2-11 Alarm Fire 2716 W. Jackson, Chicago

The Chicago Fire Department was established in 1835.  The Chicago Fire Department, and the City of Chicago may be remembered for the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  The history of the fire department is long and fascinating.

Click here for the History of the Chicago Fire Department.

While their have been many major disasters and fires that have occurred in
Chicago, there have been many fires of smaller proportions in which firefighters have given up their lives in the performance of duty.

As of June 9, 2004, 12 Volunteer, and 551 professional Chicago Firefighters have perished in the performance of their duty.

Chicago Line of Duty Death Total 564.

“All men are created equal, then a few become firemen.”

Rest in Peace to all our Firefighter Brothers from Chicago and the United States who have made the Ultimate sacrifice performing their duties as an emergency responder.  We pray for the families of these brave firefighters and paramedics that have died in the line of duty.

Our most recent Chicago Fire Department line of duty death, Paramedic Firefighter Chris Wheatley can be remembered here.

The Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department is Robert S. Hoff

Appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley and confirmed by the City Council as Fire Commissioner on June 23rd, 2010 Fire Commissioner Hoff, 54, is a 33-year veteran of the fire department and one of its most decorated members. Since 2008, he has served as First Deputy Commissioner.

Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert S. Hoff

“In addition to his bravery, he is an excellent administrator and a great leader, as he has shown as he moved up the ranks during his distinguished career,” Daley said in a City Hall news conference. “These qualities and this experience taken together make him the right person for this job,” he said.

Hoff is a third-generation firefighter who has worked his way through the ranks. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1979, to captain in 1987, to battalion chief in 1989, to district chief in 2000 and to assistant fire commissioner in 2006.

He is one of just a few firefighters to win the department’s highest award for bravery — the Carter Harrison Award – two times. In 1984, he suffered severe burns over thirty percent of his body from an attic fire, and spent 21 days in the burn unit.

His father, battalion chief Thomas Hoff, died at age 44 in the line of duty on February 14, 1962, during a building collapse. His grandfather and brother also were Chicago firefighters.

Hoff served as the Incident Commander for the fire department’s deployment to New York post-9/11 and to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina.

He has served as a University of Illinois field staff instructor since 1988, and has extensive training in structural collapse, fire safety and Haz-Mat response. Before he became a firefighter, he was an Emergency Medical Technician.

Here is a wonderful interview with Commisioner Hoff from Fire Chief Magazine, by Janet Wilmoth.

Chicago Fire Commissioner Brooks can be remembered by clicking here.