Operational area | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
State | Illinois |
City | Chicago |
Coordinates | 41°49′50″N87°37′26″W / 41.83056°N 87.62389°W |
Agency overview | |
Established | August 2, 1858 [1] |
Annual calls | 888,110 (2018) [2] |
Employees | 5,173 (2017) [2] |
Commissioner | Annette Nance Holt |
EMS level | Advanced Life Support (ALS) & Basic Life Support (BLS) |
IAFF | Local 2 |
Motto | "We're There When You Need Us" |
Facilities and equipment | |
Divisions | 5 |
Battalions | 25 |
Stations | 96 |
Engines | 96 |
Trucks | 61 |
Squads | 4 |
Ambulances | 80 |
HAZMAT | 2 |
USAR | 2 |
Airport crash | 10 |
Helicopters | 2 |
Fireboats | 2 |
Website | |
www | |
www |
The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) provides firefighting services along with emergency medical response services, hazardous materials mitigation services, and technical rescue response services in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the second-largest municipal fire department in the United States after the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). It is also one of the oldest major organized fire departments in the nation. It has numerous general purpose and specialized vehicles and equipment to accomplish its missions.
The Chicago Fire Department is led by the Fire Commissioner, currently Annette Nance-Holt. The Fire Commissioner is appointed by the mayor of Chicago, is confirmed by the Chicago City Council, and is assisted by the First Deputy Commissioner, who oversees the department's bureaus. There are four bureaus under the command of the First Deputy Commissioner: Operations, Fire Prevention, Administrative Services, and Logistics.
The Chicago Fire Department receives over 800,000 emergency calls annually. [3]
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The "Washington Volunteers," the first fire company, was established in 1832.
The first Chicago regulation, which forbade "the passing of any stove pipe through the roof, partition, or siding of any building, unless guarded by tin or iron six inches from the wood," was passed in November 1833. For this infraction, there was a $5.00 fine. [4]
The volunteer fire department was disestablished on August 2, 1858, when the city council passed the ordinance organizing the paid City of Chicago Fire Department. [1]
There are four Bureaus within the Chicago Fire Department: Bureau of Operations, Bureau of Administrative Services, Bureau of Logistics and Bureau of Fire Prevention. Each of the four Bureaus are commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner, who then reports to the 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner, who in turn reports to the Fire Commissioner.
The Bureau of Operations is the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department. The Bureau of Operations commands the following Divisions: Fire Suppression & Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations Command, and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Bureau of Operations is composed of over 4,500 Uniformed Firefighters and EMS personnel and is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner [5]
The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is organized into 5 Districts which command a total of 24 Battalions and 1 Special Operations Battalion.
The Bureau of Administrative Services commands the following Divisions: Personnel, Training, the Photo Unit, and the Employee Assistance Program. The Bureau Of Administrative Services is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner. [6]
The Bureau of Logistics commands the following Divisions: Support Services, Support & Logistics (EMS), Equipment & Supply, Building & Property Management, Record, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Staff/Human Relations, the Pension Board, the Regulatory Compliance, and Management Information Systems/Technology. The Bureau of Logistics is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner. [7]
The Bureau of Fire Prevention commands the following Divisions: Code Compliance and Inspections. The Bureau of Fire Prevention is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner. [8]
The Bureau of Operations is one of four Bureaus within the organization of the Chicago Fire Department. Like the other Bureaus, the Bureau of Operations is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner, who reports to the 1st Deputy Commissioner, who in-turn reports to the Fire Commissioner. The Bureau of Operations is currently the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department and is organized into four Divisions: Fire Suppression and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations (including the Technical Rescue Unit, the Hazardous Materials Unit, and the Air-Sea Rescue Unit), and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner. The Special Operations Division and the EMS Division are also commanded by an Assistant Deputy Commissioner. The Office of Fire Investigation (OFI) is under the command of the Commanding Fire Marshal, equivalent to the rank of Deputy District Chief. [5] [9]
The Chicago Fire Department is organized into 5 Districts, which command a total of 24 Battalions and a Special Operations Battalion. [10] [11]
The Chicago Fire Department cooperated with film director Ron Howard on making the 1991 film Backdraft , starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, and Robert De Niro.
