Since 2012, Chicago Fire has led the One Chicago franchise, serving as both the initial series in the franchise and as the launching point for both Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. Headlined by Jesse Spencer and Taylor Kinney, Chicago Fire has brought together numerous seasoned and rookie performers to make a show that feels authentic and full of heart. The show is one of Wolf Entertainment's most successful and elevates the whole One Chicago franchise.
The firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51 are a family, which means they are there for each other just as much as they are at each other's throats. The dynamic of the characters on Chicago Fire, whether audiences are watching the first season or the eleventh, can make viewers feel like they're on the scene of a terrible accident or dangerous fire with the team, saving lives right alongside them. The 12th season of Chicago Fire will return to NBC on Wednesday, January 17, along with the rest of the franchise. With several cliffhangers in the Season 11 finale, the upcoming season premiere is likely to be exciting for fans everywhere.
Deputy District Chief Wallace Boden Is a Caring Leader
Eamonn Walker
- Eamonn Walker, like a number of other actors on Wolf Entertainment shows, had a long-time role on HBO's Oz as inmate Kareem Saïd, a performance for which he won the CableACE Award for Actor in a Dramatic Special or Series in 1997.
Wallace Boden began Chicago Fire as the Battalion Chief overseeing the firefighters and paramedics at Firehouse 51. Boden prides himself on how he cares for his firefighters and paramedics, as well as how he makes decisions that keep them safe and works with leaders like Hank Voight from Chicago P.D. and Sharon Goodwin from Chicago Med during One Chicago crossover episodes.
In Season 2, Episode 12, "Out With a Bang," Boden meets Donna Robbins at a fire, and they get married in Season 2, Episode 22, "Real Never Waits." In Season 10, Episode 10, "Mayday," Boden is promoted to Deputy District Chief of District 4.
Lieutenant Kelly Severide Is Charming and Confident
Taylor Kinney
- Though Chicago Fire is the show for which Taylor Kinney is best known, viewers might recognize him as the former fiancé of Lady Gaga. They met while filming her music video for "You and I" in 2011 but ended their engagement in July 2016.
Taylor Kinney Set to Return to Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire star Taylor Kinney is set to return to the show after a hiatus during which he missed the Season 11 finale.Lieutenant Kelly Severide is the officer in charge of Squad 3, the rescue squad housed at Firehouse 51. Severide has a "ladies man" reputation for the first few seasons, but in Season 5, he meets Anna Turner. Severide is a bone marrow match for Anna and then falls in love with her, only to lose her to complications from her leukemia in Season 5, Episode 20, "Carry Me."
Stella Kidd, whom Severide began dating off and on in Season 4, helps him work through his grief after Anna's death, and in Season 10, Episode 22, "The Magnificent City of Chicago," they get married. Severide, who has occasionally worked cases for the arson department, spent a portion of Season 11 at arson investigation training and then working an arson case. The Season 12 premiere will be his return.
Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann Is the Heart of Firehouse 51
David Eigenberg
- Eigenberg is best known for his long-time role as Steve Brady on HBO's Sex and the City and And Just Like That..., and then there's that movie he starred in with Taylor Kinney.
Christopher Herrmann, a senior firefighter who becomes the Lieutenant of Engine 51 in Season 7, Episode 3, "Thirty Percent Sleight of Hand," is the heart of Firehouse 51. He and his wife, Cindy, have five children, and their youngest, Kenny, was born in Season 1, Episode 24, "A Hell of a Ride."
Herrmann prides himself on being an entrepreneur, and though many of his schemes are failures, he opens Molly's with Dawson and Otis in Season 1, Episode 23, "Let Her Go," and the bar has become a hangout for the team from Firehouse 51, as well as characters from Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. Herrmann is a mentor for many of the other firefighters, often challenging them to be better at their jobs and in their personal lives.
Lieutenant Stella Kidd Is Destined for Greatness
Miranda Rae Mayo
- Mayo guest starred on HBO's True Detective and Showtime's The Affair before taking on the role of Stella Kidd on Chicago Fire.
Stella Kidd joins Firehouse 51 in Season 4, Episode 15, "Bad For the Soul," when her firehouse closes, and she is transferred to 51. Kidd helps manage Molly's, which means she's close to Herrmann and has a fun sibling rivalry with Otis. Kidd has made serious gains in her career since Season 8, when she worked with Lieutenant Wendy Seager (Andy Allo) to start "Girls on Fire," a program designed to get more young women into firefighting.
