page_title: Chicago Fire Department
section_title: Special Operations Division
hierarchical_section_title: Chicago Fire Department / Operations / Special Operations Division
caption_attribution_description: English: w:Chicago Fire Department Scuba Team truck on w:Lake Shore Drive in w:Hyde Park, Chicago
context_page_description: The Chicago Fire Department provides fire suppression, rescue services and emergency medical response services to the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. The Chicago Fire Department is the third largest municipal fire department in the United States after the New York City Fire Department and Cal Fire, as measured by sworn personnel. It is also one of the oldest major organized fire departments in the nation.
  The Chicago Fire Department is led by the Fire Commissioner, currently Richard C. Ford II. The Fire Commissioner is appointed by the Mayor and is assisted by the First Deputy Commissioner, who oversees the department's bureaus. There are four bureaus under the First Deputy Commissioner: Operations, Fire Prevention, Administrative Services and Logistics.
  The Chicago Fire Department receives over 500,000 emergency calls annually.
context_section_description: The Special Operations Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Commissioner (2-1-9) and is divided into several subsections, including Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat.) and Air-Sea Rescue. The Haz-Mat. subdivision is commanded by a Deputy District Chief (5-1-0). The Air Sea Rescue subdivision is commanded by two Deputy District Chiefs, one in charge of Air Operations (6-8-0), and one in charge of SCUBA Operations (6-8-6). Within the Special Operations Division is the Special Operations Battalion (5-1-5). Similar to a Firefighting Battalion, the Special Operations Battalion is in charge of all the specialized units and companies within the Chicago Fire Department. The on-duty Special Operations Battalion Chief reports to the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Division, as well as the Haz-Mat., SCUBA, and Air Operations Deputy District Chiefs. The Chicago Fire Department currently operates 4 Special Operations Squad Companies ( Squad 1, Squad 2, Squad 5, and Squad 7 O'Hare  )
  In addition to having at least one Squad Company respond to all working fires in Chicago, Squad companies are specially trained and respond to technical rescue incidents throughout the city including but not limited to: Confined space incidents, trench rescues, structural collapses, high-angle rope rescues, advanced extrications, and dive incidents. Squad companies run with 6 members on a daily basis out of two pieces of apparatus that run in tandem.  The "Box" has 4 members including the company officer, and the "Snorkel" with its 55-ft elevated articulating master stream  is manned by an additional 2 members.
caption: The Scuba Team vehicle on Lake Shore Drive in Hyde Park
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