S08.E03: Badlands

[mxc90]

Quote

First Aired: October 9, 2019

Brett and Foster question the suspicious circumstances surrounding a brutal attack at a juvenile detention center, which leaves them searching for the truth. A convoluted new technology installed inside Firehouse 51 tests everybody's patience. Kidd gets chosen to represent the district at a leadership conference.

[mxc90]

Boden didn't hold a meeting with the crew on where the new system is being set up or have them properly trained? Hermann looked silly arguing with them and Foster and Brett not knowing what a code yellow means was bad.

Hearing that computerized voice made me miss the voice we have been hearing since season one.

Good job Cruz for not placing a "Do Not Use" sign over Otis' locker from the start. It would have prevented you and Gallo from having that awkward moment. 

Sylvie is back and now she and Foster are anointed this week's social defenders (Casey, Severide and Stella should be jealous). She can't get this type of quality action in Fowlerton! 

CO Houghton reputation is to beat up "weak" kids like Issac to send a message to the other tough kids? OK!

The chief couldn't override the Gallo/Casey rescue if he wanted to? He just stood there, silent and scwoled the entire time.

If the clumsy little girl had stopped shaking the door, it wouldn't have opened for her to fall out.

Why is the other chief so happy Gallo is no longer in his house? I guess he bowed down to the fact: 51 is the ONLY house that can give the tough love, support and warmth Gallo is in search of.

Casey had the nerve to hook up with Jessa in his apartment? He doesn't watch "Station 19"and could have gotten it on with her in the supply room at 51?

Not sure why Boden's breaking the computer was the reason for her to break up with Casey. Way too easy for this stalker to leave. Maybe Casey was lousy in bed??!! Lesson learned Jessa: never meet the person you spend hours googling!
 

[LittleIggy]

Gallo wasn’t a firefighter in the other chief’s house. Gallo used to go there and hang out when he was a kid, after he lost his family in the fire.

I felt so sorry for that poor kid Isaac, especially when he asked Sylvie to sit with him as he fell asleep.

[CoyoteBlue]

2 hours ago, mxc90 said:

If the clumsy little girl had stopped shaking the door, it wouldn't have opened for her to fall out.

Yeah, Chicago Fire? Between this idiot child and the moron telling his friend to "swim into the propeller" last week, we'd appreciate if you could stop portraying Chicagoans as mentally deficient, thx.

[The Ringo Kidd]

15 hours ago, mxc90 said:

Not sure why Boden's breaking the computer was the reason for her to break up with Casey. Way too easy for this stalker to leave. Maybe Casey was lousy in bed??!! Lesson learned Jessa: never meet the person you spend hours googling!
 

What happened was that as Casey was banging her he kept shouting out “Gabby, gabby” until she looked up and said “WTF I didn’t say a word!”

Edited October 10, 2019 by The Ringo Kidd

[Waterston Fan]

I didn't care for this episode that much but I think Jessica shouldn't have dumped Casey like that though. Maybe she should be at the firehouse for 6 hours listening to that sound but I can't believe that they didn't send someone else.

I probably would have done the same thing Boden did. 

Glad Sylvie and Foster could help Issac. 

[mxc90]

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Gallo wasn’t a firefighter in the other chief’s house. Gallo used to go there and hang out when he was a kid, after he lost his family in the fire.

I hope we aren't going to find out he was responsible for the fire. 

Shouldn't the story about his family be in his profile for Boden to know? This had to have been big news at the time and the CFD released a press when he graduated "local kid becomes a firefighter after losing his family". 

What did the other house(s) do wrong that Gallo couldn't find the family atmosphere he wanted? The show must make sure the other places are lacking and 51 is the greatest place to be.

Also, are they hinting Stella will replace Casey (if the actor leaves)?

Edited October 10, 2019 by mxc90

[Guildford]

So Casey is dumbed down to make Gallo the hero? He really needed a candidate to tell him to use the roof ladder?....I call bullshit. 

What is it with the paramedics on this show thinking they are cops? Brett and Foster have picked up Gabby's bad habits. Joy oh Joy.

Casey's gone a little Severide...good for him. They've basically reversed roles...Casey's the manslut and Severide the boring boyfriend. 