The NBC television show Chicago Fire , centers on a group of fictional firefighters and paramedics at a firehouse that is the headquarters of the fictitious Engine Company 51, Truck Company 81, Rescue Squad Company 3, Battalion Chief 25 (previously reassigned to another firehouse, now returned to Firehouse 51), Deputy District Chief 2-2-6 (reassigned to another Firehouse), and Ambulance 61 (represented by the headquarters for real Engine Company 18). [12]
The arcade game Emergency Call Ambulance takes place in Chicago. Players would take the role of an unnamed Chicago Fire Department Paramedic and ambulance driver, as they race through Chicago streets to save lives in 4 different cases.
Title | Duties | Promotion criteria | Insignia |
---|---|---|---|
fire Commissioner | Commands the entire Chicago Fire Department | given by the Mayor of Chicago and confirmed by the Chicago City Council | |
First Deputy Fire Commissioner | Second in Command of the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
Deputy Fire Commissioner | Commands a Bureau in the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner | Commands a Division in the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
District Chief | Commands a Fire District in the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
Deputy District Chief | Second in Command of a Fire District in the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedic | Commands an EMS Field Division in the Chicago Fire Department | Appointed by the Fire Commissioner | |
Battalion Chief | Commands a Fire Battalion in the Chicago Fire Department | By examination | |
Paramedic Field Chief | Commands an EMS District in the Chicago Fire Department | By examination | |
Captain | Commands the company/unit they are assigned to, and the fire station that they are assigned to | By examination | |
Ambulance Commander | Supervises other Paramedics In Charge (PICs) | By examination | |
Lieutenant | Commands the company/unit they are assigned to | By examination | |
Paramedic In Charge | Commands an Ambulance Crew | UNKNOWN | |
Engineer | Drives/Operates a fire vehicle | By examination | UNKNOWN |
Paramedic | Provides medical aid to patients | Must pass a 1 year probationary period from Candidate paramedic | NONE |
Firefighter/ Firefighter EMT/ Firefighter Paramedic | Provides Fire Suppression and Rescue services, may also be cross trained as either an EMT or Paramedic | Must pass a 1 year probationary period from Candidate Firefighter/ Candidate Firefighter EMT/ Candidate Firefighter Paramedic | NONE |
Candidate Firefighter/ Candidate Firefighter EMT/ Candidate Firefighter Paramedic | Must prove that they belong in the Chicago Fire Department, during their 1 year probationary period | Must graduate from the Fire Academy | NONE |
Candidate Paramedic | Must prove that they belong in the Chicago Fire Department, during their 1 year probationary period | Must graduate from the Fire Academy | NONE |
The Los Angeles Fire Department provides firefighting services as well as technical rescue services, hazardous materials services and emergency medical services to the citizens of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The LAFD is responsible for approximately four million people who live in the agency's 471 square miles (1,220 km2) jurisdiction. The Los Angeles Fire Department was founded in 1886 and is the third largest municipal fire department in the United States, after the New York City Fire Department and the Chicago Fire Department. The department is sometimes also referred to as the Los Angeles City Fire Department or "LA City Fire" to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which serves unincorporated areas and, via contracts, other incorporated municipalities within Los Angeles County without their own fire departments. The department is currently under the command of Chief Kristin Crowley.
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fire Suppression Services,Specialized Hazardous Materials Response Services,Emergency Medical Response Services and Specialized Technical Rescue Services in the entire city.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through contracting, including the city of La Habra, which is located in Orange County and is the first city outside of Los Angeles County to contract with LACoFD.
The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) provides fire, emergency medical, and allied public safety services for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church in Virginia, USA. It is highly regarded within the profession as an innovator and leader in enhancing the industry. Among its many firsts are the hiring of the first female career firefighter in the world in 1974 and partnering with the United States Public Health Service to develop America's first Metropolitan Medical Strike Team to respond to the consequences of a chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attack.
