Rahm Talking Trash

Ben Joravsky at the Reader again:

• Oh, to have been the proverbial fly on the wall last month, when Mayor Rahm dropped in at the firehouse at Illinois and Dearborn.
  
  You may not realize this, but the mayor frequently makes impromptu drop-ins at firehouses. Generally, to tell the firefighters that as much as he loves them—for risking their lives rescuing people from burning buildings and all—he's going to cut their pensions.
  
  You'd have to be Professor Freud to figure out what the mayor's trying to prove by going out of his way to passive-aggressively taunt a room filled with city workers who, for all the obvious reasons, can't talk back.
  
  Not unless they want to get transferred to a firehouse in Outer Mongolia.
  As far as I know, firefighters never did anything to Mayor Rahm. Other than endorse Gery Chico in last year's mayoral election.
  
  Oh, wait, I'm starting to understand . . .
  
  For the record, the mayor's proud of his firehouse visits. In fact, when reporters ask him why he reserves so much of his official schedule for meetings with gazillionaires looking to trade campaign contributions for city business, the mayor usually says something like:
  
  "What the official schedule doesn't tell you is that I'm always dropping in on firefighters . . ."
  
  Yeah, to talk shit to them.

This guy must revel in being a complete prick.  He considers it a source of pride. 

Firefighter Death

Details still coming in:

• A Chicago firefighter has died after becoming short of breath when he returned to his firehouse from a call, authorities said early Monday.
  
  The firefighter, whose name and firehouse location have not been released, experienced shortness of breath Sunday night and was transported to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
  
  It was not immediately known whether the firefighter had been on a call that involved a fire.

God Bless.

CFD Funeral

An impressive event that no one ever wants to see happen:

• Led by the slow march of a drum and pipe corps, a fire truck pulled up to a Southwest Side church today bearing the flag-draped casket of Capt. Herbert "Herbie" Johnson, a 32-year veteran who died battling an extra-alarm fire.
  
  As firefighters in dress uniforms stood at attention under dark skies, Johnson's casket was brought into St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel past his family and hundreds of friends and colleagues.
  
  "He was a bully for love and life," the Rev. Thomas McCarthy said during the packed funeral. "And for us, his friends, we are so lucky.
  
  "He was there when anyone needed him," he said. "To go into a burning building and not think of yourself, that was Herbie Johnson."

Final prayers and remembrances here only.

CFD Arrangements

As follows:

• Johnson’s funeral mass will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Rita of Cascia High School, 7740 S. Western Ave., with visitation to take place Wednesday evening also at the school

Informational post only. Comments closed here.

CFD Line of Duty Death

Bad scene south:

• The anxious firefighters who filled the emergency room heard the horrible news from the doctors who couldn’t save their friend.
  
  Fire Dept. Capt. Herbie Johnson, 54, a larger-than-life personality, a guy who was the central figure both in his Beverly neighborhood and on the job, was dead.
  
  Johnson, the father of three, perished from injuries suffered Friday evening while battling a house fire at 2315. W. 50th Place, becoming the first Chicago firefighter to die in the line of duty since 2010.

Deepest sympathies from everyone here to our fellow first responders for their loss.

Prayers only for the family in this thread.

More "Discrimination" at CFD

Everyone seems to be lining up with their hands out:

• A physical abilities test the city is using to hire African-American firefighters in settlement of a race discrimination lawsuit is discriminatory against women, a suit filed Friday in U.S. District Court charges.
  
  Godfrey et al vs. City of Chicago was filed by 20 female plaintiffs on behalf of all female applicants who recently took the test and failed.
  
  “The city hasn’t been served yet with the lawsuit, so we cannot comment at this time,” said city Law Dept. spokesman Roderick Drew.
  
  The women are already members of two other class-action suits. 

Not to be sexist pigs and all, but if you can't drag the equipment up two or four or forty flights of stairs, how are you going to actually, you know, fight a fire?  Anyone who insists there aren't any physical differences between men and women hasn't really been looking too closely.