Hermann continues to be an obnoxious child who should never had been given a leadership role.

Hey Burgess, nice to see you on Fire, god knows you do FA on PD at the moment. She had more lines on Fire in one scene than she's had in entire season on PD.

[dovegrey]

I liked this one, for the most part.

One of my biggest "wishes" for season 8 was for Casey to revert back to his season 3 horndogging. It's such a stupid thing - but Dawsey is finally dead: Casey's unapologetically moved on. Hallelujah.

The SMART system storyline was dumb - but I was happy that the "comedy" came organically out of the characters' natural reactions to the system. That was what made the earlier seasons funny, without the supporting characters forced into demeaning sitcom subplots. I'll take it (but continue to be mystified by Fire's overt comedic elements in contrast to Med and PD).

I don't mind Gallo, but they've gotta stop making everyone else look incompetent to make him look better. They've done the aerial+ladder extension at least once before. Even in 8x2, every firefighter and officer was dazed and confused, so Gallo could have time to save the day. Any other call, Casey and Severide would've been quickly assessing the scene, doling out orders, and getting stuff done, no problem. Now they need Gallo's risk-taking youth-infused moxy to save the day. It's a manufactured storyline that doesn't need to be this manufactured; it's lazy writing. (And I question Casey sending the candidate across the ladder to grab the girl. Gallo came from an Engine, but he's still a first-day Truck candidate. He had no business up there, let alone being responsible for the direct save.)

I'll give the writers credit for not having Severide be the firefighter who rescued 12-year-old Gallo. When Gallo instantly recognized Severide in 8x2, I thought that was the story.

The Gallo and Kidd plots are interesting, in terms of the future of season 8. I'm not spoiled at all, and this is speculation. Casey's grabbing firefighters off the street, with an eye toward what the entire house needs; he saw multiple qualities in Gallo that Boden overlooked - Gallo can control himself, he's fitting in, and the final scene hinted at healing for three people who had been close to Otis. Kidd's going to a big-deal leadership conference, so she's being groomed for command. Severide's been hanging out in lieutenant limbo, while Casey accrues more time in grade; I don't see that lasting much longer. Is a major shake-up about to happen? Boden makes district deputy chief, Casey makes batt chief, Kidd makes lieutenant, and Severide makes captain? Boden was ready to hand 51 over to Casey back in 6x16. Kidd becoming an officer would throw that inevitable wrench into Stellaride. And the show's dynamic would totally flip.

This is the third episode in a row without a fire. (I don't count the mattress factory in 8x1, since they apparently forgot it was on fire.) Chicago Rescue is more fitting than Chicago Fire these days.

I don't miss Otis at all. 

[iMonrey]

All I can say is that it's a good thing Gabby isn't around or she would have tried to adopt that Isaac kid.

Quote

Gallo wasn’t a firefighter in the other chief’s house.

But he was a firefighter somewhere, right? I wasn't real clear on how he could just move over to station 51. Didn't the other station want him anymore? Is 51 just a step up from anywhere else, and all firefighters are clamoring to move there? 

911 had a ferris wheel rescue this week too. Hmm, maybe the writers need to compare notes. 

Edited October 10, 2019 by iMonrey

[dovegrey]

7 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

All I can say is that it's a good thing Gabby isn't around or she would have tried to adopt that Isaac kid.

But he was a firefighter somewhere, right? I wasn't real clear on how he could just move over to station 51. Didn't the other station want him anymore? Is 51 just a step up from anywhere else, and all firefighters are clamoring to move there? 

911 had a ferris wheel rescue this week too. Hmm, maybe the writers need to compare notes. 

I thought Gallo was a candidate on another house's Engine rig. Casey liked what he saw in 8x2, then asked the Engine lieutenant if he could take Gallo. Everyone agreed and Gallo transferred to 51 as Truck's candidate. So it was a transfer. 

On Fire, it seems like the hierarchy is Engine < Truck < Squad. Going from an Engine to a Truck is a big deal, and I could see Gallo's motivation being that versus transferring to House 51 in particular. 51 is also a busy House with multiple rigs and a Squad, which might be a big step up from Gallo's original house (which might have been an Engine-only station).

 That's my take. 