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is a combination career and volunteer organization that provides fire suppression services, emergency medical response services, technical rescue services, hazardous materials Response services, water rescue services, life safety education, fire prevention and arson investigation services to Fairfax County, Virginia. Emergency medical services include advanced life support response by ALS capable engines and transport units.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) is the full-service fire department of San Diego, California. It was established on August 5, 1889. The department responds to over 183,000 calls per year. It covers 343 square miles of service area, including 17 miles of coastline. It is the second-largest municipal fire department in California, after the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) provides fire and EMS services to the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It operates from 27 fire stations, and 3 administration offices across the city.
The Boston Fire Department provides fire services and first responder emergency medical services to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It also responds to such incidents as motor vehicle accidents, hazardous material spills, utility mishaps, floods, explosions, and construction accidents among others.
Boston Emergency Medical Services provides basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) ambulance units throughout the neighborhoods in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Boston EMS is a public safety agency responding to 911 calls alone or with the Boston Police and/or Boston Fire Departments dependent upon the nature of an incident. The agency employs over 400 emergency medical technicians (EMT) and paramedics.
The Detroit Fire Department (DFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan.
The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) provides fire and rescue protection and emergency medical services to the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. In total the department serves 278 square miles (720 km2).
The Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department (PGFD) is a combination career/volunteer county-level agency that provides "..fire prevention, fire protection, emergency medical services, rescue services and community outreach programs" for residents of Prince George's County, Maryland. The department is composed of volunteers from 33 fire companies throughout the county, that are represented by the Prince George's County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, as well as career firefighters affiliated with the Prince George's County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association, IAFF Local 1619. According to the Firehouse Magazine 2010 Combination Fire Department Run Survey, the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department covers a response area of approximately 580 miles, protects approximately 900,000 people, and has an annual operating budget of $132 million. Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department responded to 148,506 calls in 2016 according to the 2016 National Run Survey. 29,702 of those calls were fire related and 118,804 that were EMS calls, making Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department the busiest combination fire department in the United States to submit statistics.
The St. Louis Fire Department provides emergency medical services, fire cause determination, fire prevention, fire suppression, hazardous materials mitigation, and rescue services to the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The department is also the second oldest professional and fully paid fire department in the United States. The STLFD is responsible for 69.0 square miles (179 km2) and has a population of approximately 294,890 with a daytime population of over 2 million.
Firefighting in the United States dates back to the earliest European colonies in the Americas. Early firefighters were simply community members who would respond to neighborhood fires with buckets. The first dedicated volunteer fire brigade was established in 1736 in Philadelphia. These volunteer companies were often paid by insurance companies in return for protecting their clients.
The New Haven Fire Department (NHFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of New Haven, Connecticut. The New Haven Fire Department currently serves a population of over 130,000 people living in 19 square miles of land and is one of the largest fire departments in the state.
The New York City Fire Department Bureau of Emergency Medical Services is a division of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in charge of emergency medical services for New York City. It was established on March 17, 1996, following the merger of the FDNY and New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation's emergency medical services division. FDNY EMS provides coverage of all five boroughs of New York City with ambulances and a variety of specialized response vehicles.
The Newark Fire Division provides Fire Protection Services,Hazardous Materials Mitigation Services, Emergency Medical Response Services and Specialized Rescue Services in the city of Newark, New Jersey. With a population of 311,549 it is New Jersey's largest city. In all the division is responsible for protecting 26.107 sq mi (67.617 km). Originally separate departments, the Police, Fire, Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security were consolidated into a Department of Public Safety under Mayor Ras J. Baraka. The Division is part of the Metro Urban Search And Rescue (USAR) Strike Team which is composed of nine north Jersey fire departments working together to address major emergency and rescue situations.
The Yonkers Fire Department (YFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Yonkers, New York, United States.
The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Alexandria, Virginia. Established in 1866, the department is responsible for 15 square miles (39 km2) with a population of over 159,000.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (PEMS) provides emergency medical services and medically directed rescue services for the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a bureau of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), along with the Bureaus of Police, Administration, Fire, and Animal Care and Control. The department is responsible for 55.5 square miles (144 km2) with a population of 305,841 as of the 2013 Census estimation. The Bureau was founded in 1975 by the then current city administration, absorbing Freedom House Ambulance. In addition, the Bureau of EMS was one of the first EMS agencies in the world.