After some mentoring from Boden, Kidd takes and passes the lieutenant's exam in Season 9, Episode 14, "What Comes Next," and is made the lieutenant of Truck 81 after Casey's departure in Season 10. At the end of Season 11, Kidd took a furlough to bring Severide, her husband, back to Chicago.
Randall "Mouch" McHolland’s Fate Is Up in the Air
Christian Stolte
- Prior to his role in Chicago Fire, Christian Stolte spent two years as Correction Officer Keith Stolte on Prison Break.
Every Season of Chicago P.D., Ranked (So Far)
Chicago P.D. has undergone several significant cast and narrative changes since it debuted in 2014. Which season of the NBC series has been the best?Randall "Mouch" McHolland is one of the senior firefighters at Firehouse 51, and his nickname, "Mouch," is a mash-up of "man" and "couch" and comes from his habit of consistently sitting on the couch to watch television between calls. Mouch is the union rep for the firefighters and paramedics at 51 and will occasionally find himself being the "legal advisor" for other members of the team. Mouch and Herrmann are best friends and spend a lot of their time together both on and off shift, and in Season 4, Episode 18, "On the Warpath," he marries Sergeant Trudy Platt (Amy Morton), who is a regular on Chicago P.D.
In the Season 11 finale, Season 11, Episode 22, "Red Waterfall," Mouch was shot when Firehouse 51 was on the scene of a sniper incident, and though he seems fine initially, in some of the final moments of the season, he starts to bleed out. His fate will be one of the questions Chicago Fire needs to answer when the new season returns.
Joe Cruz Always Steps Up
Joe Minoso
- While filming Chicago Fire, Minoso lived with Charlie Barnett and Yuri Sardarov. Minoso also met his wife, Caitlin Murphy Miles, on set, as she is a make-up artist for the show.
Joe Cruz, previously the engineer and driver for Truck 81, has been a member of Squad 3 since Season 3, Episode 23, "Spartacus." He has had some tough experiences throughout his time at Firehouse 51, including dealing with his brother's involvement in the gang Insane Kings and being suspended after a T-bone collision with another fire truck. Cruz and Otis are close friends, and when Otis dies in Season 8, Episode 1, "Sacred Ground," Cruz takes it particularly hard.
In Season 7, Episode 2, "Going To War," Cruz meets Chloe Allen (Kristen Gutoskie), and they begin dating shortly after. They get married in Season 8, Episode 19, "Light Things Up," and in Season 10, Episode 5, "Two Hundred," Chloe gives birth to their son, whom they name Brian "Otis" Leon Cruz, after Otis and after Cruz's brother, Leon. In Season 10, Episode 16, Cruz meets Javi, an orphan from Honduras, at a fire, and in Season 10, Episode 17, "Keep You Safe," Cruz and Chloe decide to adopt Javi.
Sylvie Brett Is as Scrappy as She Is Sweet
Kara Killmer
- In 2010, Killmer starred in a Hulu web reality series called If I Can Dream, where aspiring performers lived together while they were trying to make it in the entertainment industry.
Sylvie Brett arrived on Chicago Fire in Season 3, Episode 1, "Always," as the new paramedic on Ambulance 61 after Leslie Shay's death. She dates Joe Cruz for part of Season 3 and then dates Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda), Gabby Dawson's older brother and a regular on Chicago P.D., off and on for several seasons.
In Season 7, Brett dated and became engaged to Kyle Sheffield, a chaplain with the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), and even moved with him to Indiana after Otis' death in Season 8, Episode 1, "Sacred Ground." She ends their engagement and returns to Chicago in Season 8, Episode 3, "Badlands." Brett meets and then loses her birth mother during Season 8 and begins dating Matt Casey in Season 9, Episode 16, "No Survivors." In Season 11, Brett begins trying to adopt a baby that was dropped at the firehouse, and in Season 11, Episode 22, "Red Waterfall," Brett learns that she'll be adopting the baby and gets a marriage proposal from Casey.
Blake Gallo Is Firehouse 51's Resident Daredevil
Alberto Rosende
- Prior to being on Chicago Fire, Rosende was on Shadowhunters as Simon Lewis from 2016 to 2019. In 2013, at just 20 years old, Rosende was diagnosed with and beat testicular cancer.
