont House. Chicago Mayor James Hutchinson Woodworth used this incident to seek an expansion and better funding for the Chicago Fire Department as detailed in his Inaugural Addresses. Woodworth's support for firefighters set a high standard for the relations between the department and the mayor, and the formal funding he was able to obtain for the department marked the evolution of early Chicago from a trading post to a major Midwest trading center.
[edit] References
- ^ I thought I'd die, says balcony collapse woman - BreakingNews.ie - Obtained March 30, 2007.
[edit] External links
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