CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT
Chicago FD Firefighters Union Website
1999 - Detailed analysis of the CFD Here Here- if this link goes away, drop me a note - I have most of the info on file. There is a huge amount of info here. Couple of questions remain - how many pilots do they have for the 2 (3) helos? - what crash rigs are at the Lakefront Airport (see Oct 2000 info somewhere) - how does CFD communicate in tunnels? - what is their standard response on downtown alarm system activations - I could use a few box cards (OHare - Meigs Field - Sears Tower - Lakefront Airport - Wrigley Field)
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871
August 1999 - 2 people killed in a highrise fire - read the story (plus response info) �here�
See www.emergency.com/cfdpage.htm for Chicago FD info - pin in accident gets E + L + Buggy + Squad + Amb (added June 2001)
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Here are some photos of some Chicago FD rigs. Rig Photos
Photo of Old Chicago Snorkel - IH Cab Forward Chassis - ?1960
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October ?11, 1999 Chicago Tribune - jakes and cop get top pay of $60,000 per year after 25 years on the job - cops start at $33,000 per year - there are 13,500 cops on Chicago PD - Chicago FD has 3,900 firefighters and 600 paramedics
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August 2000 from [email protected] - CFD uses a computerized dispatching system to turn out their companies. When the run is sent to the unit (MDT's) it also sends it to their "alarm terminals" in the house. A computerized voice (which was a really hideous sounding computerized voice that you couldn't understand, has been updated to a more understandable female voice. Go figure) It is actually quite interesting to listen too. New York City does the same thing with a different computer company.
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21 August 2000 - Chicago had a big air show on their waterfront this weekend. Here are some of the comments from the CARMA list. =======================
Here's what I've got in my notes re: CFD EMS UHF channelization: F1 - 460.600 "EMS Main" (north) F2 - 460.625 "EMS Englewood" (south) F3 - 462.950 "EMS Data" (aka "Med 9") F4 - 462.975 "EMS Command" (aka "Med 10") F5 - 458.025 "Special events 5" (203.5) F6 - 458.075 "Special events 6" (210.7) F7 - 458.125 "Special events 7" (218.1) F8 - 458.175 "Special events 8" (225.7) [F1 thru F4 are repeaterized channels - PS] I also show reports of EMS special events use of 467.950 with a ZB (97.4) tone, and back in July of 1998, I monitored simplex use of 465.525 (tone unknown) for local EMS ops at Taste of Chicago. --------------------- On Sun, 20 Aug 2000 -The city had a number of different nets running on the 458 Mhz EMS freqs, found a few tones that were slightly "off", may have been my counter, some alternate "nets", or some programming errors: 458.025 (203.5) Known to be programmed in EMS radios, active 458.025 (225.7) Lifeguard Net, active Note: the 45.92 lowband radios which were in use by the lifeguard have not been used at the show for the last 2 years. Unknown if these radios have been retired altogether. 458.075 (210.7) Apparently an EMS admin / event net, active 458.125 (218.1) (Very little use) 458.175 (225.7) Known to be programmed in EMS radios 458.175 (254.1) Apparently an "alternate" channel, active
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Ambulance reform unveiled - March 31, 2000 - BY FRANK MAIN CRIME REPORTER
It was "unacceptable" for an ambulance to take more than 20 minutes to reach gunshot victim James Michael Baker earlier this week, Chicago's top fire official said Thursday.
Baker, 34, died in the arms of his wife, Linda, after he was shot twice Monday afternoon in an argument with two men outside his Avondale home. "I feel horrible for the family," said Fire Commissioner James T. Joyce as he unveiled a program to ensure quick ambulance responses to life-and-death calls. "It is a tragedy for them. It is a tragedy for the whole city."
Baker, a locksmith, argued with the men because they were urinating in an alley near his garage, police said. One shot him in the leg with a .380-caliber pistol. Baker shouted for his family to call 911 and was shot in the back.
A fire engine arrived in about four minutes with a firefighter trained as a "first responder." Such firefighters, assigned to each truck, know how to stabilize a patient and stop severe bleeding. But it took at least 20 minutes for an ambulance carrying a paramedic to reach Baker. Paramedics are able to administer drugs and intravenous fluids. Of the five ambulances closest to Baker's house, four were responding to calls that did not involve a life-threatening condition. The fifth ambulance was stalled because of mechanical problems, Joyce said.