[LittleIggy]

4 hours ago, mxc90 said:

I hope we aren't going to find out he was responsible for the fire. 

Shouldn't the story about his family be in his profile for Boden to know? This had to have been big news at the time and the CFD released a press when he graduated "local kid becomes a firefighter after losing his family". 

What did the other house(s) do wrong that Gallo couldn't find the family atmosphere he wanted? The show must make sure the other places are lacking and 51 is the greatest place to be.

Um, you do know that the series is about House 51, don’t you? 😏

[mxc90]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Um, you do know that the series is about House 51, don’t you? 😏

Of course and I do know what went on in his previous stops could use a better explanation. 

Edited October 10, 2019 by mxc90

[iMonrey]

Quote

On Fire, it seems like the hierarchy is Engine < Truck < Squad. 

Does anyone understand the distinction between these three? In my city we have pumpers and trucks. I'm assuming Engine is water pumper, and all they do is spray water? And Truck is the firefighters that, what . . . go up on the roof? But that blurs the line with Squad, which is supposed to do the tricky rescues, right? 

[dovegrey]

41 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Does anyone understand the distinction between these three? In my city we have pumpers and trucks. I'm assuming Engine is water pumper, and all they do is spray water? And Truck is the firefighters that, what . . . go up on the roof? But that blurs the line with Squad, which is supposed to do the tricky rescues, right? 

In Chicago-Fire-Land, Engine seems pretty distinct to me; they're not running into the building for rescue or recovery. They drop hose lines and put water on the fire. Herrmann hasn't been doing rescue since he got promoted. The show tends to gloss over the complexity of each company. For example, Candidate Ritter couldn't just pop over to Truck for three months without additional training; same thing for Gallo. These are specialized, complex, and different skillsets, to my knowledge. (Not a firefighter.)

Truck and Squad is completely blurred for a number of reasons. First off, Casey is a Squad guy stuck on a ladder truck. In CFLand, I think Truck is supposed to do the non-tricky rescues, including fire rescues, extrications, ladder/aerial work, and roof venting. There are a ton of rescues he's done that seemed better suited for the elite rescue squad - including the ladder rescue in this episode. I mean, if Mouch, Herrmann, Otis, and/or Kidd tried even a fraction of the crap Casey gets praise for, they'd get murdered by Boden - but none of them come first in the credits and are the designated hero.

Likewise, there have been plenty of calls for Squad that seemed better suited for Truck, which usually seem tied to storyline (e.g., the car fire Squad 3 got called to in 7x21 or 7x22, which was easily a Truck+Engine call, went to Squad because it tied into Severide's arson storyline). They also rarely show Squad 3 responding to non-51 calls, which would probably be most of their calls in real life. CFD only has 4 Squads (IIRC) - 4 Squads that support ~100 Engine companies, ~50 Truck companies, and several other specialized rigs. So Squad ends up in Truck territory, to give Severide screentime and reduce casting tons of extras.

Because of that, I've stopped trying to make sense out of who's supposed to be doing what. TPTB bend the rules for storylines (which is dumb), and they bend the rules to make better TV (which is smart; e.g., season 1 barely had Casey and Severide interacting; now they're lockstep with each other). FWIW, the show did try to sort of address this back in seasons 1 and 3, when Casey and Severide blamed each other for Darden dying. Truck and Squad didn't have defined roles, and the other didn't realize what the other wasn't doing. But then it was never fixed, so. 🤔

(Ha, I'm totally work avoiding today.) 🤠

[preeya]

"Hard Kombucha"  anyone?

I know it's a flavored alcoholic drink and that's about it.

[Dowel Jones]

Annnnd, the nominations for Gabby 2.0 are now open...

I'm a bit confused about the juvenile detention center protocols.  A pair of RNs on staff, which presumably outrank PMs, order an ambulance.  Yet the CO denies the PMs entrance.  What are the RNs doing at this time?  Plus, they did no real care on Isaac, waiting for our heroes to arrive and do the heavy lifting.  And Sylvie says it's okay, they don't need a CO for transport to the hospital.  Uh, no, that's not how it works.

