>>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

>>> WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT ENSURING THAT THE COMMUNITY OVER ALL WAS HURT IN THIS PROCESS.

>>> THREE FINALISTS FOR CHICAGO'S NEXT THE SUPERINTENDENT ARE SAID TO BE ANNOUNCED.

>>> CLEAN UP AFTER TORNADOES, SEVERE FLOODING .

>>> GETTING THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE UNITED STATES.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW.

>>> IT IS A VERY HUMAN APPROACH TO HEALTHCARE .

>>> AND A PILOT PROGRAM HAS PARAMEDICS MAKING HOUSE CALLS FOR HIGH RISK PATIENTS.

>>> NOW TO OUR TOP STORY, TONIGHT, CHICAGO IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING A NEW POLICE SUPERINTENDENT.

THE COMMISSION WILL ANNOUNCE THE THREE SUPERINTENDENT FINALISTS .

CHICAGO TONIGHT HERNANDEZ IS OUTSIDE KENNEDY KING COLLEGE ON THE SOUTH SIDE WITH THE COMMISSION PLANS TO ANNOUNCE THEIR PICS.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS.

WHAT IS THE LATEST?

>>> THAT IS RIGHT, THE COMMISSION IS 100 AND 20 DAYS POSTING COMMUNITY MEETINGS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.

I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ABOUT THIS JOURNEY AND SHE TELLS ME THE FOCUS ON LISTENING TO HUNDREDS OF CHICAGOANS.

>>> I THINK IT IS ALSO SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN.

THIS IS AN HISTORIC MOMENT.

WE HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE LARGE.

OFFICERS SAY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANYONE HAS ASKED US WHAT WE HAVE WANTED.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANYONE HAS COME TO ASK THAT QUESTION.

>> Reporter: WE KNOW THAT 54 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR THE POSITION AND THE COMMUNITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY NARROWED IT DOWN TO THESE SIX CANDIDATES.

FIVE OF THE SIX HAVE TIES TO THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SHAWN BARNES IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE CURRENTLY SERVING AS A POLICE CHIEF.

ANOTHER THING TERRY MENTIONED LEARNING THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS THAT CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS WANT THE SAME QUALITIES AND FOCUSES ON REBUILDING THE PEERAGE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY.

>> THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO IS IN THIS POSITION WHO CAN LEAD THE ENTIRE CITY OF CHICAGO, WHO IS FOCUSED ON EQUITY, FOCUSED ON BUILDING AND ESTABLISHING TRUST WHERE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN THAT TRUST.

>> Reporter: WE ARE TOLD THEY MET TODAY TO VOTE AND THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE AN AMOUNT THAT WITHIN THE HOUR AT A PRESS CONFERENCE INSIDE OF KENNEDY KING COLLEGE.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON WILL HAVE ALREADY DAYS TO APPOINT ONE CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB OR ASK FOR LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES FROM THE COMMISSION.

AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL HAS UNTIL OCTOBER THE 12th TO GET THE GREEN LIGHT ON JOHN'S NOMINATION.

THIS IS A VERY SMALL PART WE DO AS A COMMISSION.

MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE STAY ENGAGED BECAUSE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT EVEN AFTER HE SUPERINTENDENT IS SELECTED, AND AUTHORITY THAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE WE HAVE IF WE FIND THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT DOING A GREAT JOB ON BEHALF OF CHICAGOANS, WE CAN VOTE NO CONFIDENCE WHICH WE THEN REQUIRE A HEARING WITH CITY COUNCILMEMBERS.

>> Reporter: IT IS A LINK THE PROCESS BUT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAYS IT IS DIFFERENT THAN PRIOR SEARCHES.

AS I MENTIONED, THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE TAKING PLACE INSIDE OF THIS COLLEGE.

IT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THEN ANNOUNCED THE THREE FINALISTS.

I AM GENERALLY IN A HURRY AND JOANNA HERNANDEZ.

>>> YESTERDAY, THE SEVERE WEATHER AND TODAY, THE AFTERMATH.

MULTIPLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS REPORTED LAST EVENING ACROSS THE REGION .

ELGIN WHERE RESIDENTS ARE SET IN THE DAMAGE.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE NORTHWEST BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH TAKING SOME TREE BRANCHES.

IT LOOKS LIKE IN CHICAGO, PARK OFFICIALS ISSUE WARNINGS NOT TO GO IN THE WATER BECAUSE OF DANGEROUS WAVES AND RIP CURRENT.

WE WILL HAVE MUCH MORE ON THIS ONSLAUGHT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN A MOMENT.

>>> AS SUCH, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU IS WARNING ABOUT SCAMMERS.

THESE FORMS ARE A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR STORM CHASERS TO COME IN AND OFFER DAMAGE REPAIR SERVICES OFFERING OFTEN PRESSURING PEOPLE AND DOING SHODDY WORK.

THE BBB SAYS TO GET MULTIPLE QUOTES, CHECK FOR PROOF OF INSURANCE AND LICENSING AND GET REFERENCES FROM PEOPLE YOU KNOW.

>>> THERE MIGHT SOON BE A LIMITATION TO HOW LONG CHICAGO'S TOP WATCHDOG CAN SERVE IN THAT ROLE.

THE ETHICS COMMITTEE ADVANCED A MEASURE LIMITING THE >> GENERAL TO TWO FOUR-YEAR TERMS.

