The arrival of an efficiency expert brought bad news to Chicago Fire this week.
During this Wednesday’s episode, the city sends Ambrose to audit Firehouse 51, which has the whole crew groaning in displeasure, especially because they’re down several team members. (Severide and Stella get called to the hospital, where a woman is in labor and has chosen them as the baby’s adoptive parents, but ends up changing her mind. Meanwhile, Pascal is taking the day off, Carver is still part-time until he completes his recovery program, and Violet and Novak are assigned to an event at the convention center.)
Ambrose rides along with Engine to their rescue call, timer in hand, and proceeds to clock everything. Back at the firehouse, he questions Herrmann’s backup plan.
“Redundancy is the thief of efficiency,” he says, to which Herrmann counters that they wouldn’t be having this conversation if he was first responder.
As critical as Ambrose is of 51, they still come to his help when he passes out from heat exhaustion. Once recovered, he lets Herrmann and Mouch know that the firehouse passed the test — but big cuts are coming soon from the city. They can expect layoffs and forced retirements, with probationary and older firefighters the first to go. Mouch reminds Ambrose of everything he and Herrmann have accomplished, then adds, “Us old timers are not going anywhere.”
But do they really have a choice? And with Herrmann still somewhat non-committal about becoming chief, could that be even more reason for CFD to let him go? Or do you think someone else from 51 will be cut? Could these layoffs end up explaining how the show plans to write out Ritter and Carver, whose portrayers will not return for the recently announced 14th season?
It’s also worth noting that, according to Deadline, contracts are up for some veteran #OneChicago cast members like Fire star Taylor Kinney, with negotiations underway. Should those talks not go well, the layoffs twist could cushion the sudden disappearance of any characters at the top of next season.