What Chicago P.D.'s Season 10 Finale Means For Season 11
With the fate of one beloved character still unknown, what might Season 11 of Chicago P.D. bring for Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and his team?Blake Gallo joined Firehouse 51 in Season 8, Episode 2, "A Real Shot in the Arm," after Casey sees him at a rescue with another truck company. Gallo is somewhat of a young Severide in that he'll take on any task and often put himself in unnecessary danger, which makes it challenging for Casey -- and then Kidd -- to supervise him. Gallo became a firefighter because the rest of his family died in a house fire when he was a kid, which sometimes means he can get emotional during big house fires, especially if there are kids involved.
Starting in Season 8, Gallo, Darren Ritter, and Violet Mikami become somewhat of a trio, even attempting to start brewing beer together. The character is slated to leave sometime after the Season 12 premiere.
Darren Ritter's Journey Is Coming Full Circle
Daniel Kyri
- Kyri grew up in Chicago, and in 2017, he was awarded Chicago Reader's Best Actor award. He has been in several short films and was on an episode of Chicago Med as a different character before getting his role on Chicago Fire.
Darren Ritter first appeared in Season 7, Episode 2, "Going To War," when Firehouse 51 was working with several other companies to deal with a huge apartment building fire. Ritter, a candidate at the time, had a panic attack in the stairwell during the fire. Mouch talked him down and then took an interest in him, especially after he discovered that Ritter had been moved down to the floater pool.
When Herrmann has to transfer an insubordinate firefighter in Season 7, Episode 4, "This Isn't Charity," Munch brings up Ritter. Once he is at Firehouse 51, Ritter thrives as a firefighter, eventually building friendships with Blake Gallo and Violet Mikami. Ritter is also the first openly gay male firefighter at Firehouse 51, which is an adjustment for some of his colleagues.
Violet Mikami Is Still Healing
Hanako Greensmith
- Hanako Greensmith got her start with a single-episode appearance in Bull, followed by a single-episode appearance in FBI before being cast as Violet Mikami on Chicago Fire.
Violet Mikami is a paramedic who transfers to Firehouse 51 in Season 9 -- first temporarily and then more permanently. Violet and Gallo are rivals from the fire academy, though they build a friendship while working together at Firehouse 51, along with Ritter.
Violet and Brett become close as well during this time. In Season 11, Episode 3, "Completely Shattered," Violet's boyfriend, Paramedic Field Chief Evan Hawkins, is crushed by debris in a fire.
Sam Carver Brought New Expertise to Firehouse 51
Jake Lockett
- Jake Lockett has appeared in episodes of Hawaii Five-0, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Masters of Sex, just to name a few. Chicago Fire is his longest-running gig so far.
Sam Carver came to Firehouse 51 in Season 11, Episode 1, "Hold On Tight," at the request of Deputy District Chief Wallace Boden. He joined Truck 81, to the initial chagrin of Stella Kidd.
Kidd and Carver went to the academy together, and she assumed he would be the same cocky kid she knew then, but he proved her wrong, becoming someone Kidd values as a member of her team. When his brother, Nathan (Tyler Jacob Moore), arrives in Season 11, Episode 13, "The Man of the Moment," to ask Carver for money, viewers finally learn how Sam got the burn scar on his arm and why he is such a great firefighter.
Tony Ferraris and Harold Capp Bring the Funny
Anthony Ferraris and Randy Flagler
- Anthony Ferraris is an active firefighter for the Chicago Fire Department. His expertise has helped the show create the sense of realism for which it has become known. Randy Flagler had small roles on shows like 24 and The Young and the Restless before getting his role on Chicago Fire.
Here's Everything You Need to Know Before Season 2 of Fire Country
Fire Country is a unique entry in the world of first responded TV shows. Now, with Season 2 on the way, there's a lot for fans to know.Often seen together, both Tony Ferraris and Harold Capp are on Squad 3, reporting to Kelly Severide. Squad 3 is a heavy rescue apparatus and is equipped with special tools for heavy rescue, whether it's a fire, car accident or a potential drowning.
Being a member of Squad 3 takes additional, specialized training. Both Tony and Capp have been on Squad 3 since Chicago Fire began airing in 2012. Both of the men are also known for being involved in pranks around the firehouse, especially when someone is new to 51.
Captain Matthew Casey Is an Important Leader
Jesse Spencer
- Prior to starring in Chicago Fire, Spencer was best known for his time as Dr. Robert Chase on Fox's House. Chase was a member of Dr. Gregory House's team from 2004 to 2012.
