OFFICE OF THE MAYOR CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
November 16, 2016
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with Aldermen Zalewski, Sposato and Napolitano, a congratulatory resolution concerning the Chicago Fire Department.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
H resolution
adopted by Tllg Qltlj QoUHcil
of the Qity of Qkicago, Illinois
ALDERMEN NICHOLAS SPOSATO, ANTHONY V. NAPOLITANO, MICHAEL R. ZALEWSKI AND
IQresented by mayor rahm emanuel on November u. 2016
Whereas , The afternoon of Friday, October 28, 2016, was proceeding uneventfully at O'Hare International Airport as American Airlines Flight 383, with 161 passengers and nine crewmembers aboard, prepared to depart for Miami, Florida; and
WHEREAS, After Flight 383 began its takeoff roll and was about to leave the ground, passengers heard a loud explosion, and the passengers and air traffic control tower personnel saw fire from the airplane's right engine; and
WHEREAS, The pilots were able to bring the aircraft to a stop before the end of the runway, and the crew began evacuating passengers as the right wing began to burn; and
WHEREAS, Air traffic control tower personnel requested a crash/fire response from the Chicago Fire Department's Airport Operations Division to aid the stricken aircraft and its passengers, and Chicago Fire Department Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Units from Rescue Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 rushed to the scene, even before all the passengers and crew had evacuated the aircraft; and
WHEREAS, Unbeknownst to these first responders the right engine of the aircraft had suffered an uncontained failure that caused shrapnel to perforate one of the aircraft's wings, which contained much of the jet fuel needed for the journey to Miami. The leaking jet fuel caught fire, and the wing was burning when first responders arrived; and
WHEREAS, Aware of the risk of a potential explosion, firefighters positioned their apparatus to protect evacuating passengers and to close in on the aircraft. They began a coordinated and aggressive attack on the fire using foam and a dry chemical application. Meanwhile, firefighters searched the interior of the plane for victims, while working to prevent the fire from spreading into the plane's cabin and cargo areas; and
WHEREAS, Paramedics also established a triage area to evaluate and render aid to injured passengers, ultimately transporting 22 passengers to local hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries; and
WHEREAS, Within minutes, dramatic videos and photographs of these efforts, as taken by passengers and witnesses, were being seen around the world on the Internet and news outlets; and
WHEREAS, Thanks to their bravery, specialized training, and dedication to duty, these members of the Chicago Fire Department were able to quickly extinguish the fire with no loss of life, only minor injuries to passengers, and limited impact on airfield operations; and
WHEREAS, The courage, quick actions, and effective firefighting and lifesaving techniques exhibited in response to the fire on Flight 383 exemplify the dedication to duty and commitment to service inherent in all members of Chicago Fire Department, showed the world that the Chicago Fire Department is a truly first-class operation, and demonstrated why the Chicago Fire Department is a source of pride to the City; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this sixteenth day of November, 2016, do hereby express our admiration and gratitude to the members of the Chicago Fire Department's Airport Operations Division who responded to the fire on Flight 383 for their heroic actions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the members of the Chicago Fire Department's Airport Operations Division who responded to the fire on Flight 383, and placed on permanent record in their respective personnel files, as a token of our gratitude and esteem.