That roof ladder extension was all wrong.  Suppose the ferris wheel moved just a few feet.  Whooops!  I could have bought if it they had taken the time to secure both ends first.  I wonder what the tip load capacity on that aerial is when it's extended in that manner?  Poor little girl, riding the Ferris wheel all by herself.  And poor crushed attendant, he got two quick scenes and he's outta there.

I can just imagine the chaos in the house when that alert system goes off for just the ambo at 0230, and again at 0400.  Thank you, Chief.

And a new guy slides into Sylvie's storyline, just in time!

Boden's lecture to Casey about Gallo is foreshadowing, I'm calling it now.

I presume there are some other people missing from the Station 51 lineup, otherwise there wouldn't be an extra locker available for Gallo, would there?

Stella, do you know what the difference between SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and SCUBA is?  Underwater, that's it.  The gear is a bit different, but not enough to disorient you.  You'll do fine.  I do wish she would have changed into the wetsuit (tv family friendly, that is) right there on the patio for all of Chicago to see.

[iMonrey]

11 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

I can just imagine the chaos in the house when that alert system goes off for just the ambo at 0230, and again at 0400.  Thank you, Chief.

I don't understand how Boden was able to disable the audio alarm simply by flinging one monitor out the door. We saw other monitors throughout the station and the primary server appears to be in the garage. 

[preeya]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I don't understand how Boden was able to disable the audio alarm simply by flinging one monitor out the door. We saw other monitors throughout the station and the primary server appears to be in the garage. 

That's because the writer's aren't techies.

[AnnA]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't understand how Boden was able to disable the audio alarm simply by flinging one monitor out the door. We saw other monitors throughout the station and the primary server appears to be in the garage. 

It was a monitor?  

I have to pay more attention.   I thought it was a laptop.

Edited October 11, 2019 by AnnA

[iMonrey]

Boden had some sort of setup in his office with a large display monitor. The tech guy was showing him the difference between "settings" and "utilities" at the beginning of the episode. Likewise there was a large setup in the garage which appeared to be the main server from what I could tell. There was also some sort of monitor elsewhere in the station when Sylvie and Foster got an ambo call because whatever alert they got was displayed on the screen ("code orange"). So yeah, there were monitors all over the station. Boden threw his out the door and somehow that stopped the alarm.

[SG11]

On 10/9/2019 at 9:27 PM, mxc90 said:

Boden didn't hold a meeting with the crew on where the new system is being set up or have them properly trained? Hermann looked silly arguing with them and Foster and Brett not knowing what a code yellow means was bad.

Hearing that computerized voice made me miss the voice we have been hearing since season one.

Good job Cruz for not placing a "Do Not Use" sign over Otis' locker from the start. It would have prevented you and Gallo from having that awkward moment. 

Sylvie is back and now she and Foster are anointed this week's social defenders (Casey, Severide and Stella should be jealous). She can't get this type of quality action in Fowlerton! 

CO Houghton reputation is to beat up "weak" kids like Issac to send a message to the other tough kids? OK!

The chief couldn't override the Gallo/Casey rescue if he wanted to? He just stood there, silent and scwoled the entire time.

If the clumsy little girl had stopped shaking the door, it wouldn't have opened for her to fall out.

Why is the other chief so happy Gallo is no longer in his house? I guess he bowed down to the fact: 51 is the ONLY house that can give the tough love, support and warmth Gallo is in search of.

Casey had the nerve to hook up with Jessa in his apartment? He doesn't watch "Station 19"and could have gotten it on with her in the supply room at 51?

Not sure why Boden's breaking the computer was the reason for her to break up with Casey. Way too easy for this stalker to leave. Maybe Casey was lousy in bed??!! Lesson learned Jessa: never meet the person you spend hours googling!
 

Agree with all the above. Why was the SMART girl a stalker in the first place? Lots of women Google potential dates. My wife did. Not sure I’m taking Casey’s word that she was the weird one.

And x2 on someone not marking Otis’ locker? Seriously.

And is it absolutely necessary to play the big bad white guy with a badge (not a cop though) beating up the poor black kid card?  Zzzzzzzzzz.

[SG11]

By the way, Stella’s just afraid she will get bored to death in Springfield and never make it back.

[Forsaken]

So Otis' locker is a shrine now? What happens if they ever get an increase in crew members? And why not just leave Otis' name on it? Seems silly.