Captain Matthew Casey is second-in-command at Firehouse 51, where he is the officer in charge of Truck 81. Throughout his time on the show, Casey has continued to run his construction company when he's not on duty and spent time as an elected alderman for the city of Chicago. In Season 6, Episode 3, "An Even Bigger Surprise," Casey is promoted to Captain, though many of his duties remain the same. From Season 5 to Season 7, Casey is married to Gabriela Dawson, and in Season 9, Episode 16, "No Survivors," he begins dating Sylvie Brett.
A firefighter Casey lost in Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot," Andrew Darden, left behind a wife and two boys to whom Casey was quite close. In Season 10, Episode 5, "Two Hundred," Casey discovers that the boys are without a parental guardian since their mother has returned to prison with her fourth DUI and moved to Oregon to help care for them. He and Sylvie date long distance for a while, and though she ends things in Season 11, Episode 1, "Hold on Tight," Casey is back in Chicago and proposing to her in Season 11, Episode 22, "Red Waterfall." Casey's involvement in Season 12 of Chicago Fire is to be announced.
Donna Boden Makes the Chief Stronger
Melissa Ponzio
- Ponzio is best known for her roles as Melissa McCall on Teen Wolf and Karen on The Walking Dead.
Donna Boden (née Robbins) is a high school teacher who meets Wallace Boden when her apartment building catches on fire because the landlord won't fix the heat, and the residents have begun using BBQ grills to heat their apartments. After dating briefly and Boden ending things because he was afraid he had too much baggage, Donna discovers that she is pregnant.
In Season 2, Episode 21, "One More Shot," Boden proposes poorly, and Donna turns him down, but after Mills helps him see how un-romantic his first proposal was, he tries again. They are engaged by the end of "One More Shot" and get married in Season 2, Episode 22, "Real Never Waits." In Season 3, Episode 10, "Santa Bites," Donna comes to the firehouse to talk to Boden and goes into labor, delivering their son, Terrance Boden, in the back of Truck 81 on the way to the hospital.
Cindy Herrmann Is Christopher Herrmann's Better Half
Robyn Coffin
- Other than Chicago Fire and Chicago Med, Coffin is best known for 2015's The Life and Death of an Unhappily Married Man.
Cindy Herrmann is the wife of Christopher Herrmann and the mother to his five children. She often comes to the firehouse to bring food or other items for the firefighters and the community and has particularly gotten close to the women at the firehouse.
Shay supported Cindy through the birth of Cindy and Christopher's youngest, Kenny, and the Herrmann's decided to make Shay and Severide Kenny's godparents. Cindy was at Gabby's bedside when she had her miscarriage and has supported both Sylvie and Stella Kidd in different ways. In Season 11, Cindy has lung cancer, despite never smoking, which she and Christopher deal with for much of the season.
Kylie Estevez Helps Boden Run the Firehouse
Katelynn Shennett
- Chicago Fire is the first on-screen role for Shennett, who has been in 35 episodes of the show since 2020.
Alexa Davalos Leaving FBI: Most Wanted Solidifies Dick Wolf's Biggest Problem
Alexa Davalos leaving FBI: Most Wanted is yet another cast member departure that has audiences asking -- does Dick Wolf have a turnover problem?Kylie Estevez is the first young woman to join Kidd's "Girls on Fire" program. After being part of the program at the end of Season 8, Kylie does not return when the program re-opens with new COVID-19 precautions in Season 9, Episode 2, "That Kind of Heat."
Kidd discovers that Kylie has taken a job at a donut shop because her father lost his job during the beginning of the pandemic. Knowing how good Kylie was at training to be a firefighter, Kidd talks to Boden, and they are able to offer Kylie an assistant job in Boden's office. In Season 11, Episode 22, "Red Waterfall," Kylie is accepted to the Chicago Fire Academy.
Tuesday the Dalmatian Was an Important Member of the Team
Tuesday, The Dog
- Tuesday (her real name and her name on Chicago Fire) unfortunately passed in May 2022, just before the Season 10 finale aired.
When Ritter adopts a Dalmatian, she develops separation anxiety, so he begins bringing her to Firehouse 51. Tuesday becomes the firehouse dog, playing an important role in multiple episodes and bringing fun to the firehouse.
Having a dog in the firehouse -- and on set -- can help with mental health, which is important for the success of first responders. Though the animal actor who played her has since passed, there are many great memories that the cast, crew and viewers will never forget.
