[remote or in person; 1:30-5pm] 2025 Chicago budget hearing: Chicago Fire Department

Chicago City Council

Finance

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024
1:30 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. CST

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121 N La Salle St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)

City Hall, 2nd floor, Council Chambers

This is an assignment to document a 3.5-hour portion of Chicago City Council’s 2025 budget process.

You have the option of documenting this meeting in person or remotely.

If you choose to attend in person, an additional hour will be added to your total assignment hours. Please note that there may be increased security and restrictions; use a clear bag if possible and leave large water bottles, thermoses and pepper spray at home. If you choose to document remotely, the meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page. If you don’t see a link for the meeting, you may be early or the meeting may be starting late. Wait a few moments and try refreshing your Internet tab.

Other notes and pre-research resources

For more info and resources, see our Chicago Documenters Guide to the City’s 2025 Budget Process (in 2024).
Chicago Councilmatic: This civic data org’s website has a lot of the information that can be found on the city’s database in a more user-friendly format, as well as context on City Council and alders.
Applicants who completed 2025 budget season training on Oct. 21 or 22 will receive an extra hour of pay on each assignment they submit.
New this year, we are capping departmental budget hearing assignments at 3.5 hours (plus 2 hours outside work). Please take note of the time slot indicated in the assignment title. You will be paid for the full 3.5 hours regardless of whether the meeting starts late or a break occurs, but you should conclude your coverage when the end of your shift arrives. In the event that a meeting runs past the end of the afternoon shift, we will assign someone to take notes on the remaining portion. More details here

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Adlyn Morrison

Chicago Fire Department recruitment

View notes

Live reporting by Natalie Frank

This is the budget hearing for the Chicago Fire Dept.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie

Hi All - Today I'll be tweeting the afternoon session of the Chicago Committee on Govt Budget and Operations Meeting for the 11/19 hearings for #CHIdocumenters @CHIdocumenters beginning at 1:30pm.

01:16 PM Nov 21, 2024 CST

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 2/19

@CHIdocumenters This is the budget hearing for the Chicago Fire Dept. Chaired by Ald. Jason Ervin. The Committee remained in recess until 2:15 pm. Ald. Taylor was called on: Asked about the Relationship between CFD & CPS in regards to special programs & the racial makeup of those programs.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 3/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Taylor also asked what grades they start students in CFD careers. Com Annette Nance Holt: CPFTA -2024 class 77- 34 Latinx, 21 AA, 1 Asian. 2025 class 99- 49 Latinex, 26 AA , 1 Asian, 17 Cauc. 2025 - Class 131 - 66 Latinex 28 AA 2 Asian, 1 Pacific Islander 25 multiethnic

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 4/19

@CHIdocumenters Com. Holt: Biggest problem in recruiting is program competing w/ after school programs like athletics. Their program primary feeder as is one of preferences for getting into FD. Says another problem isn't who's testing but who's on the list. Ald. Taylor asker her to explain list.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 5/19

@CHIdocumenters Com. Holt: Dif in programs, ex. Paramedics referred from list of those already paramedics, EMT's have to take fire fighters exam then put into lottery and placed on dif. referral list. Ald. Taylor: How many AA on referral list? Ans. 2022 list - 822 referred, 1359 to be processed

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 6/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald Villegas: Asked about recruitment of veterans. District Chief Summer - VA recruitment events and legion posts when return to civilian life but don't have travel budget to go to bases.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 7/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald Villegas: How many firetrucks need to buy? District Chief of Logistics. Recommend replacing front line vehicles every 15 yrs. Currently 63% of engines 30%-33% of trucks 15% of towers over 15 yrs old. Com. Holt: Plan for handling this but too expensive to do all at same time

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 8/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Lamont Robinson: How can we better handle aging equipment so don't put Firefighters lives at risk? Comm. Problem been kicked down the road a long time and it will take time to rectify. It has been the result of years of disinvestment in apparatus.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 9/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Moseley asked about 21st ward redline extension with demolition which will be used for training. Com. replied that it is one of areas CTA releasing to fire dept. for training as they determine they are safe to use.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 10/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth asked about flier on CFP mobile integrated health care unit pilot program. Hi # people who use 911 as means of handling mental health & behavioral issues & addictions. Local hospitals struggling with people using ER's for non-medical emergencies.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 11/19

@CHIdocumenters Comm. discussed going out with CFP mobile integrated health care team and how it can reduce strain on 911. Jonathan Zanes - Voluntary preventative program at request of individ. Need referral that come from first responders, 911 and ER visits. Establish primary care routine.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 12/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. how do practitioners get into program and get trained. Jonathan Zanes said don't have training program yet. But have paramedics that help provide training, and send people to Wisconsin for training.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 13/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. O'Shea asked what can be done to ID firefighters who need help to refer to EAP? Com. Reach out to EAP whenever trauma/loss so can talk to members. Need to encourage members who reluctant to talk because they don't want to appear weak. Look for grants to cont to fund efforts

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 14/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Lawson: What's normal grant yr from feds? Reply: Grants have been decreasing. Don't know what next 4 yrs will bring. Terrorism most lucrative grant, nationwide decreased by 10%. For FD that type of grant around $6M-$8M. Ald: need to ensure have what need w/o grants if needed

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 15/19

@CHIdocumenters Ald. Lawson: Asked about LGBTQ recruitment & if track. Comm. said don't track since don't always know but do have members & participate in community and Pride Parade. Ald: asked about NARCAN Comm replied in every truck.

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 16/19

@CHIdocumenters Additional resource for NARCAN: Don't Die High Program chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 17/19

@CHIdocumenters Additional resource: Preparing to join CFD - chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 18/19

@CHIdocumenters Additional resource: Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy (CPFTA) - cps.edu/academics/work…

cps.edu/academics/work…

Natalie Frank, Ph.D @FrankNatalie 19/19

@CHIdocumenters No other questions from committee. Meeting adjourned at 3:23 p.m. This concludes coverage of the Chicago Committee on Govt Budget & Operations Chicago Fire Dept Hearing. Budget Hearing will cont. tomorrow at 10:00am. For more meeting coverage, check out . documenters.org

documenters.org

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Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

If you attend a meeting in person, be prepared to go through a security checkpoint and show photo ID.

Meetings are also livestreamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

Recordings of past City Council meetings may be found here: https://vimeo.com/user100351763/videos/sort:date.

See also: “What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council” via the Better Government Association.