Chicago Fire’s new chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) made quite the splash during the Season 13 premiere.
Watch the Season 13 premiere of Chicago Fire Wednesday, September 25 at 9/8c on NBC.
“As you probably already know, I’m Battalion Chief Dom Pascal. Twenty-seven years on the job,” Pascal told Firehouse 51 after arriving for his first day during Season 13, Episode 1. “Some things I want to get out of the way up front: I have the utmost respect for D.C. Wallace Boden (Eammon Walker), and it’s truly an honor to be here, at his former seat. But I’m not Chief Boden. I’m not trying to be. I have my own leadership style. I do things my own way, so you should all expect there’ll be some changes at Firehouse 51.”
So, who is the new leader settling in at the Windy City firehouse? Learn everything we know about Dom Pascal, below.
Christopher Herrmann and Dom Pascal have a talk
Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) in Season 13 Episode 1 of Chicago Fire. Photo: Peter Gordon/NBC
Who is Dermot Mulroney’s Chicago Fire character, Chief Dom Pascal?
Mulroney made his Chicago Fire debut in the Season 13 premiere (“Monster in the Field”) as Firehouse 51’s new leader following Boden’s promotion to Deputy Commissioner. Pascal spent his first 10 years firefighting in Chicago before moving to Miami, only to return to the Windy City.
The entirety of Firehouse 51 was nervous about Pascal’s arrival until they saw him in action during a call at a smoke shop. The incident provided the perfect opportunity for Pascal to show the firefighters what he could do. As butane tanks burst and projectiles showered down on the firefighters, Pascal gave clear directives before courageously running into the chaos without a shield to help evacuate civilians. From the get-go, Pascal demonstrated that he isn’t a pencil-pusher — he is hands-on and confident in his commanding style.
“I think he’s missing the fear gene,” Novak (Jocelyn Hudon) exclaimed as she watched Pascal run into the flames.
Chief Pascal introduced some changes at Firehouse 51
The entire fire station sits in a room
Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith), Novak (Jocelyn Hudon), Sam Carver (Jake Lockett), Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney), Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), Christopher Herrmann (David Eichenberg), and Tony (Anthony Ferraris) in Season 13 Episode 1 of Chicago Fire. Photo: Peter Gordon/NBC
Pascal is efficient and direct and thinks the most valuable asset a firefighter can have is knowledge. After introducing a rule that the firefighters need to put their phones in a bucket during mealtimes so that they could connect more, 51 was left annoyed.
“All due respect, Chief, but most of us have known each other for years,” Joe Cruz (Joe Miñoso) told him.
“That’s where the trouble starts,” Pascal warned them. “You stop asking questions, finding out new things. If your life depends on knowing the firefighter on your left and right on every call and what their next move is going to be, there’s no such thing as too familiar.”
Pascal wasn’t finished with his rule changes, either. He brought Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo, Chris Herrmann (David Eigenberg), and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) into his office to let the lieutenants know that there would be new debriefing meetings following each call.
During his meeting with Severide, Pascal flagged the rule in the CFD handbook that cites that immediate family members can’t work in the same station on the same shift. (Meaning him and Stella, who are married, are technically breaking the rules.) The conflict of interest could be dangerous, and Boden neglected that rule for years.
“Seems to me you both figured out a way to manage it, considering how long you’ve worked together,” Pascal commented to Severide about him and Stella.
“Yes, sir,” Severide assured him. “We have it handled.”
“OK, just be aware that’s something I’ll be keeping an eye on,” Pascal cautioned.
