A new rule at Firehouse 51 has already proven that Chicago Fire’s

Chief Pascal is a hypocrite. Dermot Mulroney’s Dom Pascal is the

newest addition to the Chicago Fire season 13 cast. He replaces

Wallace Boden, who was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department at the end of season 12 and thus will no longer appear regularly on the series. Eammon Walker is expected to still make some appearances, but Firehouse 51 needs to get used to having someone new in charge.

Pascal already had big shoes to fill in the season 13 premiere of the oldest One Chicago series. He was replacing Chief Boden, who had been with the show since its first episode. The paramedics and firefighters at Firehouse 51 were unlikely to immediately trust Pascal, so he had to prove that he was as capable a leader as his predecessor. Thus, Pascal instituted several new rules that were supposedly meant to whip the firehouse into shape. However, at least one of those rules seems pointless and hypocritical.

Chief Pascal’s No Phone Rule In Chicago Fire Season 13 Explained
The Chief Wants To Limit Phone Use To Force Relationships Among The Firefighters

Immediately upon taking command of Firehouse 51 in the Chicago Fire season 13 premiere, Pascal announced he would be making changes to the way the firehouse was run, emphasizing that he did not intend to be exactly like Boden. This understandably riled up many of the firefighters, especially when he planned to meet later with several of them personally to discuss changes to their leadership style. However, Pascal attempted to gain goodwill by accompanying them on a call. This idea ultimately failed because of his announcement after the call that he was banning cell phone use while on duty.

Pascal does not want the firefighters to take or receive personal calls during their shifts, claiming that this policy will force them to relate to one another instead of being distracted by non-work-related conversations.

From a practical standpoint, this ban makes little sense, as the firefighters need their phones to stay in touch during emergencies and to receive emergency calls. However, Boden’s replacement’s controversial policy involves the use of cell phones for personal reasons. Pascal does not want the firefighters to take or receive personal calls during their shifts, claiming that this policy will force them to relate to one another instead of being distracted by non-work-related conversations.

Although Pascal claimed that relationships between the workers at Firehouse 51 is a top priority, he hasn’t joined them for meals so far. This makes him hypocritical, as he is the one most in need of relating to the already-established team. Severide, Hermann, and others who have been with the firehouse for years already know each other well. Their relationships will not be influenced by whether someone is taking a personal call during downtime in Chicago Fire season 13.

Pascal has already ruffled feathers enough and made the firefighters sad that Chief Boden had left Chicago Fire. Aside from instituting this policy, he also suggested that Severide and Kidd should not be working at the same firehouse. He will not win anyone over in Chicago Fire season 13 with draconian policies that have no real purpose, however, especially if he is not going to make relationships with the firefighters a priority after insisting they spend downtime relating to each other instead of on their phones.