26.02.2020

We Are Chicago 1.0

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Chicago Fire Department (CFD)
'We're There When You Need Us'
Operational area
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CityChicago
Agency overview
EstablishedAugust 2, 1858
Annual calls739,867 (2013)
Employees5,143
CommissionerRichard C. Ford II
EMS levelALS & BLS
IAFF2
Facilities and equipment
Divisions5
Battalions25 (24 firefighting battalions and 1 Special Operations battalion)
Stations98 (Including 1 Fireboat Station)
Engines96
Trucks61
Ladders61
Squads4
Ambulances80 Advanced Life Support Ambulances
HAZMAT2
USAR2
Airport crash10
Helicopters2
Fireboats2
Website
www.cityofchicago.org/fire
www.iaff-local2.org

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The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) 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.

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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.

Organization[edit]

Chicago firefighters responding to a call on Michigan Ave. wearing pre-2006 turnout gear.

Bureaus[edit]

There are four Bureaus of Operation within the Chicago Fire Department: Operations, Administrative Services, Logistics and Fire Prevention. The four Bureaus are commanded by the 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner, who in turn reports to the Fire Commissioner. Mweb 3.3.7 crack.

Bureau of Operations[edit]

The Bureau of Operations is the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department. The Bureau of Operations commands the following Divisions: Fire Suppression & Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations Command, and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Bureau of Operations is composed of over 4,500 Firefighters and Paramedics and is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner.[1]

Bureau Of Administrative Services[edit]

The Bureau of Administrative Services commands the following Divisions: Personnel, Training, the Photo Unit, and the Employee Assistance Program. Administrative Services is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner.[2]

Bureau of Logistics[edit]

The Bureau of Logistics commands the following Divisions: Support Services, Support & Logistics (EMS), Equipment & Supply, Building & Property Management, Record, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Staff/Human Relations, the Pension Board, the Regulatory Compliance, and Management Information Systems/Technology. The Bureau of Logistics is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner.[3]

Bureau of Fire Prevention[edit]

Are

The Bureau of Fire Prevention commands the following Divisions: Code Compliance and Inspections. The Bureau of Fire Prevention is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner.[4]

Operations[edit]

The Bureau of Operations is one of four Bureaus within the organization of the Chicago Fire Department. Like the other three Bureaus, the Bureau of Operations is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner, who reports to the 1st Deputy Commissioner, who in-turn reports to the Fire Commissioner. The Bureau of Operations is currently the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department and is organized into four Divisions: Fire Suppression and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations (including the Technical Rescue Unit, the Hazardous Materials Unit, and the Air-Sea Rescue Unit), and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner. The Special Operations Division and the EMS Division are also commanded by an Assistant Deputy Commissioner. The Office of Fire Investigation (OFI) is under the command of the Commanding Fire Marshall, equivalent to the rank of Deputy District Chief.[1][5]

Engine 38 - Truck 48 - Ambulance 77 -- Protecting the North Lawndale area of Chicago

Fire Suppression and Rescue Division[edit]

The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (radio call sign: 2-1-10). The Division consists of five Fire Districts, each commanded by a District Chief. Within the five Districts are 24 Battalions, each commanded by one Battalion Chief each shift, who reports to the Deputy District Chief of the District, who in-turn reports to the District Chief of the District.

Ambulance 77 & Engine 38 rendering medical aid on Roosevelt Ave.
We Are Chicago 1.0

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division[edit]

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (2-1-11). The EMS Division consists of two Field Divisions, the North Division, and the South Division. Each Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedic per shift. The two Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedics report to the Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner of the Division. Within the two Field Divisions, there are eight EMS Districts. Each EMS District is under the command of a Paramedic Field Chief. Each EMS District's Paramedic Field Chief is in charge of all EMS and Ambulance Companies within that District.

Special Operations Division[edit]

The Scuba Team vehicle on Lake Shore Drive in Hyde Park

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 Fire 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.