Paramedic Chief Evan Hawkins Made a Palpable Impression
Jimmy Nicholas
- Prior to his 20 episodes on Chicago Fire, Nicholas had roles in shows like The Good Wife, Madam Secretary, and Instinct.
The new Paramedic Chief, Evan Hawkins, first arrives in Season 10, Episode 2, "Head Count," when Herrmann and Brett get in trouble for Herrmann calling Ambulance 61 to a scene via his cellphone instead of through the main dispatch. Hawkins's initial interactions with both Brett and Violet are a little unpleasant, but eventually, he supports Brett in launching a new program and builds first a friendship and then a romantic relationship with Violet.
Just as Hawkins is about to transfer and he and Violet are about to be a public couple, Hawkins assists at a theatre fire and is helping a victim when the building collapses on them. While Hawkins did not survive, the victim he protected from the fall did.
Emma Jacobs Was Firehouse 51's Most Unexpected Enemy
Caitlin Carver
- Caitlin Carver has been acting since 2012, with her longest stints being on The Fosters from 2014 to 2016 and Dear White People from 2017 to 2021. She also portrayed Nancy Kerrigan in 2017's I, Tonya opposite Margot Robbie.
Every One Chicago Show Renewed for 2023 Season Despite Unusual Hiatus
NBC announces that the entirety of its One Chicago lineup has been renewed for another season following the current hiatus.Emma Jacobs joined Firehouse 51 temporarily when Brett was on furlough in Season 10, Episode 17, "Keep You Safe." Her partnership with Violet while Brett is out goes from just okay to terrible when Emma begins to undermine Violet.
After it's clear that she won't get what she wants easily, Emma begins to blackmail Violet and Evan Hawkins. Chief Boden eventually fires her from 51 when she abandons Violet on a call, but she gets transferred to Internal Affairs and continues to be an issue for Violet and Evan until proof is finally found that gets her fired from CFD once and for all.
Interim Lieutenant Jason Pelham Was Changed by Firehouse 51
Brett Dalton
- Dalton, best known for his role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., is currently starring in NBC's Found.
Pelham comes to 51 following Matt Casey's departure in Season 10 to take over as the lieutenant for Truck 81. Pelham only spends nine episodes on Chicago Fire, but he makes a huge impact with the firefighters and paramedics at Firehouse 51.
While he's there, the team discovers that his career has been held back because of an event concerning his former captain. Boden and the team believe his story, but the higher-ups in the CFD don't and try to force him out. It is the power of Firehouse 51 standing by him that changes his trajectory.
Firehouse 51 Fought for Mason Locke
Chris Mansa
- Chicago Fire was Chris Mansa's first major and recurring television role.
During a fire at a party store, Herrmann meets Mason Locke, an ex-convict who was trained to fight wildfires. Though he wants to join the CFD, his felony record prevents him from doing so.
Kidd and Herrmann work with Locke and Deputy Fire Commissioner Gloria Hill (J. Nicole Brooks) to get him a job at the St. Paul Fire Department. Later, he returns to Chicago and works on Truck 81 for a while before transferring out.
Gianna Mackey Left Chicago Fire Too Soon
Adriyan Rae
- Adriyan Rae is relatively new to acting but has had roles in The Game, Vagrant Queen, Burning Sands, and Superfly. She is also a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist.
Why Adriyan Rae Left Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire star Adriyan Rae had one of the shortest tenures on the show, so why did paramedic Gianna Mackey leave Firehouse 51 so abruptly?Gianna Mackey joins Firehouse 51 in Season 9, Episode 1, "Rattle Second City," after Emily Foster goes back to medical school. She grew up alongside Joe Cruz, and she finds it easy to build relationships at Firehouse 51. She and Brett become close, and Gianna even dates Gallo for a bit.
In Season 9, Episode 9, "Double Red," Gianna attends training with some of the other firefighters. While she is there, she is offered an opportunity to be the paramedic in charge at another firehouse and decides to take it, transferring after just a couple of months with 51.
Chaplain Kyle Sheffield Changed Things for Sylvie Brett
Teddy Sears
- Teddy Sears is known for portraying Richard Patrick Woolsley on Raising the Bar from 2008 to 2009, ADA Thomas Cole on The Defenders from 2010 to 2011, Dr. Austin Langham on Masters of Sex from 2013 to 2016, and as Jim Fisher on American Crime Story in 2021.
