My name is Robert G. Alamo. This website aims to bring attention to the discrimination, corruption, double standard treatment, and other wrongdoing within the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) and, the City of Chicago. I have committed over 20+ years of service to the public, serving in the U.S. Military, with the Illinois State Police, and with the Chicago Fire Department. I fought very hard to survive my humble beginnings and get to where I could proudly serve the public. Retaliation for bringing attention to CFD personnel wrongdoings, HIPPA violations, fabricated allegations against my character, discrimination for having a military combat service-connected disability that did not interfere with my career, racial discrimination against me because of my Latino ethnic-cultural background resulted in several sworn members of the Chicago Fire Department and others conspiring against me and ultimately destroying my public service career. After winning in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, No. 15-2849, my discrimination case, Robert G. Alamo vs. The City of Chicago, et al., No. 12-cv-04327, is currently before the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois.
I was born in a shelter for drug-addicted mothers in New York City, the borough of Manhattan. My parents were drug abusers and alcoholics with little education. As a child of this broken family, I dropped out of high school but later obtained a GED. I went on to receive an Associate’s degree then a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. And in May of 2019, I proudly earned a degree in Public Safety Administration from Southern Illinois University. I’m currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Safety Administration.
I’ve served six years in the United States Air Force, ten years in the United States Army (a combat veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan), six years as an Illinois State Police officer, and finally as a sworn member of the Chicago Fire Department. Upon graduating from the Quinn Fire Academy in 2006 and earning the top physical fitness award, I took the oath all Chicago Firefighters take (general form prescribed by the Illinois Constitution).
“I . . . {name} . . . do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, the Ordinances of the City of Chicago, The Code of Conduct, the Rules and Regulations, the practices and procedures of the Chicago Fire Department, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of a member of the Fire Department.”
I took my oath seriously. However, many members of CFD, including its leadership, have failed in keeping their oaths or completely ignored them. For bringing attention to countless violations of the CFD Rules of Professional Conduct, discrimination laws were broken, and personal abuses against me by CFD personnel, my career was derailed by alleged medical professionals and others hired and/or conspiring to defame my character and label me as unfit for duty. This resulted in unjust termination of my career with the Chicago Fire Department in August of 2017.
I have reached out too many Offices, agencies, and other people such as:
EEOC
Department of Human Rights
Previous Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emmanuelle
Current Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot
Illinois Governor, J.B Pritzker
36th Ward Aldermen, Gilbert Villegas
Former CFD Fire Commissioner, Jose A. Santiago
Current CFD Fire Commissioner, Richard C. Ford II
Chicago Firefighters Union, Local 2
Veteran Advocacy
ASPIRA
MALDEF
Illinois Inspector General
Congressman Luis Gutierrez
Congressman Danny K. Davis
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth
Investigative Reporter Alex Maragos
Pam Zekman, Investigative journalist/reporter CBS 2 Chicago
Alex Maragos, Investigative journalist/reporter NBC News Chicago
And other local tv news networks.
Absolutely none of these agencies mentioned above have done anything to help. These agencies, whether they are local, state, or federal are for lack of a better word, useless!
On September 8, 2016, grievance #160912 was filed with Chicago Firefighters Union, Local 2, for “Failure to return an active member to full duty after being medically cleared by his treating physician.” Another grievance#170813, was filed on August 15, 2017, for “Unjust termination.” Both grievances are still actively pending resolution. However, as an active paying member of Local 2, this Union has not afforded me the same level of protection of my employment rights as other members of the Department.
Right after my wrongful termination of employment, I filed for Unemployment benefits from the Illinois Department of Unemployment Security. Immediately the City of Chicago Department of Personnel and the Chicago Fire Department hired a law firm, “Sedgwick” Claims Management Service, Inc. Attorney Bruce Kijestki, located on 8755 W Higgins Rd FL 11, Chicago, Illinois 60631, telephone (773) 824-4400. This law firm blatantly lied and filed an appeal on behalf of the City of Chicago and the Fire Department. This law firm purposely and wrongfully claimed that my employment was terminated due to “Misconduct.” After hiring an employment attorney and attending a fact-finding hearing, the administrative judge ruled in my favor, granting me full unemployment benefits on October 08, 2018. Also, it was determined afterward that my employment was not terminated due to misconduct like the law firm Sedgwick had falsely claimed. But that my employer (CFD) Medical Director, Dr. William Wong, did not allow me to return to work after being medically cleared by my treating physician on July 14, 2016, forcing me to exhaust my medical leave time.
The City of Chicago Department of Personnel and the Chicago Fire Department lost its appeal! Another example of the wrongdoings of the Chicago Fire Department and its unethical, corrupt medical personnel. Such as, recently demoted and disgraced (CFD) former Medical Deputy District Chief, Edgar Ignacio Silivistrini, and (PIC) Paramedic In Charge, Rula, McCarthy, Involved in Payroll Timekeeping Scam Chicago Sun-Times article published on July 13, 2018, and July 14, accused of discriminating against nursing mom.