Companies and units (2018)[edit]

CFD 1st Battalion Chief's SUV
CFD Tower Ladder Co. 10
CFD Truck Co. 58
CFD Haz-Mat. Incident Team (H.I.T.) Unit 5-1-1

Fire Station Locations and Apparatus[edit]

The Chicago Fire Department is organized into 5 Districts, which command a total of 24 Battalions and a Special Operations Battalion.[6][7]

Communications[edit]

The Chicago Fire Department operates two fire alarm frequencies: Main and Englewood. Main covers the city north of the South Branch of the Chicago River and Englewood covers the city south of the river. The 2 EMS frequencies are mirrored in both name and boundaries. The separate designations are from when the Englewood Fire Alarm office was located at 6355 South Wentworth Avenue, and the Main Fire Alarm Office which was located on the fifth floor of Chicago City Hall, at 121 North LaSalle Street. Both offices merged into one location at the city's 911 Center in 1996, located at 1411 West Madison Street.

Alarm assignments[edit]

Still Alarms[edit]

A Still Alarm is the basic structure fire response protocol of the Chicago Fire Department. The term 'Still Alarm' came about upon the advent of telephones becoming more prevalent in reporting emergencies. The alarm office's register that received the signals from the actual fireboxes would remain 'still' when someone reported a fire or emergency via telephone. The Still & Box is either transmitted by companies upon arrival at the scene when needed or due to multiple reports or confirmation of a fire. If there is a confirmed fire, the Still & Box Assignment may be added to the 'Still' or 'High-Rise Still' assignment upon request of the ranking officer on the scene. The Rapid Intervention Team (R.I.T.) Response is sent when the 'Still' becomes a working fire, or upon request. The Mayday Assignment is used when firefighters operating on the scene of any emergency become lost, trapped or are discovered to be missing. Any member of the Chicago Fire Department of any rank or title operating on the scene of an emergency is authorized to call for a mayday response if they so feel the need.

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
Still Alarm1st Alarm2 Engine Companies, 2 Truck Companies, 1 Battalion Chief (Still)
Working Fire Response1st Alarm, Working Fire *Upgrade*1 Truck Company (R.I.T.), 1 Battalion Chief (R.I.T.), 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 2 Advanced Life Support Ambulances (1 R.I.T/Standby.), 1 Paramedic Field Chief (R.I.T.)
Working Fire in a Red 'X' Building1st Alarm1 Truck Company (1 R.I.T.), 3 Battalion Chiefs (1 R.I.T., 1 Safety, 1 Special Operations), 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 1 O.F.I. Unit, 2 Advanced Life Support Ambulances (1 R.I.T.), 1 Paramedic Field Chief (R.I.T.)
Still Alarm in a High-Rise Building1st Alarm3 Engine Companies, 2 Truck Companies, 3 Battalion Chiefs (1 Still, 1 Fire Attack, 1 High-Rise), 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 1 Advanced Life Support Ambulance, 1 Paramedic Field Chief
Mayday Alert1st Alarm, Mayday Alert *Box or 2-11 Auto Upgrade*1 Truck Company (R.I.T.), 1 Battalion Chief (R.I.T.), 1 Squad, 3 Advanced Life Support Ambulances (1 R.I.T.), 1 Paramedic Field Chief (R.I.T.), 1 Bottle Truck, 1 Light Wagon, Collapse Rescue Team (Engine 5, Truck 2, 5-2-1)

Box Alarms[edit]

Box Alarms are the other main assignment utilized by the Chicago Fire Department. A Box Alarm is the standard protocol response for fire alarm activations in a hospital, nursing home, theater or other potentially high risk structure. If the fire is reported to have persons trapped or the Fire Alarm Office receives numerous calls for the same location, then a 'Still & Box Alarm' is automatically transmitted by Fire Alarm Office.

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
Box Alarm1st Alarm4 Engine Companies, 2 Truck Companies, 1 Battalion Chief (Box)
Still & Box Alarm1st Alarm, Still *Upgrade*4 Engine Companies, 3 Truck Companies (1 R.I.T.), 1 Tower Ladder Company, 4 Battalion Chiefs (1 Box, 1 R.I.T., 1 Safety, 1 Fire Attack), 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 1 O.F.I. Unit, 2 Advanced Life Support Ambulances (1 R.I.T.), 2 Paramedic Field Chiefs (1 R.I.T.)
Still & Box Alarm in a High-Rise Building1st Alarm, High-Rise Still *Upgrade*3 Engine Companies (1 ALS Support), 2 Truck Companies (Designated to search stairwells), 1 Tower Ladder, 1 High Rise RIT Team (1 Truck company, 1 ALS Engine, 1 ALS Ambulance 1 Paramedic feild Chief and 1 Battalion Chief) 1 High Rise Support Unit, 1 Breathing Apparatus Unit, 1 Battery Unit, 1 Rehab Unit, 5 Battalion Chiefs (Safety, Search and rescue, Plans, Special Ops “5-1-5, Support Chief), 1 Office of Fire Investigation unit, 1 District Chief, EMS Plan I Assignment

