Forged in Flames: The Unsung Heroes of Chicago Firehouse 51

Chicago Fire, which began in 2012, aired the premiere episode of its 13th season on September 25th. Set at Firehouse 51, Chicago Fire focuses on the firefighters and paramedics of Truck 81, Engine 51, Squad 3, and Ambulance 61 and how they serve the city of Chicago and deal with their personal lives. The first of the three One Chicago shows, Chicago Fire, set the standard for this trio of procedurals and will likely continue to do so in the coming season.

Chicago Fire‘s 13th season does not come without changes, though. Fan favorite paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) left midway through Season 12, and Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), who led the team at Firehouse 51 for all 12 seasons, took on a new role within the CFD. Great leaders remain in place at Firehouse 51, including Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), who runs Squad 3; Lieutenant Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), who oversees Truck 81; Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg), who leads Engine 51; and Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith), who is the Paramedic in Charge on Ambo 61, but Boden’s departure left a spot open at the district level and in Season 13, Episode 1, “A Monster in the Field,” audiences finally began to learn more about who was going to fill it.

What Happened to Wallace Boden?

Wallace Boden began Chicago Fire as the Battalion Chief for FIrehouse 51 and eventually became the Deputy District Chief for the CFD’s District 4, which included 51. After working with the team at 51 for years, Boden had become a mentor and family member to nearly everyone. He encouraged Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) to become a Captain and supported Severide when he wanted to spend some time working for Arson Investigations. It was Boden who first thought that Kidd would make a great lieutenant, and he suggested she pursue the pathway and gave her all the support she needed to start Girls on Fire, her program that recruits young women to the CFD. Boden even walked Kidd down the aisle when she and Severide got married, which further solidified their bond.

In Season 12, Episode 12, “Under Pressure,” Boden learned that Paramedic Chief Danya Robinson (Laura Allen), who had been nothing but trouble for 51 earlier in the season, was pursuing the open Deputy Commissioner position. Worried that Robinson would change things at CFD for the worse, Boden threw his hat in the ring for the position and, to his surprise, received the appointment. Season 12, Episode 13, “Never Say Goodbye,” was a beautiful tribute to the character and left room for Boden to return, even if just for an episode.

Who is Dom Pascal?

With Boden in a higher position, District 4 needed a new chief. Enter Dom Pascal, played by Dermot Mulroney, who got his start as a firefighter with the CFD before relocating to Miami. Pascal has 27 years on the job and spent 10 years with Miami Fire-Rescue before coming back to Chicago, though no one is quite sure why he returned. By the end of the episode, audiences meet Pascal’s wife, Monica (KaDee Strickland, best known for Private Practice), with whom he seems to have a bit of a strained relationship. It appears that part of the reason for his return has to do with his wife, who already admonished him for working too much in “A Monster in the Field.” She might have let him into their house at the end of the episode, but it stands to reason that their problems aren’t anywhere near over.