10. Kelly Severide
After Matt Casey’s departure, Kelly Severide has arguably become the main character of “Chicago Fire,” and his presence is one of its most important. Taylor Kinney is infinitely charming and charismatic in the role. Despite having a rocky relationship with Casey in the first season, based on the blame over the death of a mutual friend and colleague, the two grow to be the best of friends, and their friendship becomes one of the cornerstones of the cast’s dynamics.
While Severide is a very likable character, he also has his negative qualities as well. For instance, in Season 1, he manipulates his roommate and close friend, Leslie Shay (Lauren German), to use her position as a paramedic to sneak him drugs that he isn’t authorized to take because of his addiction. In addition, when his girlfriend (and future wife) Stella Kidd is trying to pass her lieutenant’s exam, Severide avoids her for several days to try to make it seem like he isn’t the reason she got into the program. Instead of communicating this, he is short with her and refuses to talk.
9. Evan Hawkins
Of all the characters on this list, Evan Hawkins (Nicholas) has the smallest tenure as a main cast member on “Chicago Fire.” Having only appeared in Seasons 10 and 11, it is a testament to his popularity that his untimely death in Season 11 is one of the most heartbreaking in the entire show’s run. Hawkins is the Paramedic Field Chief of the Chicago Fire Department who is known for his honest and fair leadership. He develops an attraction for Violet Mikami and the two begin dating, which causes issues at work as his opinions as her superior is no longer impartial.
Hawkins is shown to care deeply for his paramedics on the field. In Season 10, Episode 22 (“The Magnificent City of Chicago”), when Hawkins discovers that paramedic Emma Jacobs (Caitlin Carver) left her teammate behind in a burning building, he immediately fires her, seeing her as someone who can’t be trusted with the safety of the other paramedics. In Season 11, Episode 3, (“Completely Shattered”), Hawkins is killed after he tries to help a victim out of a collapsing building, but he is still regularly brought up by the rest of the team who acknowledge him as a hero.
8. Darren Ritter
Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) joined the Firehouse 51 crew in Season 7 and has been a mainstay at the firehouse ever since. After making a mistake during a call while he was with Engine 37, Ritter was fired from Firehouse 37, which prompted Mouch and Herrmann to bring him over to Firehouse 51. Ritter is a kind man who is always looking out for his teammates, making him a difficult character not to love. During the mattress factory fire in Season 7, Ritter refuses to leave Herrmann behind, despite direct orders to do so.
Ritter is likely a fan favorite for animal lovers as well. He is the owner of Tuesday, a dalmatian that is a firehouse dog at Firehouse 51. She always accompanies Ritter on shifts because of her separation anxiety and seeing the way that he treats her further shows his kind heart. He also has a wonderful relationship with his boyfriend Eric (Curtis Edward Jackson) and despite their brief breakup after quarantine, the pair manage to rekindle their love.
7. Violet Mikami
Violet Mikami is originally introduced as a paramedic at Firehouse 20. She has a long-standing rivalry with Firehouse 51 member Blake Gallo, but that quickly turns into a romantic relationship in Season 8, Episode 10 (“Hold Our Ground”), which also serves as the character’s introduction. Mikami eventually joins Firehouse 51, filling the slot left open by Gianna Mackey (Adriyan Rae), which causes some issues with Gallo, who is embarrassed after she turns down an impromptu marriage proposal from him.
Mikami is an outstanding paramedic and friend. In Season 10, Episode 22 (“The Magnificent City of Chicago”), Mikami helps to deliver a child in a burning building, despite being left alone by her partner, Emma Jacobs. She also tries her best to maintain a friendly relationship with Gallo even while they aren’t dating. In Season 11, Episode 3, (“Completely Shattered”), Mikami is present when a building collapses on her boyfriend, Evan Hawkins, and watching her try unsuccessfully to revive him is a heart-wrenching moment.
6. Matt Casey
Matt Casey (Spencer) serves as the show’s lead character until his departure in Season 10. Casey is an honest, loyal, and forthright member of Firehouse 51. While his rigid moral code can put him at odds with other firefighters or first responders, it often leads him to make tough but necessary calls. This can be seen through his longstanding feud with Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) of “Chicago P.D.” where Casey looks to expose Voight’s corrupt choices that helped keep his dangerous son out of prison.
Though most of Casey’s colleagues regard him as a fair and patient leader, he can at times be overly strict when it comes to enforcing the rules, especially when it comes to the safety of his fellow teammates. In Season 9, Episode 3 (“Smash Therapy”), Casey hounds Mouch after he seemingly forgets to lock a ladder which nearly kills him. The issue is found to be a faulty ladder, but that doesn’t spare Mouch from Casey’s ire. Ultimately, Casey gives up his career to take care of fellow firefighter Andrew Darden’s (Corey Sorenson) children following his death in Season 1, showing that he truly is a hero in and out of the station.