Multiple Alarms[edit]

Higher-alarms for larger fires and more serious incidents are assigned as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Alarm Assignments as upgrades of a 'Still & Box', a 'Box', or a 'Working Fire'. Each alarm level is signified by the level of alarms, followed by the number 11. The number '11' after the level of alarm is tradition of the bell and register system striking 11 blows onto the bell in the firehouse after whatever level of alarm the incident has been upgraded to, followed by the box number, carried over into the modern era.

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
2-11 Alarm2nd Alarm *Upgrade*4 Engine Companies, 2 Truck Companies, 1 Tower Ladder Company, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Air Mask Service Bottle Truck, 1 Light Wagon Unit, Media Affairs Unit, 2-7-10, 6-3-9
3-11 Alarm3rd Alarm *Upgrade*4 Engine Companies, 1 Deputy Fire Commissioner, 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner
4-11 Alarm4th Alarm *Upgrade*4 Engine Companies, Fire Commissioner
5-11 Alarm5th Alarm *Upgrade*4 Engine Companies
Special Alarm(any level) *Upgrade*any additional units not part of an existing alarm profile; may be specialized units such as turret wagons, mobile ventilators, or extra line units; at discretion of IC

Special Incidents[edit]

Special Incidents are incidents handled by the Chicago Fire Department that are emergencies other than fires. While a Still & Box Alarm might be used for an 'L' train derailment, a Water Rescue or a Collapse Rescue has its own assignment. Many of these assignment profiles include specialized units not ordinarily found at the scene of a fire; being part of a named preplanned response, they are not considered 'Specials'. However, as with fires, units not listed in the default responses below can be special-called to the incident scene, designated by their signature number (i.e., Unit 6-8-2 is one of the CFD's Air-Sea Rescue Helicopters). The additional vehicle(s) are referred to as 'Specials', while the incident type is specified. Thus, if a Mobile Ventilation Unit (MVU) were called to a Building Collapse, it would be described as 'Building Collapse response with one Special'.

CFD's Special Operations division has a Battalion Chief dedicated to it (5-1-5), who will always be among the chiefs dispatched to a special incident.

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA)Special1 Engine Company or 1 Truck Company, 1 Ambulance
Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) with EntrapmentSpecial1 Engine Company, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Ambulance, 1 Paramedic Field Chief
Vehicle FireSpecial1 Engine Company
Expressway Vehicle FireSpecial2 Engine Companies, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief
Specialty RescueSpecial1 Engine Company, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Ambulance, 1 Paramedic Field Chief
Building CollapseSpecial5 Engine Companies, 3 Truck Companies, 1 Tower Ladder Company, 3 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 3-5 Ambulances, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, 1 O.F.I. Unit, 1 Collapse Rescue Unit
Water RescueSpecial1 Engine Company, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Ambulance, 1 Fireboat, 1 Helicopter, 1 SCUBA Team Unit, 1 Fast Boat
Type I Power OutageSpecial1 Engine Company, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Paramedic Field Chief
Type II Power OutageSpecial1 Engine Company, 2 Truck Companies, 2 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, 1 Ambulance, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, 1 OEMC representative

EMS plans[edit]

Because the Chicago Fire Department handles the city's Emergency Medical Services, certain large-scale incidents, such as a major vehicle accident or a building collapse will require a special EMS Response. This response is also known as a 'Plan' from the CFD's EMS Division. These plans consist of EMS Units and Fire Units, depending on the incident. EMS Plans can also be assigned to fires where a large EMS presence is needed or special events, such as a marathon where injuries may arise.