*** SLOW READERS PAY ATTENTION HERE ***

That isn't to say there aren't any number of women qualified to do the job.  Many would probably out-perform us in various scenarios.  Running, climbing come to mind.  But you don't downgrade the entire testing process to accommodate people who can't do the basics.  If we need help, we don't care who rescues us....as long as they can actually rescue us.  Otherwise, what's the point?

CFD West Nile Death

Our condolences to the Fire side:

• A Chicago Fire Department lieutenant became a victim of West Nile Virus Thursday night, two weeks after he was bitten by a mosquito in Wisconsin.
  
  
  Lt. Thomas Flahive of Engine Co. 108 died from the virus. He was 58.
  
  
  Flahive contracted the virus during a family trip to Wisconsin, Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford said.
  
  
  After being bit, the lieutenant started suffering from flu-like symptoms and went for treatment, Langford said.
  
  
  The lieutenant was diagnosed with West Nile Virus and later went into a coma and suffered irreversible brain damage, Langford said.

Condolences only for the family here.

Firefighter Injured

Just pointing out that while the police and fire departments operate without a contract, they're still out there doing the job day after day:

• Two young children and a Chicago firefighter suffered minor injuries in an early morning fire in the Little Village neighborhood on the West Side.

  The fire began in the basement of a two-story home in the 2800 block of South Kedvale Avenue sometime before 3:30 a.m., according to the Chicago Fire Department.
  
  Using three lines, firefighters extinguished the blaze by 4 a.m.
  
  A 7-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were taken to St. Anthony Hospital in good condition. A firefighter was taken to Rush University Medical Center with a back injury, also in good condition, authorities said.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Good Job CFD

Quick reaction:

• Off-duty firefighter Steve O'Malley was spending his Saturday afternoon sprucing up his boat when he heard the terrified screams of a young mother after a gust of wind blew her stroller-bound toddler face-down into Lake Michigan at a South Side harbor.

  The 33-year veteran Chicago firefighter said the timing was perfect as he was able to help save the child.

We'd say, "promote this guy," but he's already graduating from Lieutenant school next Friday. Nice job sir.

What's the Message?

Rahm rolls over and plays dead:

• Mayor Rahm Emanuel does not plan to appeal an arbitrator’s order to rehire four firefighters who were fired for padding mileage reports, but continued his tough talk on employee misconduct.

  “I give no quarter to anyone who does anything wrong or violates the public trust,” Emanuel said at an unrelated news conference Friday. “When it comes to a culture and atmosphere, we condone no violation of the public trust. None. Zero tolerance.”

Unless an arbitrator rules against your Inspector General though. Then "zero tolerance" is out the window. And how about this?

• It was the second time that Benn ordered the same four firefighters be returned to work after they were fired for misconduct. Four years ago, the city fired them for accepting and not reporting pay from private companies to do weekend pump inspections at high rises, but Benn ruled that suspensions were more appropriate.

These reinstated guys were the same four people fired years ago? So they just figured out a way to get the city to "compensate" them for the loss of their weekend pay doing pump inspections?

We like firefighters and all, but this really takes the cake.

Corruption a "Work Rule"

The CFD mileage padding scandal continues:

• Padding mileage expenses was so entrenched and condoned in Chicago’s Fire Prevention Bureau, it was “almost a work rule,” an arbitrator ruled Thursday, overturning the city’s firing of four firefighters and reducing lengthy suspensions for 44 others.

  Independent arbitrator Edwin H. Benn said there is “no real dispute” that all of the accused Chicago firefighters “knowingly submitted inaccurate mileage reimbursement reports and obtained compensation for mileage — ranging in some cases into the thousands of dollars — that they did not actually incur.”

  But, Benn noted that the alleged mileage padding was a “decades-long practice” that was taught, “condoned and encouraged by supervisors.” In fact, Benn noted that many of the inspectors were “assured by their supervisors that the accuracy of their mileage totals would not be challenged.”

