MISSION - CANTEEN OPERATIONS - 5-11 CLUB RIGS - DIRECTORS & OFFICERS - ABOUT THE 5-11 CLUB WEBSITE - MEMBERSHIP

The 5-11 Club is a private charitable organization that is exempt from income tax pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The 5-11 Club is operated in corporate form. Policy decisions are made by an elected Board of Directors, while the day-to-day affairs of the Club are managed by the elected officers, each of whom also sits on the Board of Directors ex-officio.

The 5-11 Club is engaged in a number of activities that are designed to provide direct and indirect support to the Chicago Fire Department and its members.

The Canteen Service

The primary mission of the 5-11 Club is to provide canteen service to the members of the Chicago Fire Department. The 5-11 Club owns and operates two canteen vehicles. SSU 1 is located at Engine106's quarters at 3401 N. Elston Avenue, while SSU 2 is located at Engine 80's quarters at 12701 S. Doty Avenue. The canteens, which are known as Support Service Units, are stocked with food and beverages such as bottled water, Gatorade, hot chocolate, and coffee.

When an extra alarm fire is sounded, the volunteer members of the 5-11 Club report to unit nearest to the scene of the incident, pack food and beverages onto the Support Service Unit and respond to the scene of the fire. Once they arrive at the scene of the fire, crew members use the Support Service Unit as a platform to distribute food and beverages to all emergency responders.

The secondary mission of the 5-11 Club is to provide the canteen service at special events related to the activities of the Chicago Fire Department, such as large-scale training drills and classes, funerals for firefighters who have died in the line-of-duty, and the annual memorial service for Chicago firefighters who have died in the line-of-duty.

All food and beverages distributed to members of the Chicago Fire Department (as well as any civilians who are displaced by the fire and request food and beverages) are handed out free of charge.

Other Activities

The 5-11 Club also performs a number of ancillary duties related to the Chicago Fire Department, including: (1) the operation of antique fire apparatus; (2) the delivery of "fruit baskets" to Chicago firefighters who sustain significant line-of-duty injuries; (3) bestowing Firefighter of the Year and Paramedic of the Year awards on certain members of the Chicago Fire Department; and (4) the organization of an annual muster and antique fire apparatus display at the Chicago Fire Department Training Academy.

Under a recently adopted Chicago Fire Department policy that was designed to honor the years of service performed by the 5-11 Club on behalf of the CFD, recipients of the 5-11 Club's Firefighter and Paramedic of the Year Awards are permitted to wear the 5-11 Club Award Ribbon on their Class A uniforms. To our knowledge, the 5-11 Club and the Hundred Club of Cook County are the only two private charitable organizations whose award ribbons are part of the CFD dress uniform.