New policy at CFD, and it’s a doozy.

Under a new order, CFD responding to all residential fires at buildings under 7 stories are to approach the art of fighting fires in the most risk-averse way.

This new order places restrictions under which CFD can enter a burning building.

In sum, the new guidelines state CFD must observe a victim inside or have confirmation from an OEMC dispatcher or on-scene witness a victim remains inside a burning structure before entering the building.

This new policy means CFD, who under ordinary circumstances would have likely entered the burning structure to aggressively battle the fire and search for occupants of the home, are now essentially spectators to structures burning to the ground.

This is what CFD now refers to as “Defensive Operations.”

In other words, if you are trapped in a fire in Chicago and you are not visible to CFD, you’ll have to fend for yourself.

The video attached captures a blaze on the NW Side of Chicago today.

This fire is believed to have started on a back porch, but there was no report of residents trapped in the home.

Note the number of CFD watching the inferno from the street.

This new guideline is motivated by the City of Chicago’s desire to reduce the number of injuries or duty-deaths sustained by CFD.

Bad policy, while no one wishes CFD to suffer grievous injury or death, there are hazards to the profession firefighters willingly accept when they are inducted into CFD. Like CPD, the firefighting profession requires men and women willing to put themselves in peril.

This new policy will reduce risk to CFD but increase the risk to citizens in burning buildings.

Aside from the risk to civilians, this new policy exposes Chicago to extraordinary liability. The cost in court is immeasurable.
The City Council must address this. This new policy places our family members, neighbors and residents are now at greater risk and it is turning CFD into curious onlookers as buildings burn.