So since everybody knew about it and everybody did it, it's okay? Isn't that kind of the "endemic corruption" that Chicago is famous for? And isn't that kind of what's wrong with government in general?

We agree that the blanket firings, forced resignations and multi-month suspensions circumvented the due process guaranteed by the contract, but the statement that the practice was "almost a work rule" seems way out of place here.

Firefighter Proposals

From the comments, the supposed contract proposals presented to the CFD negotiating committee:

• Be prepared for a long fight folks.
  This is from Local 2's website:
  
  The Fight Is On!!!!!
  
  May 25th, 2012
  
  Brothers and Sisters,
  
  City representatives met with Local 2’s Executive Board yesterday and presented their proposals for our next collective bargaining agreement. City negotiators did not address any of our proposals nor did they present us with any proposals on how to fix our pension system.
  
  We obviously refused to agree to any of these horrendous proposals, and if what you are about to read makes you angry, it should. This looks to be a long and bitter battle.
  
  Below is a synopsis of some of the City proposals:
  
  · Eliminate Duty Availability Pay
  
  · Only those designated as the EMT B/EMT P would be compensated as such for that shift (All would have to maintain their EMT license for their entire career)
  
  · Eliminate 7% for Cross-Trained FFPMs
  
  · Eliminate furlough buy-out provision completely
  
  · Holiday Pay would be paid to only those who work the actual day.
  
  · Non-duty lay-up coverage from 12 months in a 24 month period to 12 months in a 48 month period
  
  · Days off for Bereavement Leave would be restricted and must include the day of the funeral
  
  · Tuition reimbursement would be for EMT B/EMT P training only
  
  · Candidate Probationary period from 9 months to 18 months for new employees
  
  · Acting down to no longer be considered a variance
  
  · All double houses (Engines and Trucks) would be manned with 9 instead of 10
  
  · All BLS ambulances would be converted to ALS
  
  · Only 1 vacancy order per year in June
  
  · Eliminate Clothing Allowance
  
  · Allow indoor training during inclement weather
  
  · Eliminate Tech A and Diver Pay except for those working in that capacity on a given shift
  
  · Eliminate all Cross-Trained Pay-Grade designations
  
  · Reclassification of Ambulance Commander to F4 Pay Grade
  
  · Eliminate Physical Fitness Incentive Program
  
  We will, of course, continue to vigorously fight these insulting, ridiculous proposals. There likely will come a time when all Local 2 Members will need to join in voicing our disgust over these outrageous attacks on the wages, benefits and conditions we have fought for and earned throughout the years. The City is testing our resolve. The battle has begun! Everyone must take an active role in our future.
  
  We will continue to update you when the situation warrants.
  
  Fraternally,
  Tom Ryan
  President

Guess what time it is people?

CFD Memorial Parade

For our brothers and sisters on the fire side:

• The 80th Annual Memorial Day Parade and Mass is scheduled for Monday to honor deceased members of the Chicago Fire Department and the department's American Legion Post No. 667.

  Uniformed members will meet at 9:15 a.m. at the corner of Morgan Avenue and Roosevelt Road, and a procession led by the Chicago Fire Department Pipes and Drums will begin at 9:30 a.m., officials said. A mass will follow at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Church, 1080 W. Roosevelt Rd.

God Bless.

Tetanus Shots

Someone in the comment sections wondered if it was disturbing that CFD were all given tetanus shots prior to the NATO summit, while CPD wasn't even offered the option to accept or decline a shot.

In light of the reports of excrement bags making an appearance around downtown, it's a lot more disturbing that it was two days ago. Updates on the hepatitis shots we got years ago probably should have been offered, too.

How About "No-Go" Zones

We wouldn't blame CFD if they created a bunch of "no-go" zones for assholes like these:

• Two people were arrested this afternoon for fighting with paramedics trying to treat their relative in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
  
  An ambulance and a fire truck responded to a call of a medical emergency in the 7900 block of South Loomis Boulevard at 3:15 p.m., according to department spokesman Joe Roccasalva.
  
