New ordinance requires rooftop safety measures for firefighters

A new ordinance, spearheaded by Ald. Marty Quinn (13th), will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, mandating rooftop safety measures to protect firefighters.

In the event of a fire, light shafts, light courts, and skylights present grave danger to firefighters.

These openings often lack guards or parapets, preventing firefighters from falling.

The new ordinance requires flat roof openings, such as skylights or shafts, to be covered or surrounded by a parapet.

The ordinance applies to new construction, new roofs or roof replacement, or renovation projects that increase the area of a home or business by more than 50%.

Compliance can include a parapet, wired glass, plain glass or glass blocks that meet certain load requirements.

“This ordinance is to keep firefighters safe and prevent firefighter injury and death proactively. Parapets can prevent firefighters from falling,” said Quinn.

“This is the first step,” he said.

“Our next phase will involve collecting data on how many flat roofs have uncovered openings. Our hope is to collaborate on gathering and sharing that information, making it readily available to firefighters when they arrive on a job. Firefighters will need to know at the 911 call that there is an opening. We did 12 meetings on this with the building and fire departments.

“We do not intend to create an unfunded mandate on builders or homeowners.

“This will be part of the permit process for new, remodel and re-roofing.”

Most single-family homes in Chicago have sloped roofs and would not be affected.

Currently, if a building is grandfathered in, no action needs to be taken.

Although Quinn and Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) pushed it through, Quinn said the idea came to him from a neighbor.

“Retired Chicago Fire Department Lt. John F. Scheuneman is a neighbor of mine and approached me. He said we’ve got to do something about this.

“I got together with my 39th Ward colleague, and we partnered in this first step of providing safety on flat roofs when vision is compromised and they can’t see.  The Price Ordinance will apply to new construction, a remodeled building or new roofs that have the light shafts. A parapet or fencing will need to be installed around it.”

“There’s more work that needs to be done on this.

“We have no idea now how many exist.  Moving forward, we need to look at how and what we do next to be proactive. Maybe with drones to get a list of where these buildings are and get info to the building department so that all connections are being made.

“We, as a city, have to do a better job with departments in sharing information.

“Government should work like that, like John rolling up his sleeve and looking out for his colleagues and their well-being. These are good Chicagoans.”

In November, Chicago firefighter Andrew Price, who was 39 years old and had been with the department for 14 years, fell through a skylight shaft and became trapped while battling a fire while on the roof of a four-story building in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Price was located immediately once a search began, but they had to breach a wall to get to him.

He died hours later at the hospital.

His widow spoke before Chicago’s City Council before the vote.

“Lara Price gave testimony.  She was so brave, courageous and thoughtful, so that no first responder has to go through what she has.  I’m grateful for her and her courage to have to relive what she went through on the floor of the city council to pass this.”

The ordinance passed on October 9, by unanimous vote.

“This is a huge process. Getting arms around this is a challenge. We are being proactive on how to store, and then share information.”

Scheuneman is grateful for Quinn and his work to get this done.

“I’ve always been one to throw something out there, and that’s why I told Marty (Quinn). I knew he would take the lead and get it done fast. He spearheads a lot of stuff and is what we needed to finally get this done.”

“I did it for the boys, Marty Quinn pushed it through. He deserves all the credit.”