The Chicago Fire Department is implementing several administrative changes which become effective on January 1, 2012. One order that has been released eliminates the position of District Chief and reassigns the duties to Assistant Deputy Commissioners with the exception of the 3rd District (covering the airports) which will retain a District Chief.
In addition, the 4th District is being eliminated with the battalions being re-distributed to the other districts.
DISTRICT/FIELD DIVISION REORGANIZATION
This Order:
- Renders District 4 out of service.
- Administratively reassigns battalions.
- Modifies district and field division command positions.
- Modifies district boundaries.
Effective Sunday, January 1, 2012, at 0800 hours, District 4 will be inactive. Battalions
and command positions will be administratively reassigned as follows:
1. Commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (North)
• District 1 – Battalions 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 13 and 14
• District 2 – Battalions 5, 7. 8, 9, 10 and 11
2. Commanded by a District Chief
• District 3 – Battalion 6
3. Commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (South)
• District 5 – Battalions 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20
• District 6 – Battalions 21, 22, 23 and 24
4. Commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner
• EMS Field Division North
• EMS Field Division South
#1 by Bill on December 29, 2011 - 8:28 AM
Real simple.Fires are way down and EMS is way up.Boomers are getting older.More squads strategically located around the city could offset reduction in company manpower.This “floating” manpower pool would be effective economically and strategically.Tri-data was ignored by Altman.Not totally,but the desire to keep nepotism alive trumped reality.This isn’t the 70s or 80s anymore.You have to change with the times.CFD has always been 20 to 30 years behind.Remember how long it took to get rid of the sounder?
#2 by Ray on December 27, 2011 - 6:45 AM
Scott, some Deputies too the health care plan and went back to Career Service Rank (Battalion Chief), some DCs are rumored to knocked down to DDC and others promoted to Asst Deputy Fire Commissioner.
as for the manpower reductions, we shall see what king rahm proposes come contract negotiations. we shall see
#3 by Bill Post on December 27, 2011 - 4:38 AM
Scott I really don’t know if the administration in City Hall will be satisfied with those cuts or not. I do know that the firefighter’s contract expires in June and therefore sometime within the next few months I would expect negotiations to begin both with the fire department’s management as well as with Local 2.
I really like the way Commissioner Hoff has stood up for maintaining the fire department’s present manpower strength on the companies. So far the mayor’s office hasn’t been making public pronouncements on company manning, however I don’t know if it will last.
Chicago’s Inspector General Mr Ferguson (who is supposed to be independent from the mayor’s office) has made a number of public pronouncements over the last year talking about reducing company manning. It was in regards to one of those pronouncements that Commissioner Hoff had correctly defended the CFD’s company manning policy.
The Inspector General had also made some other “hair brained” suggestions that have made it clear that he really doesn’t know that much about the fire service.
Not only has he recommended reducing the companies to 4-man staffing, but he had also made an alternate suggestion of reducing the “fire suppression” fleet by about 20% and replacing 19 engines and 12 trucks with 31 ambulances. It wasn’t specific as to what companies he would replace. It was only a suggestion to find a way to reduce costs.
Keep in mind that the mayor hasn’t endorsed the suggestion.
#4 by Scott on December 26, 2011 - 4:32 PM
Bill, correct in regards to the Tri-Data report, but isn’t the outcome still the same… prevent reduction of manning on fire co’s and hopefully prevent layoffs? If my figures are correct, you’ve just elminated 5 District Chiefs & 3 Deputy District Chiefs positions. While they where not laid-off, they have either been reassigned to existing vacancies, or maybe there where vacant spots that had temporary persons in them (Acting Officers or OT everyday). With cutting those positions, that is a savings around $1.5mil. And as Brian said, more changes probably will be coming, but the end result is to try and maintain as many fire cos as possible with an officer, Engineer & 3 firefighters for Engines, and officer & 4 firefighters for Trucks.
Hopefully no closing of firehouses or fire cos!
#5 by Bill Post on December 25, 2011 - 10:52 PM
This reduction of Fire Districts to 4 Districts in the (city proper) is actually an “old” plan that has been around since around June of 1999 when the Tri Data corporation had released a Management and Efficiency Study of the Chicago Fire Department.
At the time we had 6 Districts in the city proper and it was recommended that we eliminate 2 Districts. Instead of eliminating 2 Districts the CFD in effect eliminated one district when District 3 was moved from the City Proper (Engine 108’s house) to O’Hare Field and District 2 was moved to Engine 108 from Engine 106’s house. That was done in early 2005 under Fire Commissioner Cortez Trotter.
So eliminating an additional district is really bringing the CFD more in line with the Tri Data Corporation’s recommendations.
The other difference is that the Tri Data Corporation’s study had really recommended that each of the 4 proposed Districts have 6 Battalions assigned to each district. The far south District would have had Battalion’s 18,20,21,22,23 and 24 assigned to it. The near south District would have had Battalions 2,14,15,16,17 and 19 assigned to it. The Central and near north District would have had Battalions 1,3,4,5,12 and 13 assigned to it. The North and Northwest District would have had Battalions 7,8,9,10, and 11 assigned to it while Battalion 6 would be assigned to it’s own “Airport District Chief”.
#6 by Brian on December 23, 2011 - 11:48 PM
I have heard the same as Scott. There will be more changes coming as well. This is the first of the dominos
#7 by Scott Peterson on December 23, 2011 - 7:42 PM
I am not a member of CFD, but what I have heard is this is for budget cuts and to hopefully avoid layoffs or reduction of manpower on fire company’s.
#8 by Jacob on December 23, 2011 - 3:30 PM
why is this happening?