  While paramedics were treating the sick person, a quarrel erupted among the patient’s family members, who then began fighting with the paramedics.
  
  “The firemen held them off until police got there and took them into custody,’’ Roccasalva said.
  
  The patient was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition, and no other injuries were reported, according to Roccasalva.

Why bother attempting to help people like this? They obviously don't want you there. We should make every effort to accommodate people like these.

Shot Fired into Firehouse

Sniping at buildings?

• Firefighters at a south side fire station are accustomed to dealing with smoke and flames, but may have averted an in-house emergency on Wednesday when their sleeping quarters were hit by some sort of projectile, possibly a bullet.
  
  "It's just a shock to us that something like that would happen," said Nick Cook, a firefighter of seven years.
  
  Cook said someone on the mid-morning shift spotted glass on the floor of the bunkhouse, in the 1400 block of East 67th Street of Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood. The firefighteres got busy and forgot about the glass until making a startling discovery later in the day.
  
  "We pulled the shade. There we saw the bullet hole," said Cook. "It was right below three different bunks. Firemen could have been sitting there. The bunk room is made of different cinder block walls. A bullet could have ricocheted and hit anywhere in that entire bunk room."
  
  No one was in the bunk room when it happened. Outside the firehouse, however, are two unmistakable marks. One goes right through the glass and into the sleeping area. Another just cracked a window.

So are they going to retrofit all the firehouses to be sniper proof? Or is the CFD going to pull out of these neighborhoods altogether and start crating "no-go" zones like exist across much of Europe, especially in France? It's one thing to risk your life saving people from fires. It's quite another to be targets for jagoffs.

Hoff Gets a New Job

Gee, does this sound like a guy who was ready to quit and enjoy more time with his family?

• Recently-retired Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff was hired as a deputy fire chief for the Carol Stream Fire Protection District.

  The district's board of trustees on Monday voted 3 to 2 to hire Hoff, 56, a third-generation hero firefighter for the $115,000-a-year position.

  Hoff had previously indicated that his departure was to spend more time with his family.

The Daily Herald story is here.

Anyone else want to call "bullshit" on the administration's take that Hoff was ready to retire and his going head-to-head with Rahm over manning and safety issues had nothing to do with it?

Kiss of Death?

Bad choice of headlines:

• Rahm Emanuel finds ally in new fire chief Jose Santiago

And the article isn't much better:

• Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Thursday appointed 33-year veteran Chicago firefighter Jose Santiago as Chicago’s new fire commissioner — and found an ally in the drive to wring millions of dollars in savings out of the city’s second-largest department.

  Retiring Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff said he was “deathly against” closing fire houses or reducing the minimum staffing requirement on fire apparatus — the issue that triggered the bitter 1980 firefighters strike.

• After being appointed Thursday to succeed the retiring Hoff, Santiago drew no such line in the sand about closing firehouses.

  “That’s something we’re looking at. We have all the maps out and everything and response times. We’re sitting down and looking at every option,” said Santiago, 56.

Translation: Big changes are coming to the Fire side. Strap in and find the lube.

CFD Hoff Leaving

Must be nice to have a boss who (A) actually served in the capacity of those he supervises and (B) is popular:

• Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff plans to announce his resignation on Thursday, the head of the firefighters union said Wednesday night.
  
  Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 President Thomas Ryan announced Hoff’s planned departure at a union meeting. Ryan told fire union members that Hoff had told him “it was time to go.”
  
  Another source familiar with the situation called Hoff's resignation “imminent” and said it is for personal reasons, not because of any policy differences with new Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

They all say that, don't they? Especially when it's over policy differences.

CFD OT?

From the comments - a clever attempt to divide Police and Fire?

• scc,
  
  I was talking to a fireman friend of mine yesterday and this mess in May came up. did u know that CFD is paying it's members to go to May fest training OVER TIME. WTF we have to go training on straight time and CFD is getting 3 days of OT.

Can anyone confirm?

The perils of the "me too clause." It cuts both ways.