Kyle Sheffield became the CFD Chaplain in Season 7, Episode 6, "All The Proof," after the previous Chaplain -- Bill Orlovsky (Gordon Clapp) -- retired. He and Emily Foster knew each other from when Kyle was one of her patients while she was in medical school, and she is immediately ready to set him up with Sylvie Brett. Kyle and Sylvie date for a while, but he breaks things off when he becomes concerned that other firefighters won't open up to him if they think he's passing information on to one of their colleagues.
When he's offered a job as the National First Responder and Peer Support Initiative Director, he proposes to Sylvie, taking her to Anderson, Indiana with him. She only stays for a few months before she realizes that she wants to be in Chicago and ends their engagement.
Brian "Otis" Zvonecek Was Chicago Fire's Greatest Loss
Yuri Sardarov
- Yuri Sardarov is half-Georgian and half-Armenian and came to the United States with his family at age two as a refugee. Since leaving Chicago Fire, he has had small roles in The Rookie and FBI: International.
When Chicago Fire began, Firehouse 51 hadn't had a new candidate for four years. Brian Zvonecek had been that candidate, and the arrival of Peter Mills meant that Brian would no longer be the target for jokes and pranks. Zvonecek was thrilled and thought that meant that his nickname, "Otis" for the Otis Elevators that he had become a specialist in working with as a candidate, would go away, but it didn't.
Otis took out some of that frustration by playing an excessive amount of jokes on Mills, for which Chief Boden had to call him out. Otis wanted to be the truck's engineer and driver, which he was eventually able to do when Joe Cruz moved to Squad 3 in Season 3, Episode 5, "The Nuclear Option." In Season 7, Episode 22, "I'm Not Leaving You," Firehouse 51 finds themselves fighting a fire at a mattress factory, and Otis puts himself in harm's way to keep the rest of his team and the factory workers from getting hurt. He succumbs to his injuries in Season 8, Episode 1, "Sacred Ground."
Emily Foster Was One of Firehouse 51's Strongest Paramedics
Annie Ilonzeh
- Annie Ilonzeh portrayed Lana on Switched at Birth from 2012 to 2013 and Joanna De La Vega on Arrow from 2012 to 2014.
Why Torrey DeVitto, Dr. Natalie Manning, Left Chicago Med
Chicago Med fans were surprised when Torrey DeVitto left after Season 6. Why did the actress playing Dr. Natalie Manning exit the show?Emily Foster joined Firehouse 51 in Season 7, Episode 1, "A Closer Eye," after Gabriela Dawson's departure. Foster was a medical student who got kicked out of her program after she cheated on her medical boards.
While she and Brett had some kinks to work out as they learned to work together, they became strong partners. Eventually, Brett encourages Foster to go back to medical school since being a doctor is her dream.
Benjamin "Benny" Severide's Death Nearly Destroyed His Son
Treat Williams
- Treat Williams's cinematic breakthrough was in 1979's Hair, and his career lasted nearly 50 years. Williams passed away in June 2023.
Benny Severide, father of Kelly Severide, served as a firefighter with Wallace Boden and Henry Mills, the father of Peter Mills. Benny was often not there for Kelly when he was growing up, and their relationship as adults was complicated, but Benny would somehow manage to show up when Kelly really needed him. He also didn't always know when he shouldn't get involved, sometimes making things worse for Kelly and the other firefighters at 51.
In Season 7, Episode 6, "All The Proof," Kelly goes to Benny for help with a problematic deputy district chief who is harassing Firehouse 51. Benny says that he'll help and sets up dinner with Kelly to discuss it, but Benny never shows up. At the end of the episode, Kelly learns that his father has had a stroke and passed away.
Gabriela Dawson Made Chicago Fire What It Is
Monica Raymund
- Monica Raymund starred in Fox's Lie to Me, opposite Tim Roth and Kelli Williams, as Ria Torres, the protégé of Roth's Dr. Lightman from 2009 to 2011.
When Chicago Fire began in 2012, Gabriela Dawson was the Paramedic in Charge of Ambulance 61. Gabriela dated Peter Mills after they bonded over cooking, but was always close with Matt Casey, whom she started dating off and on in Season 2, Episode 8, "Rhymes With Shout," and eventually married in Season 5, Episode 8, "One Hundred."
