WBEZ has a new article updating Chicago’s Red-X program, which uses red "X" signs to mark dangerous buildings. The piece revisits a story that first appeared earlier this year on Curious City, highlighting the impact of these simple but powerful symbols on the city's built environment.
Back in 2012 and 2013, the Chicago Fire Department placed 1,804 metal red "X" signs on vacant properties that were considered hazardous—especially to firefighters and first responders. These signs weren’t for every empty building, just those that posed a real risk during emergencies. One tragic example was when firefighter Edward Stringer lost his life after a vacant laundromat collapsed during a fire.
Since WBEZ first covered the program in June, there have been mixed messages from city officials. Alderman Debra Silverstein, who originally pushed for the red "X" initiative, has expressed support and urged more funding. Meanwhile, Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford said they’ve been searching for grant money ever since the original $675,000 FEMA grant ran out. However, he now says the program is being discussed in the past tense.
“We haven’t seen where any such money is readily available,†Langford explained. “We didn’t get new funding, and we didn’t expand the electronic system to continue the awareness for first responders.â€
Instead, the department has shifted its focus to an electronic database called CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch), managed by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC). While no new red "X" signs will be added for now, the city continues to register structurally unsound buildings in the system.
According to Langford, the system works like this: When a fire is reported, dispatchers pull up the location’s information using the OEMC database. Firefighters receive printed reports before heading out, and the data also appears on their mobile devices at the scene—displayed in red letters. From the firefighters’ perspective, it serves the same purpose as the physical red "X" signs.
Unlike the red "X" program, which relied on federal grants, the electronic system doesn’t depend on outside funding. Langford believes it’s sufficient. “The OEMC system allows us to achieve the goal of protecting firefighters without having to mark buildings,†he said.
Importantly, the system doesn’t prevent first responders from entering a building—it simply alerts them to potential risks. It’s a shift in strategy, but one that aims to keep firefighters safe while maintaining efficiency.
Thanks, Dannis.
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