"The excuse for an ambulance breaking down is not tolerable," said Al Happe, 35, a brother-in-law of Baker. Joyce agreed the ambulance delay was "unacceptable," adding "that's why we are making the changes today." Under the reforms, 12 new basic life support ambulances have been added to the city's fleet of 59 advanced life support ambulances and 25 ALS fire engines.
The BLS ambulances will be staffed by 120 fire cadets in the current training class once they graduate. They will be trained as firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
BLS ambulances will respond mainly to calls that don't involve threats to life, freeing up ALS vehicles for the most serious cases, Joyce said. Chicago will become the biggest city to move to such a system, he said.
Meanwhile, there will be more training for dispatchers at the 911 center. The changes are critical because about 60 percent of calls are for emergency medical services, while the rest are fire-related, Joyce said. "This tragic shooting Monday shows us how we have to improve service," he said.
Baker, the father of a boy and girl, started Awesome Lock Service after working with Happe for about 10 years at another lock company. A cross and flowers were left in Baker's backyard following a Wednesday vigil for him that more than 100 people attended. Police were searching for the killers Thursday.
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CFD codesOct00 - from [email protected]Message received = message received. Solo run = usually 1 eng for rubbish or a car fire. Automatic Alarm = Wired detector or waterflow, 1eng, 1 trk, 1 batt chief. Still AKA as Full Still = 2 eng, 2 trk, 1 batt chief. Also Snorkel Squad and Communications Van if available and confirmed fire. Box, AKA Cold Box, add 2 eng to Still. Still and Box AKA Still followed by Box, Add 2 eng, 1 Platform Ladder (incorrectly called tower ladder) 2 chiefs, 1 amb, 1 Dep. Dist Chief to Still. 2-11 add 4 eng, 2 trk, 1 Platform ladder 2 Bat. Chiefs, Dept. Dep. Chief to Still and Box. 3-11 add another round duplicating the 2-11 adds. Notify Commissioner and Dep. commissioners. 4-11 add 4 more eng. 5-11 add 4 more eng. Special Alarm = send requested equipment. Do not confuse a 5-11 (Five Eleven) with unit 5-1-1 (Five One One) the Hazmat unit. This is not called unit Five Hundred Eleven. Ambulance assist, send nearest fire company in case CPR, bleeding control, lifting heavy victim is needed before ambulance arrives. Medical Emergency Plan One, 5 amb plus medical supervisor, will be accompanied by a Full Still if not already on the scene for manpower assistance. Medical Emergency Plan Two, Add 5 more amb, bring fire equip response up to Still And Box for manpower assistance. Medical Emergency Plan Three, Add 5 more amb, notify Commissioner and Deputies. Almost all CFD stuff is plain English. There are a couple of codes I don't remember that are never used anyway involving fatalities to civilians and firefighters. 2-1-1 Callsign of Englewood Fire Alarm Office (Englewood) (defunct, the south side fire desk at the 911 center). 2-1-2 Callsign of Main Fire Alarm Office (Main) (defunct, the north side fire desk at the 911 center). 2-1-3 Callsign of Fire Commissioner 2-1-4 thru 2-1-19? (Two One Nineteen) call signs of Deputy Commissioners 2-2-1 thru 2-2-6 Deputy Dist Chiefs 1 thru 6, the highest rank that sleeps in a firehouse now. 2-2-7 same but O'Hare Field.
See radio IDs of special units here
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There was a post to CARMA in ?Sept 00 about the station at Meigs Field - a list of helos and rigs - hush hush - see storage - they have 2 helos now (1 JetRanger + 1 Huey) - they seek more mutual aid to other FDs on lake rescues - [I need to link to the file at 45peter/IL - June 2001]
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August 1999 - by Peter Szerlag - 10/9/99 added Rig photos link - 11/19/99 added more websites - 1 April 2000 added Ambo article - 10June2000 - added Index links - 05Aug00 - CAD system - 7Oct00 - Special Events Freqs - 25Oct00 - radio messages/codes - 27Oct00 - radio IDs of special units - June 2001 - www.emergency.com