Outside the firehouse, Dawson co-owned and ran Molly's with Herrmann and Otis, and in Season 2, she gets accepted to the Fire Academy and spends much of Season 2 through 5 as a firefighter. After a tough foster and adoption experience and learning she has an aneurysm that could burst with pregnancy, Dawson leaves Chicago for a job helping with relief work in Puerto Rico in Season 6, Episode 23, "The Grand Gesture," and she and Casey get divorced.
Jimmy Borrelli's Story Had Juxtaposing Book Ends
Steven R. McQueen
- McQueen is best known for his role as Jeremy Gilbert in The Vampire Diaries from 2009 to 2015. His father is actor and racecar driver Chad McQueen -- best known as Dutch in The Karate Kid (1984) -- and his grandfather is actor Steve McQueen, who starred in films like The Sand Pebbles (1966), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), and The Magnificent Seven (1960).
How Chicago P.D.'s Female Characters Can Shine in Season 11
Chicago P.D. Season 11 is an opportunity for the NBC series to give Hailey Upton, Kim Burgess and Trudy Platt the development they've been missing.Jimmy Borrelli arrived in Season 4, Episode 1, "Let It Burn," as Firehouse 51's new candidate. He makes a poor first impression on his first day when his brothers, who are firefighters in other houses, haze him by dropping him off late and smelling of beer. Eventually, he becomes an integral part of the team, and when the department closes a nearby firehouse and needs to pull candidates out to move firefighters, Borrelli is offered the open paramedic spot so that he can continue to be part of the 51 family.
In Season 4, Episode 22, "Where the Collapse Started," Firehouse 51 joins a structure collapse where Borrelli's brother Danny and his company are already on the scene. As the building begins to crumble, Danny thinks he sees a victim, so Boden gives him one more minute to evacuate, but the roof collapses, killing Danny. Jimmy blames Boden and files an official grievance, not to mention refuses to take orders from him, which ultimately leads to Jimmy being injured in a fire in his final episode, Season 5, Episode 2, "A Real Wake-Up Call."
Pouch Changed Lives at Firehouse 51
Pouch, The Dog
- Derek Haas, Chicago Fire's co-creator, said they were inspired to bring in a firehouse dog because of one they saw on a ride-along with the Chicago Fire Department prior to filming.
Pouch is brought to Firehouse 51 by a child whose father has threatened to drown the dog, and Peter Mills takes on trying to find her a home. When he can't, Mills talks his fellow firefighters into keeping the dog at 51. They name her Pouch -- half pooch, half couch -- and she's a calming presence for the squad.
In Season 4, Episode 20, "The Last One for Mom," Pouch is a comfort to J.J. Holloway (Maxwell Jenkins), a kid Kelly knows who is hanging out at the firehouse while his Mom, Detective Bianca Holloway (Jenny Mollen), testifies in court. When Detective Holloway is gunned down by a hitman, leaving J.J. an orphan, Severide and the team decide to send Pouch with J.J. when he goes to live with his aunt.
Jessica "Chili" Chilton's Story Was Heartbreaking
Dora Madison
- Dora Madison, also sometimes credited as "Madison Burge" or "Dora Madison Burge," is best known for starring as Becky Sproles on Friday Night Lights from 2009 to 2011.
Chili joined Firehouse 51 beginning in Season 3, Episode 21, "We Called Her Jellybean," as a replacement paramedic for Peter Mills. The team initially wasn't thrilled having her there, as they were still dealing with their feelings about Mills leaving, but Chili began to win them over, especially once Herrmann discovered that Chili was also an entrepreneur.
Chili dates Jimmy Borelli briefly, but things get tough for her in Season 4 when her twin sister dies. In Season 4, Episode 11, "The Path of Destruction," Chili nearly kills a patient by giving them the wrong medication on a call and spirals into alcoholism. Both Brett and Severide notice, and when Chili gets fired for drinking on the job, Severide is the one who takes her to treatment.
Kevin Hadley Tortured Firehouse 51
William Smillie
- Since leaving Chicago Fire, Smillie has had roles on shows like APB, Empire, and South Side.
10 Worst Chicago Fire Villains
Apart from fighting fires, the heroes in Firehouse 51 also have to battle the villains in Chicago Fire, from corrupt higher-ups to serial arsonists.Kevin Hadley began Chicago Fire as a member of Squad 3, but things quickly escalated when he learned that Severide was helping Peter Mills, then just a candidate, get into classes to train to be on Squad. Hadley begins to play pranks on Mills, including putting some of Pouch's dog food into his lunch. When Mills figures out what Hadley has done, they get into an argument where Hadley spits a racist remark at Mills.
