No More Chicago Bars?

A reader sent this in....is it true? (click for larger view)

 

IF THIS IS TRUE, it reads that effective immediately, all Halligan-type Bars will be removed from Engines, Trucks, Towers and Squads and ONLY carried by Chiefs.

Just as a professional observation, in nearly three decades of responding to all manner of emergencies, a Battalion, District or Deputy CFD Chief was NEVER the first on scene of any major incident. Many times they weren't even the second or third vehicle on scene. 

Someone from CFD can chime in here, but we don't think there are more than five Chiefs on the street at any given time, probably less. If there's a fully involved fire underway, getting a Chief on scene with a bar to remove doors, burglar bars, locks, hasps, etc is going to take minutes at the very least....and minutes count when a fire is fully involved.

So, is it true? Chicagoans are now in more danger of burning to death inside a locked building because CFD brass and the politicians are butt-hurt over an incident that had pretty much the full support of the community?