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
EMS Plan IEMS Plan5 Ambulances, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, 1 Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedic, 1 Engine Company or 1 Truck Company (Advanced Life Support), 1 Battalion Chief
EMS Plan IIEMS Plan *Upgrade*5 Ambulances, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Command Van, 1 Triage Van, Media Affairs Unit
EMS Plan IIIEMS Plan *Upgrade*5 Ambulances, 1 Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (Emergency Medical Services), 1 on-call Physician, 1 District Chief,
Ambulance 77 Transferring patient care @ St. Anthony's Hospital




Hazardous Materials Incidents[edit]

During a Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat.) Incident, such as a chemical spill or leak, the Chicago Fire Department assigned three specific levels of response depending on the size and magnitude of the incident. Aside from standard fire suppression equipment and Haz-Mat. equipment, the CFD also can dispatch standard fire suppression equipment whose crews have special training in hazardous materials situations and mitigation. These companies are called the Hazardous Incident Team (H.I.T.).

Alarm TypeAlarm LevelUnits Assigned
Level I Haz-Mat.Haz-Mat. Incident1 Engine Company, 1 Truck Company, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Ambulance, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit
Level II Haz-Mat.Haz-Mat. Incident *Upgrade*1 Engine Company (H.I.T.), 1 Truck Company (H.I.T.), 2 Battalion Chiefs (Plans, Safety) 1 Special Operations Chief (5-1-5), 1 OFI unit, 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Command Van, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, 1 Air Mask Service Bottle Truck
Level III Haz-Mat.Haz-Mat. Incident *Upgrade*1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Deputy District Chief (Haz-Mat.)

In popular culture[edit]

The Chicago Fire Department cooperated with film director Ron Howard on making the 1991 film Backdraft, starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, and Robert De Niro.

The NBC television show Chicago Fire, centers on a group of fictional firefighters and paramedics at a firehouse that is the headquarters of the fictitious Engine Company 51, Truck Company 81, Rescue Squad Company 3, Battalion Chief 25 and Ambulance 61.(represented by the headquarters for real Engine Company 18).[8] CFD firefighters were involved in the production as consultants or extras and real places in the city were often referenced in the characters' dialogue. The series premiered in 2012. There are different themes for each episode.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ ab'City of Chicago :: Operations'. Cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  2. ^'City of Chicago :: Administrative Services'. Cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  3. ^'City of Chicago :: Employee Relations'. Cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  4. ^'City of Chicago :: Fire Prevention'. Cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  5. ^'Chicago Fire Department Organizational Chart'(PDF). Cityofchicago.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  6. ^'Radio Station Identification Numbers'(PDF). Chicagofd.org. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. ^'Chicago Fire Dept - Districts & Battalions'. Plaws.net. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. ^'Chicago Fire Department'. GREC Architects. Retrieved February 15, 2017.

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 41°49′49.3″N87°37′25.9″W / 41.830361°N 87.623861°W

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chicago_Fire_Department&oldid=943268296'
Game Info
PlatformWin, Mac, Linux
PublisherCulture Shock Games
DeveloperCulture Shock Games
Release DateFeb 9, 2017

We Are Chicago is a game with a message, and it never let me forget it.

Developer Culture Shock Games is a studio set on 'giving a voice to underrepresented people,' per its founder, Michael Block. Block enlisted a multiracial collection of residents of Chicago’s North and South sides to create a story about growing up poor and black in the city.

a powerful, likable portrait of black youth

We Are Chicago is the result, a game that often feels subversive in its depiction of cultures that games have rarely seemed interested in exploring. Culture Shock’s approach to characterization and dialogue can be grating, with heavy-handed asides about the struggles of growing up poor that feel more forced than moving. But in the game's quieter moments, main character Aaron’s story is a powerful, likable portrait of black youth.

Aaron’s story begins with a dour newscast, not uncommon in the South Side's struggling neighborhoods. Instead of solely focusing on violent crime and shootings, We Are Chicago's reaches more broadly, immediately tackling unemployment, a meager minimum wage and eventually, the importance of a good education.

Aaron contends with all of these in equal measure. He's a high school senior days away from graduation, and he's intent on being a good role model for his younger sister and a devoted son to his single mother. That's hard when everyone around him pressures him into doing the wrong thing. Over the game's brief span of time, Aaron's desire to make a better life for his family, against the odds, is on the forefront of his mind.

The game uses a dialogue-driven cutscene system to help define Aaron's commitment and shape this journey. A number of different speech options appear during most conversations with Aaron's sister, mother, friends and teachers. There's occasionally a time limit to choosing a response, and I was warned that characters would remember what I said at certain moments. This should be familiar to anyone who’s played a game from developer Telltale Games in the last five years.