I hope and fight continuously to be reinstated as a member of the Chicago Fire Department, to put an end to my struggles, and to help end the discriminatory practices that caused them. Please help me continue my CFD career serving the citizens of Chicago by demanding justice for Firefighter Alamo. Only by bringing critical awareness will I help put an end to this grave injustice that has been done not only to myself but also to my future. Most importantly, no military personnel, a highly decorated combat veteran that has served his country honorably and proudly deserves such treatment by the Chicago Fire Department and the City of Chicago.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.”
Employment Law Clinic Reaches Settlement for Firefighter Claiming Racial Harassment from Co-workers
Chicago Settles Ex-Firefighter’s Harassment Claim Before Trial
Celeste Bott
July 27, 2022 Law360
The city of Chicago has reached a settlement with a Latino firefighter on the day the parties were due to go to trial on his claim that he suffered severe racial harassment from his co-workers, creating a hostile work environment that his supervisors negligently failed to address and remedy.
The settlement resolves the decade-old case brought by Robert Alamo, who filed suit in 2012 and worked for the Fire Department until he was fired in 2017.
Alamo, who is Puerto Rican, alleged that during his three years with the city’s Engine 55, a co-worker called him racial slurs on almost a daily basis, while other firefighters tampered with his personal belongings, messed with his food, and harassed him at home while he was on medical leave.
Alamo is represented by Jamie S. Franklin of the Franklin Law Firm LLC and by Randall D. Schmidt of the Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic of the University of Chicago Law School.
Read more at Law360
I want to thank the following City of Chicago Fire Department employees, some of the names listed below may be retired, formerly employed, terminated, or resign from their leadership post. THANK YOU for allowing me to move on with my life with dignity, respect, honor, courage, and justice. Thankfully to all the names listed on this website, I am now currently a successful Latino-American role model, proud business owner, and happily retired~! These individuals “TRIED” to derail my career, my reputation as a leader, and also as an individual that believed not only in justice but also inequality.
These individuals made me stronger and more vocal against injustice for that I am grateful!
- Jose A. Santiago, former Chicago Fire Department Commissioner
- Janice Hogan, Chicago Fire Dept, Paramedic promoted by none exempt rank to Deputy Chief Employee Relations
- Anthony P. Vasquez, Chicago Fire Dept, Paramedic promoted by none exempt rank to Deputy Fire Commissioner
- James Rivera, former Chicago Fire Dept, Deputy District Chief
- William Wong, former Chicago Fire Dept, Medical Director
- Gary Kuykendall, former Chicago Fire Dept, District Chief
- Mark Nielsen, former Chicago Fire Dept, Assistant Commissioner
- Loretta Flores, former Assistant Director of Chicago Fire Dept, Personnel (Human Resources)
- Steven A. Malec, Chicago Fire Dept, Assistant Commissioner of Internal Affairs
- Adrianne Bryant, former Chicago Fire Dept, Human Resources Commissioner
- Michael Carbone, former Chicago Fire Dept District Chief
- David Bernicky, Chicago Fire Dept, Lieutenant (formerly fired for overtime theft!)
- Edgar Ignacio Silvistrini, former Chicago Fire Department Medical District Chief (demoted due to payroll fraud!) never criminally charged~!
- Jose Nodal, former Chicago Fire Dept, Engineer
- Phillip Prestia, former Chicago Fire Dept, Captain
- Pat Stephan, former Chicago Fire Dept, Captain Engine Co 55
- Kurt Annis, former Chicago Fire Dept, District Chief
- Jeffrey Horan, former Chicago Fire Dept, District Chief
- And many others that I can’t recall but will soon update the list!
Some of the individuals named above have been subjected to multiple lawsuits for discrimination, incompetence, and poor leadership skills!
Feel free to post this website on your social media and help spread the word! Proud Chicago citizen taxpayers deserved BETTER! Thank you for your support. Please contact the following!
By Phone:
Dial 311 (within Chicago)
If calling from outside of Chicago, call: 312.744.5000
Contact the City of Chicago Mayor via Twitter @chicagosmayor
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoMayorsOffice
Instagram chicagosmayor
By Mail:
Mayor Lori Lightfoot
City Hall
121 N. LaSalle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Contact the Governor of Illinois below:
| J.B. Pritzker GOVERNOR, STATE OF ILLINOIS www.illinois.gov |
Chicago Fire Department main office
Phone: 312-745-3705
Fax: 312-745-4189
Mail:
3510 S. Michigan Floor 2
Chicago Public Safety Building
Chicago, Illinois 60653
Chicago Fire Department Local 2 Union
Chicago Firefighters Union
440 W. 43rd St
Chicago, Illinois 60609
Telephone: 773-536-0450