The prison story seemed kind of rushed and way too simple. So the head of the prison just keeps allowing the accused to remain in the room and intimidate people? Then seems genuinely surprised when the truth finally comes out?

Don't really get Casey and stalker girl but she seemed nuts so whatever. 

The ferris wheel rescue was stoopid. You allow the person (a young girl no less) to crawl across an extended ladder when she could be perfectly safe just staying in the carriage? Yeah she was a idiot and panicking which made it worse but she was safe. Could you imagine the frenzy if that were to happen in real life? The parents would sue, the chief and Gallo as well as Casey would be out of a job. 

[cinsays]

16 hours ago, Forsaken said:

The prison story seemed kind of rushed and way too simple. So the head of the prison just keeps allowing the accused to remain in the room and intimidate people? Then seems genuinely surprised when the truth finally comes out?

I guess I missed the part where he seemed surprised at the truth. 

[SG11]

2 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

I assume that was before you two got married.

It is a Dick Wolf series, so the answer is yes.

It was before our first date. She checked out all sorts of stuff. I didn’t think twice about it.

-Yeah, ‘nuff said.

[SG11]

21 hours ago, Forsaken said:

Don't really get Casey and stalker girl but she seemed nuts so whatever. 

What did the girl do that was nuts? She wanted a drink. She said she was sick of the nerds she worked with and obviously she was looking for a masculine guy. She checked out a guy online ahead of time that she was meeting that night. She jumped into bed with him.

Sounds like a half way normal (good) date to me.

[Forsaken]

2 hours ago, SG11 said:

What did the girl do that was nuts? She wanted a drink. She said she was sick of the nerds she worked with and obviously she was looking for a masculine guy. She checked out a guy online ahead of time that she was meeting that night. She jumped into bed with him.

Sounds like a half way normal (good) date to me.

More the way she came across and then at the end telling him not to call him because his boss threw the PA system out. In my experience going from cold to hot to cold again so easily and quickly tends to spell nutter.

Not to mention if a man checked out a woman on social media first it would be considered stalking/creepy.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Forsaken

[Spike]

I’m getting a vibe that the social worker may turn out to be Ritter’s boyfriend.  

[Forsaken]

5 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

I don't think he was surprised, I just don't think he gave a shit until things started to blow up in his face.  Then it was every dirtbag for himself.

It could have been surprise at the prisoners speaking up. He did look shocked though. The story was weak anyway but then the whole show has become woeful.

[SG11]

1 hour ago, Forsaken said:

More the way she came across and then at the end telling him not to call him because his boss threw the PA system out. In my experience going from cold to hot to cold again so easily and quickly tends to spell nutter.

Not to mention if a man checked out a woman on social media first it would be considered stalking/creepy.

But we aren’t talking about a man. Like I said, my wife checked me out online in 2003. If I had a daughter I’d tell her she wasn’t very bright if she didn’t spend a few minutes running a guys name she just met that she was meeting up with later.

Maybe that’s the retired LEO in me, but it’s common sense, not stalking.

[Forsaken]

On 10/12/2019 at 2:32 PM, SG11 said:

Agree with all the above. Why was the SMART girl a stalker in the first place? Lots of women Google potential dates. My wife did. Not sure I’m taking Casey’s word that she was the weird one.

And x2 on someone not marking Otis’ locker? Seriously.

And is it absolutely necessary to play the big bad white guy with a badge (not a cop though) beating up the poor black kid card?  Zzzzzzzzzz.

From memory there was at least one black prison guard. Regardless the situation in the prison was hardly a secret among the prisoners or the staff. That basically makes the staff guilty of not taking some kind of action to stop it. But yeah I agree zzzzzz...

16 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I am sure that was a surprise that the prisoners spoke up, but if those prisoners were going to speak up, that was probably their last best chance to do so.

I am sure it was also a surprise that anyone gave a crap about someone getting beaten up at the prison.

You've got that right.   If the roles were reversed and say a dude was checking out Silvie's social media in an effort gather information on her before going it with her, that would be considered stalking/creepy.

It was their last chance but it was still all too simple and I think the head of the prison was a little simplistic. 

