General Order 19-004: Chicago Fire Department Swiping Program

Purpose and Effective Implementation

• The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) swiping program is established to define protocols for all platoon members, 40-hour sworn members, and civilian employees.

• These regulations establish procedures for proper swiping behaviors and rescind General Order $18-005$.

• The order became effective immediately upon its issuance on August 9, 2019, under General Order $19-004$.

• The departmental policy requires compliance with the City of Chicago ("City") CyberShift® staffing policy via the Chicago’s streamlined workforce Integrated Payroll Enterprise (C-SWIPE) software.

• Attendance and assignment verification are conducted through this computerized staffing program in conjunction with the TeleStaff payroll program.

Essential Equipment and Definitions

• HandPunch® 3000: This is a biometric hand scanner utilized for identity verification. These units are located at several City facilities, including:

  • CFD fire stations.
  • CFD Headquarters.
  • Fire Academy South.
  • Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy.

• City of Chicago-Chicago Fire Department ID Card: A City-issued identification card containing the sworn member's name, rank (if applicable), photograph, and a magnetic strip. This card serves two primary functions:

  • Attendance verification via swiping.
  • Obtaining fuel at City fuel depots.

General Information and Requirements

• All members reporting for duty must carry their Fire Department ID Card at all times during their tour of duty.

• Company Officers are responsible for verifying that every member under their command possesses their ID card during Roll Call.

• Company Officers must ensure that all subordinates have swiped and that the hand scanner successfully recorded their attendance.

• Swiping Frequency for Platoon Members: Platoon members are required to swipe exactly once ($1$) during their tour of duty.

• Swiping Frequency for 40-Hour Members and Civilians: These employees must swipe twice ($2$) per shift: once at the start of duty and again at the conclusion of duty.

• Timekeeper Discrepancies: If a timekeeper notes a swipe discrepancy for a $40$-hour employee, notification must be made to the employee’s Bureau Head before any administrative action is taken.

• Off-Duty Departmental Matters: Members appearing for CFD-related depositions, court hearings, or other department matters at Cook County Court Houses must swipe once upon entry and again at the conclusion of the event.

Standardization of Swiping Procedures

• All CFD employees (sworn and civilian) must swipe their ID card upon reporting for duty at their specific daily assignment.

• The physical action involves swiping the City of Chicago-Chicago Fire Department ID Card in a vertical motion through the HandPunch® 3000 unit.

• Following a successful card swipe, the unit will direct the member to place their right hand on the scanner.

• Hand Placement: The member must place their right hand within the parameters of the outlined hand on the scanner field, ensuring the hand is against the pegs on the surface.

• Recognition Failure: If the message "Place Hand" reappears, the scanner has failed to recognize the hand. The member must re-swipe the card and follow the scanner's directions again.

• Recognition Scoring: The HandPunch® 3000 generates a score between $0$ and $100$. A lower numerical score indicates better recognition of the member’s hand.

• Documentation: Company Officers must record in the Company Journal that all members under their command have properly swiped. If a member is unable to swipe due to a lost, stolen, damaged, or inoperable card, or for any other reason, the specific reason must be documented in the Company Journal.

Protocol for Special Service Situations

• Reporting for Rehire: Platoon members rehired after Roll Call must report to the on-duty Company Officer, swipe their ID, and perform a hand scan. This action must be witnessed by the Company Officer and recorded in the Company Journal.

• Tardiness: A tardy platoon member must report to the on-duty Company Officer. Once the officer verifies the member is fit for duty, the member must swipe and scan their hand. This must be witnessed by the Company Officer and documented. If the tardy member is a Company Officer, their immediate supervisor must witness the swipe.

• Details: Members on detail must swipe at their detail location. If a member has already swiped at their assigned firehouse or a previous detail location during that tour and is then detailed elsewhere, they are not required to swipe again at the new location.

• Trades: Members working a trade swipe at the location of the trade. Similar to details, if they are moved after an initial swipe, a second swipe at the new location is not required.

• Partial Day Trades: Members working a trade or Daley day exchange for less than $24$ hours must:

  1. Report to the Company Officer.
  2. Swipe in after being approved for duty.
  3. Ensure the Company Officer witnesses and documents the swipe in the Company Journal.
  • Members returning from a partial day trade do not need to swipe if they already did so once during the tour.

• Emergency Relief and Change of Quarters: Company Officers must ensure oncoming platoon members swipe at their company quarters before departing to relieve a company at an emergency scene or change of quarters.

• Training Details: Members must swipe at the training location if a HandPunch® unit is available. If unavailable, they must swipe immediately upon returning to their assignment or arriving at their ordered facility.

• Emergency Recall: Members on emergency recall must swipe upon arrival at their ordered reporting facility.

• Deployments Outside Chicago: Sworn and civilian members deployed outside city limits (e.g., state or national disasters) are exempt from daily swiping requirements.

Equipment Malfunctions and Issue Resolution

• Card Issues: Members with damaged, defective, inoperable, lost, or stolen ID cards must follow existing department policies for replacement.

• HandPunch® 3000 Malfunctions:

  • Discovery must be reported immediately to the Company Officer.
  • The Company Officer must contact the Bureau of Logistics, Division of Breathing Apparatus Service to report the malfunction.
  • The Company Officer must notify their Battalion Chief. If an ALS ambulance is assigned to the station, the Paramedic Field Chief must also be notified.

• Journaling Malfunctions: Until the unit is repaired, the Company Officer must record the following daily in the Company Journal:

  • Date and time the unit was discovered to be inoperable.
  • The associated repair ticket number.
  • Details of any work performed and the outcome.

• Alternative Swiping: Under the direction of the Battalion Chief or Paramedic Field Chief, members at stations with broken scanners must swipe at a fire station within their district that has a functioning unit.

• Follow-up: If a work order is not completed within $7$ calendar days, the house Captain or building supervisor must contact the Bureau of Logistics, Division of Breathing Apparatus Service to check repair status.

Responsibility and Compliance

• Chief and Company Officers: Responsible for documenting and forwarding any instances of non-compliance through the chain of command. Company Officers must perform daily ID verification.

• Individual Employees: Every CFD employee is responsible for ensuring strict compliance with this order.

• Disciplinary Action: Platoon, $40$-hour members, and civilian employees who fail to comply with these provisions may be subject to disciplinary measures.

• Administrative Directive: This order was issued by Fire Commissioner Richard C. Ford II and requires reading at four ($4$) consecutive roll calls.