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One of their own
Firefighter Jim Gardiner will represent first responders and his neighbors in the 45th ward
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
In a ward that many of the city’s first responders call home, wouldn’t it make sense to have an alderman who is a voice for first responders? Especially if the incumbent alderman hasn’t expressed such support in the many years he has been serving.
The 45th ward, which includes Jefferson Park, is home to many of Chicago’s finest and bravest. And in the 2019, one of their own has stepped up to become an alderman.
Firefighter Jim Gardiner, a 13-year veteran of CFD who was born and raised in the 45th ward, is a candidate for alderman who is pledging to offer leadership to the ward’s first responders and to become a voice advocating for them throughout the city. Gardiner has roots as labor union member, has served as a pub- lic-school teacher in some of the city’s most at-risk areas and truly understands what is needed to make the 45th ward a bet- ter place for the first responders who live and work there, as well as all the residents he is proud to call friends and neighbors.
“I want to be somebody who is going to allow the city council to know what it’s like to be a first responder,” says the 42-year- old Gardiner, who was recently promoted to the rank of Engi- neer/EMT after serving on Truck 26 in the West Garfield area. “It’s crucial for first responders to have women and men who are able to speak for them and tell their side of the story.”
The top priority in Gardiner’s platform is public safety, and more specifically a plan to address the shortage of police offi- cers in the 16th and 17th districts, which serve the 45th. He has been spreading that word with old-fashioned, meet-every-citi- zen campaigning to let residents know he is all about bringing the job of alderman back to being about the people.
Gardiner spent furlough time knocking on doors. Additional-
ly, he has been out every weekday from 4-7:30 p.m. and week- ends from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. talking to anybody who wants to invite him in or have a cup of coffee with him. That effort followed filing a petition with more than 3,700 signatures to get on the ballot, which is nearly double what the incumbent filed.
“I’ve had people who have said, ‘I’ve seen you twice already, Jim. You have my vote,’” Gardiner quips. “I just want everybody to know that I’m somebody from this neighborhood who cares about this neighborhood.”
He is that, having purchased a home in 2006 on the same block where he grew up and attended St. Tarcissus Elementary school. After finishing high school, Gardiner joined Chicago’s Iron Workers Local 1 and earned enough money to attend Saint Xavier University, where he completed a degree in teaching spe- cial education.
He began his public service working for the Chicago Park Dis- trict. Following his goal to make as much of an impact on this city as possible, Gardiner moved to the South Side to teach spe- cial education at Curie High School. At 29, 10 years after he had taken the CFD entry exam, the fire department called his name and Gardiner jumped to his next level of serving the city.
As a firefighter, he still found time to continue teaching, serving as a substitute at Schurz and Taft high schools. He has served as a mentor for the Chicago Police and Firefighter Train- ing Academy program, which provides training for students in- terested in careers in public safety.
Fast forward 13 years when Gardiner had heard enough dis- satisfaction from his neighbors about the current alderman’s in- ability to ensure city services that they were paying taxes for or create any economic development. He had been thinking about running since January 2018, and he threw his hat into the ring in August.
In addition to public safety and economic development, he has also made being a voice for teachers and enhancing learn- ing environments to be safe and adequately staffed a campaign priority. Gardiner believes he can become part of the pro-first responder effort in the city council that incudes Aldermen Nicholas Sposato and Anthony Napolitano in the nearby 38th and 41st wards.
“I think we can work together to create a feeling of grow- ing community service in the council that is positive not just for the wards, but for the entire city,” Gardiner adds. “I think it comes back to representing these people – the building trades, the people who work in the parks, the first responders. We need somebody who is going to be a voice for these people.”
46 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JANUARY 2019