I think even Casey found it disconcerting, he was just already being commanded by his little brain at the time and chose not to care. I think he was relieved she told him not to call her again though. 

It was creepy and I was hoping it wouldn't become some long drawn out story where she accuses him of rape and then we get all the crossover episodes. The writers dropped the ball there actually lol. 

[dovegrey]

I thought the SMART girl (Jessa?) had serious boundary issues. Even grabbing Casey's drink out of his hand and chugging it was weird for a first date, in context. I don't think it's inappropriate or unusual for dates, male or female, to do some pre-Googling - but it was weird how she had no self-awareness about "knowing everything about [him]" and bragging about it...on a first date. Like, sure, you've just met this guy, and it's cool to bring up that you know he's divorced because you spent a bunch of time Googling him? In what world?

For what it's worth, Casey never called her a stalker; he just didn't want to keep seeing her. I had the impression that something else happened between the two scenes. Like, she got weirder (or didn't get less weird) after they had fun times, and Casey's alarm bells were going off. It might've been fun to see that, instead of Jesse and Taylor chewing nails on really badly written lines. 

[NJRadioGuy]

On 10/10/2019 at 8:05 AM, icemiser69 said:

That impatient child at the top of the Ferris wheel was really over the top.   Unless she had an uncontrollable panic attack, I don't know why she couldn't calm her ass down.   It wasn't as though that Ferris wheel was about to get hit by a tsunami.

Heh. And kudos to that other show for that 2-parter. As for the rescue itself, first off, Kidd as the driver should have known where to position the rig before raising the aerial. Second, the first thing the rescuer(s) should have done was to ensure the child didn't move, reassure her everything was fine and we'll have you down in a minute. Tell her a story, make her laugh, take her mind off things. Ask if she has a favourite pet or teacher, whatever. Take her mind off the predicament. 

I think the smarter move would be to ensure she was calm, and assuming the ride itself was stable, get her to hang on and wait for the aerial to be repositioned. Maybe bring it up above the basket, and lower a rescuer down on a line with a spare line and/or a fall arrest harness rig to put around her. Or better still, call for a tower ladder to respond and just bring the basket up, walk into it and bingo.

On 10/10/2019 at 8:51 AM, mxc90 said:

Shouldn't the story about his family be in his profile for Boden to know? This had to have been big news at the time and the CFD released a press when he graduated "local kid becomes a firefighter after losing his family". 

What did the other house(s) do wrong that Gallo couldn't find the family atmosphere he wanted? The show must make sure the other places are lacking and 51 is the greatest place to be.

Casey saw a lot of potential in the kid and believes he'd be a great addition to his team. Smart move to try and poach him from the other company. As for the back story, yeah that would have been news when he graduated from the academy, but at this point he's past being a candidate (probie) and maybe Boden just forgot about it or it never hit his radar. It's not as if a BC knows the back story of every FF that he may have to command (remember, a battalion chief has command of multiple companies in his response area). He might be aware of who someone is if they stick out in any way (good or bad) but for the most part it's "oh yeah. he's on Engine 123, right?"

On 10/10/2019 at 11:38 AM, cbsspecialreport said:

The SMART system storyline was dumb 

<snip>

This is the third episode in a row without a fire. (I don't count the mattress factory in 8x1, since they apparently forgot it was on fire.) Chicago Rescue is more fitting than Chicago Fire these days.

The SMART system was never explained. Any advance in CAD is a Big Deal. Data point as well, a lot of departments have computer voices for alerting over the air and to houses. Saves having a voice alarm dispatcher waste 30 seconds announcing the call over the air when the same words can be spoken by a computer. No idea what a priority yellow was supposed to be. "No lights/sirens" maybe? I doubt it. 

As for the No Fires Today part, only a very small part of modern fire service is actually firefighting. Most calls are medicals or motor vehicle accidents. Fire protection, good building codes and smoke alarms are having an effect.

Plus they have a budget as a TV show and fires are expensive to stage and film.

On 10/10/2019 at 12:54 PM, cbsspecialreport said:

On Fire, it seems like the hierarchy is Engine < Truck < Squad. Going from an Engine to a Truck is a big deal, and I could see Gallo's motivation being that versus transferring to House 51 in particular. 51 is also a busy House with multiple rigs and a Squad, which might be a big step up from Gallo's original house (which might have been an Engine-only station).

