A recent article in the *Chicago Sun-Times* highlights growing concerns over rising overtime costs within the Chicago Fire Department, as Alderman Scott Waguespack grilled Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago during a City Council budget hearing. The department is projected to spend $43 million on overtime this year—more than double the original allocation—due to long-standing legal challenges that have hindered hiring for years.
According to a top mayoral aide, these legal issues stemmed from past discrimination lawsuits, which prevented the department from filling firefighter positions. As a result, the Fire Department has been forced to rely heavily on overtime, with spending jumping from $13.5 million in 2011 to an estimated $35.3 million by 2014. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2013 budget allocated $20 million for overtime, but officials now admit the actual cost will be far higher.
Commissioner Santiago explained that legal hurdles with the city’s Law Department effectively blocked hiring for several years. “We couldn’t hire firefighters,†he said. However, the department is finally moving forward with a plan to train 150 new recruits at the academy starting November 18, followed by additional classes to address staffing shortages and future retirements.
Santiago also noted that 245 firefighters are expected to retire in 2013, adding pressure to the already strained department, which currently has around 4,700 employees out of a full strength of 5,100. Alderman Waguespack questioned why more action wasn’t taken earlier, especially given the minimum staffing requirements that led to the 1980 firefighters’ strike.
The mayor has pushed for reducing the number of firefighters per fire apparatus from 10 to 9, a move the union strongly opposes. During the hearings, it was revealed that no formal calculation was done to estimate the impact of not hiring due to legal constraints. Santiago emphasized that the issue was repeatedly raised with city officials, but the recommendations were followed regardless.
In addition to staffing issues, the Fire Department is also dealing with aging equipment. Fire engines, hook-and-ladders, and fire trucks are significantly older than their recommended lifespans. Ambulances, in particular, are well beyond their expected service life. Despite these challenges, Santiago assured aldermen that the department meets state response time standards—3 minutes and 35 seconds for fires and 5 minutes and 5 seconds for medical emergencies.
However, a recent report by the Inspector General found discrepancies in how response times were measured, leading to criticism that some areas, like the 9th Ward, were performing poorly. Alderman Anthony Beale warned Santiago to work closely with the inspector general to ensure the next report doesn’t show the ward in last place.
With so many challenges facing the department, the path forward remains uncertain—but the push to hire more firefighters and upgrade equipment is seen as critical to addressing both the financial and operational strain.
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