Chicago Fire Department Challenge Coins
From Chicago’s humble beginnings as a frontier village with six buildings, the Chicago Fire Department has provided essential fire suppression and emergency response services to the city. The third largest fire department in the country, CPD firefighters answer hundreds of thousands of emergency calls each year to fulfill its mission to protect the lives and property of the people of Chicago. CFD firefighters protect a population of over 2.7 million people across 234 miles of city.
The department performs regularly scheduled inspections of homes, schools, and businesses to ensure fire codes are consistently enforced and people are safe from the potential fire-related dangers. For the services their firefighters provide to the city, CFD commissions custom Chicago Fire Department challenge coins recognizing their staff for their diligence. CPD challenge coins don’t only honor their firefighters for their fire suppression and rescue operations but also for their consistent efforts in promoting fire prevention and educating the public on fire hazards.
Signature Coins is an industry leader in the production of unique custom-made challenge coins for clients all across the nation. Our staff has over 15 years of experience designing custom challenge coins for clients in the military, law enforcement, Fortune 500 companies, and emergency services. The work and dedication of a firefighter save lives and protects the public, we are proud to do our part to honor them for their services.
Organization of the Chicago Fire Department
Similar to many municipal fire departments, the Chicago Fire Department is separated into a paramilitary organizational structure with different bureaus and divisions under the bureaus serving specialized roles. These different bureaus are all led by the Chicago Fire Commissioner, an individually officially appointed by the city’s mayor, and charged with leading the department and organizing its resources.
Individual bureaus and organizations under the Chicago Fire Department may choose to commission and host their own challenge coins to honor the distinct responsibilities their staff fulfills. Additionally, division leaders, commissioners, chiefs, and other high-ranking officials may choose to have their own challenge coins crafted to be gifted to individuals who have earned their personal respect.
The four Bureaus of the Chicago Fire Department include:
The Bureau of Operations
The largest bureau of CFD with 4,500 firefighters and paramedics, this bureau is responsible for direct fire suppression and rescue efforts. When imagining a Chicago firefighter the staff of the Bureau of Operations is likely the first people to come to mind. Under the Bureau of Operations are seven specialized divisions responsible for different aspects of fire rescue and fire suppression efforts. Each of those seven divisions may host their own division-based challenge coins as well as officer coins crafted for their chiefs or commanders.
The Divisions under the Bureau of Operations include:
- Fire Suppression and Rescue Division
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division
- Special Operations Division
- Technical Rescue Division
- Hazardous Materials Division
- Air Rescue Division
- Office of Fire Investigation Division (OFI)
The Bureau of Administrative Services
The Bureau of Administrative Services is responsible for logistical documentation and care of the fire department including administering rules and regulations within the department, deciding on staffing and termination, supporting firefighter families, and conducting training activities. Under the Bureau of Administrative Services, the Fire Department operates firefighting training at the Quinn Fire Academy and the Fire Academy South. Firefighters are often gifted a unique challenge coin upon graduating from either of the schools in recognition of their official certification and training.
The divisions under the Bureau of Administrative Services include:
- Personnel Division
- Employee Assistance Program Unit
- Training Division
The Bureau of Fire Prevention
The Fire Prevention Bureau is critical to the department’s greater goal of stopping fires in Chicago before they start. With four offices spread throughout the city, the Bureau of Fire Prevention conducts regular inspections of buildings including schools, businesses, and hotels within their district. These inspections ensure buildings and their attachments are kept up to fire code and do not constitute a hazard to the city. Additionally, the bureau is responsible for public outreach programs to schools teaching kids fire safety tips and performing fire drills/inspections.
The divisions under the Bureau of Fire Prevention include:
- Court Section
- Exit Signs / Fire Alarm Section
- Pump Section
- Plan Review Section
- New Construction Section
- Institution Section
- School Section
- Hotel/SRO Section
- Public Assembly Section
- Underground Storage Section
- Licensing Section
- Weekend Detail Section
The Bureau of Employee Relations
The Bureau of Employee Relations is responsible for engaging the firefighting workforce of the department itself and overseeing contracts between CFD, the city, the public, and Labor Unions. The Employee Relations Bureau is also likely to be one of the departments charged with commissioning challenge coins to be designed. In addition to their regular responsibilities, the Bureau of Employee Relations also works to resolve employee issues and foster mentorship, leadership, and diversity within the fire department.
The Divisions under the Bureau of Employee Relations include:
- The Labor Relations Division
- The Human Relations Division
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Firefighter Coin Examples
Designing Challenge Coins With Signature Coins
When partnering with Signature Coins to design and produce your challenge coins, you’ve partnered with an industry expert who knows their craft. We’ve developed a straightforward and easy design process that allows our clients to take any concept they may have for a coin and bring it to life in three easy steps.
First, fill out our quote form with the details and logistics of your order of challenge coins. Within 24 to 48 hours, we’ll get back to you with a free full-color proof of your challenge coin based on the details you’ve provided. If you’re dissatisfied with any aspect of the coin, that’s no problem. We offer free unlimited revisions on all of our orders, meaning you shoot us feedback, and our team of professional artists works one to one with you to create the perfect coin. Production doesn’t begin until you give us final approval, so you know each coin is exactly to your specifications. After final approval though, we promise quick turnover times, with clients receiving their coins within 14 days via free UPS Priority Air Shipping.
We respect and honor the dauntless dedication of our nation’s firefighting departments, trust us to serve you, and we promise only the highest quality and the most professional customer service.