 That's my take. 

Yup. It's not so much that Engine < Truck; they are two equally important rigs with different responsibilities.

On 10/10/2019 at 2:23 PM, iMonrey said:

Does anyone understand the distinction between these three? In my city we have pumpers and trucks. I'm assuming Engine is water pumper, and all they do is spray water? And Truck is the firefighters that, what . . . go up on the roof? But that blurs the line with Squad, which is supposed to do the tricky rescues, right? 

Correct. The engine is a purpose-built rig that draws water from the source (hydrant or tanker), pumps it up to pressure, regulates it, and supplies the hose lines to extinguish the fire. It also carries a number of other tools and basic medical supplies since there is a greater chance of an Engine company alone being dispatched to relatively minor incidents, since there are usually about twice as many engines as there are truck companies.

Truck companies have a number of tasks. Venting the roof of the fire building is first and foremost, smoke ejection, overhauling (pulling down ceilings and walls to look for hot-spots that the engine crew will extinguish after the fire is under control), simple rescue jobs, vehicle extrication with a Hurst Tool (Jaws of Life™), forcing entry, and throwing water in an exterior attack from monitors up high. 

The Heavy Rescue (there are only 4 of them in Chicago in real life, I believe) is for major calls like building collapses, more technical rescues, train wrecks and plane crashes, multiple entrapment calls, etc. They really are an elite company, and to get on Squad you've got to be the best of the best.

On 10/11/2019 at 2:18 AM, Dowel Jones said:

That roof ladder extension was all wrong.  Suppose the ferris wheel moved just a few feet.  Whooops!  I could have bought if it they had taken the time to secure both ends first.  I wonder what the tip load capacity on that aerial is when it's extended in that manner?  Poor little girl, riding the Ferris wheel all by herself.  And poor crushed attendant, he got two quick scenes and he's outta there.

Boden's lecture to Casey about Gallo is foreshadowing, I'm calling it now.

Stella, do you know what the difference between SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and SCUBA is?  Underwater, that's it.  The gear is a bit different, but not enough to disorient you.  You'll do fine.  I do wish she would have changed into the wetsuit (tv family friendly, that is) right there on the patio for all of Chicago to see.

As I mentioned up above, why the hell she wasn't secured in a harness is beyond me. Remember, 9.8 m/s/s isn't just a good idea, it's the Law. Also, immediately after they got her down off the aerial Casey sends Gallo off to do something else. Who removed the roof ladder afterwards? 

In defense of SCUBA, it adds a different level of complexity. No visibility in urban waterways being the least of the problems, doing everything by feel and in a quarter of the time and the risk that if your suit gets nicked and you get a cut underwater on something ghods only know what you risk getting infected with or exposed to in certain parts of Chicago waterways.

[NJRadioGuy]

On 10/11/2019 at 1:55 PM, iMonrey said:

I don't understand how Boden was able to disable the audio alarm simply by flinging one monitor out the door. We saw other monitors throughout the station and the primary server appears to be in the garage. 

Yup, this bothered me to no end. Pull power from the rack and it all suddenly goes away. That gear isn't powered by Magical Fairy Dust.

But the other problem is that HQ had obviously designated 51 as a test bed for this new dispatch system. They weren't being voice alerted or called over the radios. So when this thing started to go nuts, Boden's first call should have been over the air to Main advising that the experimental CAD (computer aided dispatch) was down and to route all calls over the radio, with someone manning the watch room to ring the station alarm, open the bay doors, and turn on the lights, etc.

[Dowel Jones]

40 minutes ago, NJRadioGuy said:

In defense of SCUBA, it adds a different level of complexity.

I didn't mean to imply that actual rescues are easy, just that the basic mechanism of breathing underwater is not really any different than breathing in an SCBA.  I certified in open water SCUBA years back and found it surprisingly easy.  I thought that was what they were trying to show, that Stella would have some idea of SCUBA before the leadership class.  However, given that this is Chicago Fire, I would not be surprised to find out that she will soon be an expert in all things rescue and training the rest of the Squad.