Chicago Fire first premiered in 2012, to much success. And to this day the series is still going strong with 12 seasons and counting under its belt. From creators Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, as well as executive producer Dick Wolf, Chicago Fire follows the personal and professional lives of a firehouse in Chicago. Due to Fire’s success, the series has garnered three spin-offs; Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice, with each one following a different profession connected in Chicago. As with any show or movie based off of big careers such as firefighting, audiences question if it’s at all based on a true story. In Chicago Fire’s case, the answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no answer.
The ‘Chicago Fire’ Station Is a Real Chicago Fire Department
The short answer is no. Chicago Fire isn’t based on a true story, but it does have quite a few details that are rooted in reality. For starters, the exterior shots of the show’s firehouse, Engine 51, is actually a functioning firehouse in Chicago. The real firehouse is Engine 18 and is located at 1360 South Blue Island Avenue, and since audiences learned that it’s the Chicago Fire Firehouse, it has become something of a tourist attraction. Engine 18 is a fully functional and operating firehouse, making the use of it for exterior shots all the more cool, and giving the show a more authentic feeling.
The interior shots are filmed at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, but the set design is heavily based on the interior of Engine 18. In fact, after the pilot episode, the creators took away a piece of the set to better match the real department. In the pilot episode, a firefighter pole is visible in scenes, as the imagery of a firefighter sliding down a pole to assist in an emergency is well-known. But Engine 18 is a one-story building, meaning there’s no need for a pole, and so, to keep things authentic, the creators took away the pole for future episodes to better match Engine 18.
‘Chicago Fire’ Has a Real Firefighter In the Cast
As if basing Engine 51 off of a real firehouse, and using it for exterior shots, wasn’t cool enough, Chicago Fire also has a real firefighter in its cast. Tony Ferraris, who plays the character of Tony in Chicago Fire, is so much more than a loveable side character in the show. He’s also a real firefighter and lends his real-world experience to the series. In an interview with Wolf Entertainment, Ferraris spoke about how he landed the role and how he graduated from being an extra to a fully-fledged cast member.
“A friend of mine received an email from the firefighter’s union saying the show was looking for extras. He asked me if I would go with him to the audition. I went in with him, and I guess they liked me. On the first day of filming, the crew realized nobody in the cast was able to drive squad. Steve Chikerotis, the show’s technical advisor, who I’ve known for years, asked me if I would drive. I said sure, and that’s pretty much how it all went down. I started out as an extra and then Derek Haas approached me around episode five or six, and asked me to read for him, and then they started writing me in.”
Due to his personal experience in the field, Ferraris often provides insight to the show. “I talk with Derek (Haas) and Michael (Brandt). I tell them if we have a crazy call or things we say, but they ask me a lot too. In the beginning, Derek would come to the firehouse and ride with me when we were working. There are certain guys at the firehouse who always say something funny or sassy to say, so I tell them those type of things. They’ll ask me things like, ‘Hey, if you’re forcing this door open, how would you do it?’ But our job, fighting fires, is stranger than fiction.”
He also shared how accurate the show is when it comes to portraying the relationships within the firehouse.
“A lot, because we are friends outside of work and with us firefighters, like the police, unfortunately any call or run we go on, bad things happen. We have a very dangerous job, and we’re very tight when that bell rings. But when we’re at the firehouse, we’re busting on each other and giving each other a hard time. We golf together; we do a lot of things together. I think it translates onto the screen, and it’s pretty realistic of life at work. When you live with somebody for 24 hours, you’ll learn a lot about them, and you do that for 88 days a year. It’s your second family .”
‘Chicago Fire’ Stays Accurate To the Profession
Despite not being based on a true story, Chicago Fire has enough real-world inspiration that makes it feel authentic to the actual profession of being a firefighter. In fact, most of the extras you see are real firefighters, according to Tony Ferraris. He says they use real firefighters in the scenes that show the incidents of the episode to give a more authentic, real-world feeling. And it certainly pays off. Chicago Fire has remained successful over the seasons, as well as its multiple spin-offs, due to how well done the procedural aspect of the show is. Everything feels very grounded and respectful, and it makes for an even better viewing experience.