Boden transfers Hadley out of Firehouse 51, which infuriates him. In Season 2, Episode 1, "A Problem House," Firehouse 51 begins dealing with several fires that seem specifically targeted at them, including Severide's car, Peter's family's restaurant, and a building on the CFD's "Dangerous Buildings" list where Severide's badge number has been spray-painted on the side. In Season 2, Episode 4, "A Nuisance Call," Severide finally catches Hadley in the act.
Peter Mills Learned About Himself at Firehouse 51
Charlie Barnett
- After departing Chicago Fire in 2015, Barnett was cast as Alan Zaveri in Netflix's Russian Doll, Gabe Miranda in Netflix's You, and John Diggle, Jr. in the final season of Arrow.
Peter Mills began Season 1 of Chicago Fire as the candidate for Firehouse 51, which means he was the newest firefighter in the house. He is known for his excellent cooking -- his mother and sister owned and ran a restaurant until it burned down in Season 2, Episode 2, "Prove It" -- and works on nearly every rig at Firehouse 51, first spending time on Truck 81, then getting accepted to Squad 3, and even spending some time as a paramedic on Ambulance 61 while dealing with an illness that prevented him from being a firefighter.
Mills is originally hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father, a firefighter who once worked with Chief Boden and Benny Severide and died on the job. However, in Season 3, Episode 20, "You Know Where to Find Me," after Mills and his sister inherited a restaurant in North Carolina from their paternal grandfather, he moves to North Carolina to start trying to live his life outside the shadow of his father.
Leslie Shay Brought Heart to Firehouse 51
Lauren German
- Audiences might recognize Lauren German as Belinda, the popular girl who crushes on Landon Carter (Shane West) in 2002's A Walk to Remember. After leaving Chicago Fire, German became known for her role as Chloe Decker in Lucifer.
Leslie Shay was a paramedic at Firehouse 51 and drove Ambulance 61 beside Gabby Dawson. Shay lived with Kelly Severide, who was her best friend, and they had a similar reputation for dating lots of women. Shay was openly a lesbian and was often self-deprecating about it.
In Season 2, Episode 22, "Real Never Waits," and Season 3, Episode 1, "Always," Shay was killed in a fire that her colleagues eventually discovered was a trap set for first responders. Her full name, Leslie Elizabeth Shay, was inscribed under the driver's window of Ambulance 61 in Season 3, Episode 13, "Three Bells."
Gail McLeod Nearly Defeated Firehouse 51
Michelle Forbes
- Michelle Forbes has twice portrayed a character trying to shut down a valuable public service institution -- first on Chicago Fire, then as Dr. Veronica Fuentes on New Amsterdam from 2021 to 2022.
LA Fire & Rescue Is Not Chicago Fire - And Its Not Live Rescue, Either
NBC's LA Fire & Rescue wants to emulate its hit drama Chicago Fire, but that's where the new unscripted show is selling itself and its subjects short.Gail McLeod, Deputy Director of Finance for the State of Illinois, arrives in Season 2, Episode 1, "A Problem House," to talk to all the firehouse chiefs about changes that need to be made in order to reduce the CFD's budget by 10%. When Chief Boden makes it clear that he doesn't agree with her tactics, she begins to target Firehouse 51.
During the first half of Season 2, McLeod attempts to force Boden to retire, re-distributes the entire house to new assignments, and attempts to close Firehouse 51. It takes interference from a Senator, the boss of Peter Mills's girlfriend, to get McLeod to finally leave them alone.
Dr. Hallie Thomas Was Matt Casey's First Unexpected Loss
Teri Reeves
- After her time on Chicago Fire, Reeves spent time on Season 5 of Once Upon a Time as Dorothy Gale.
Hallie Thomas was on Chicago Fire for part of Season 1 as Matt Casey's fiancé. During the season, Hallie and Matt went back and forth on whether they wanted to be together, largely because Matt was ready to have kids and Hallie wasn't.
In Season 1, Episode 22, "Leaders Lead," Firehouse 51 is called to a fire at the clinic where Hallie is working and discovers her unconscious inside. She is declared dead at the hospital, though; later, they find out that Hallie was murdered by an arsonist when she discovers that the clinic is a drug trafficking hub.