This system gave me the chance to influence Aaron's path toward or away from the cycle of poverty. An otherwise silent protagonist, Aaron is a cipher for We Are Chicago's thesis about what can turn impressionable good kids toward bad choices. I was already inclined to go for the pro-education, positive self-talk options, but the game encouraged me to choose them anyway.

We Are Chicago 1.0 Lyrics

In conversations with Aaron's more easily influenced friends, I could agree with their hopelessness about going to college and other topics. These responses were labeled as 'lies,' however, which made the game's initial branching story paths seem more linear. I soon realized that the dialogue choices I weighed heavily weren't really choices at all: Aaron was destined to rise above his impoverished trappings, no matter what path I wanted to choose for him.

These conversations make up the bulk of the action, which isn't unusual for a narrative game. But We Are Chicago's moments of non-conversational gameplay are stranger. We Are Chicago's preachy dialogue was far more enjoyable to sift through than the game's slow movement and poor camera. A handful of scenes set at Aaron's fast-food job were even painful addition and subtraction exercises. This math minigame involves counting out dollar bills one by one. It's repetitive, out of place and it was as a major waste of time. I appreciated these moments for their teenage mundanity, but that didn’t make them less boring to play.

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'Teenage mundanity' is applicable to much of We Are Chicago. Aaron texts his mom that he'll be home late or spends precious minutes watching his little sister eat breakfast, and these innocuous moments felt just as important to the game as his arguments with friends about their post-graduation plans, even if they weren't as enjoyable for me to sit through.

Amid the talk of homework and paychecks, the presence and influence of gang violence is also a constant. We Are Chicago explores the 'whys' of turning toward crime in a novel fashion, though any actual presentation of violence is rare and shocking.

I’m more used to video game depictions of young black men wielding guns, rather than trying to get them off the street. Violence permeates everything around Aaron, even if he never takes part. Just as importantly, We Are Chicago doesn't condemn those who do. Through conversations with them, I was able to suss out the reasons behind certain characters turning toward crime. Aaron had the privilege to be the only one above it all — even if the game never makes it seem like Aaron is at risk of joining a gang himself.

At times, that's frustrating. Aaron's unflagging opposition to the gangs that ensnare his friends makes him seem like a message more than a fully defined character. Everything he says and does reminded me of his tough situation that he had the moral fortitude to overcome. Had the game gone on any longer, my capacity to tolerate the game's inspirational subject matter would have waned.

Still, I found it exciting to play a teenager of color, especially one who prefers poetry slams to parties. The entire cast of We Are Chicago is black, not just the gang members. It's an emphatic reminder of the importance of representation. These kids are just as stuck to the TV and their cell phones as anyone else their age, and they spend plenty of time roaming the high school hallways worrying about final exams.

Compared to other recent games with black heroes (like Mafia 3), We Are Chicago is a much less sensationalized tale of the African-American experience. At the same time, it falls into some easy trappings. The whole storyline has to do with gangs, after all. I never for a minute forgot that death was a constant, real threat; walking through Aaron's neighborhood felt unsafe, and his school had a metal detector at the entrance.

The designers wrote the game based on interviews with members of Chicago's poorer South Side neighborhoods, and it’s admirable that actual residents helped form the basis of the storyline. Their influence is most felt in the more grounded moments. Aaron's other concerns come across as ripped from the headlines by comparison, despite their basis in reality. Those moments that capture the dullness of being 18 and wanting to get out of high school are far more novel from a storytelling perspective.

Wrap Up:

We Are Chicago dares to focus on the mundane and the dramatic

For better and worse, We Are Chicago dares to spend as much time on life’s tinier moments as its most dramatic ones. That balance isn't always maintained successfully: Blunt dialogue often undercuts the power of otherwise understated scenes. But the combination of the two still gave me a broader, better perspective of what life is really like on the South Side. It's not just gangs and gunshots; just as often, it's laughter-filled family dinners and working long, late nights. Maybe that sounds boring, and sometimes We Are Chicago is just that. But even if We Are Chicago isn’t always fun, it does feel uniquely valuable.

We Are Chicago was reviewed using a Mac OS code provided by Culture Shock Games. You can find additional information about Polygon's ethics policy here.

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