DEBORAH WEXBURG HAS BEEN ON THE JOB SINCE APRIL OF LAST YEAR.

SHE TOOK OVER FOR JOE FERGUSON WHO HAS SERVED IN THE 12 YEARS.

PROPONENTS SAY THE TERM LIMITS ARE A GOOD WAY TO ENSURE THE OFFICE IS INDEPENDENT.

CITY AGENT.

>>> UP NEXT, INSIDE THE LATEST ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER, FLOODING.

THAT IS RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>>> "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY : >>> MULTIPLE REPORTED TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS IN THE CHICAGO AREA LAST NIGHT INCLUDING O'HARE AND THIS COMES RIGHT AFTER THE GOVERNOR AND THE COOK COUNTY BOARD PRESIDENT DECLARED DISASTERS FROM PREVIOUS FLOODS.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER IS THE PROFESSOR OF METEOROLOGY AND KEVIN FITZPATRICK, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.

WELCOME BACK , BOTH OF YOU , TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT" ON THIS VERY HIS WORK WEEK .

YOU WERE OUT CHASING TORNADOES, WHAT DID YOU SEE LAST NIGHT?

>> WELL, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF STORMS FORMING IN NORTH CENTRAL ITALY AND PUSHING OFF TO THE EAST.

I HAD TARGETED PRIMARILY NORTHERN KING COUNTY.

I THINK THE FIRST TORNADO WAS THE ONE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE NORTH AND THE ONE TOWARD ELGIN DID PRODUCE TORNADOES.

TWO AT A TIME AND ONE OF THEM WAS ANY OF ONE AND THE OTHER WAS ANY OF ZERO.

>> LOOK AT THE DEBRIS FLYING AROUND, ARE THERE ANY REPORTS OF INJURIES OR FATALITIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

>> I THINK MOST PEOPLE WERE SAFE.

THERE MIGHT'VE BEEN A FEW MINOR INJURIES.

THEY WERE NOT LONG-LASTING BUT THEY ARE STILL SURVEYING THE DAMAGE.

IT IS POSSIBLE WE HAD ANY OF TWO .

>> KEVIN FITZPATRICK, YOU HAVE HAD YOUR HANDS FULL WITH WADDING FROM A WEEK AGO.

HOW ARE THE DEEP TUNNEL AND RESERVOIR SYSTEMS HOLDING UP NOW WITH THIS LATEST ROUND?

>> I THINK EVERY TIME, WE MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS, IT RINGS AGAIN.

CURRENTLY, THE RESERVOIR IS .

THE DEEP TUNNEL SYSTEM IS ABOUT HAVE .

WE ARE STARTING TO GET WATER AGAIN NOW.

ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WE HAVE ANOTHER RESERVOIR AND THAT IS ONLY 35% FULL SO WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE.

WE HAVE TO GET THE COOK RESERVOIR READY FOR ANOTHER .

>> WILL THAT HANDLE STORMWATER ON THE WEST , SOUTHWEST AREAS OF THE COUNTY?

>> THAT IS RIGHT, 87th STREET IS THE UNOFFICIAL DIVIDING LINE.

NORTH OF 87 BASICALLY GOES OUT TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND ABOUT 37 SUBURBS OUT WITH.

>> I KEPT HEARING METEOROLOGIST SAY HOW RARE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS TO SEE THIS FREQUENCY OF TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS SO CLOSE TO THE CITY.

HOW RARE WAS IT?

>> CHICAGO HAS NEVER BEEN DETECTED A TORNADOES AND THAT IS PROBABLY THE FIRST THING I WANT TO CLARIFY.

WE GET THESE TYPE OF EVENTS IN JULY AND I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THEY ARE COMING MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH AND IDENTIFYING THE CIRCULATION OF TORNADOES AND THERE IS A HEIGHTENED AWARENESS SO WE ARE IDENTIFYING THEM IN SPOTTING THEM MORE FREQUENTLY.

THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THIS PATTERN THAT WE ARE IN, IN JULY, WARM AIR CREATING A JET STREAM.

ANYTIME WE HAVE THESE THUNDERSTORMS .

>> LET ME INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT A PICTURE OF OAKES TAKING SHELTER AT O'HARE.

THAT IS HOW SEVERE IT WAS.

THERE WAS A TOUCHDOWN REPORTED NEAR O'HARE.

>> ONE OF MY WARMER STUDENTS ACTUALLY TOOK A VIDEO OF THAT TORNADO ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE HE WORKS AT O'HARE.

YES, THE STORMS WERE NUMEROUS.

THEY WERE NOT LONG-LIVED , SUSTAINED SUPER CELLS.

THEY WERE SHORTER LIVED BUT THEY WERE A NUMBER OF PLACES OF IN KENDALL, KING COUNTY , COOK COUNTY.

EVERYONE SEEMED TO TAKE THEIR SHARE YESTERDAY.

>> WE SHOULD AT THE WARNING SYSTEMS HERE , AIR RAID SIRENS GOING OFF AND CELL PHONE WARNINGS.

IT DID SEEM TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND NO DOUBT MADE A DIFFERENCE.

MAYOR JOHNSON URGING RESIDENTS TO HOLD OFF ON LONG SHOWERS, RUNNING DISORDERS DISHWASHERS.

WHY DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE DURING A HEAVY RAIN EVENT?

>> THE STORM SEWERS IN CHICAGO AND 52 OF THE OLDER SUBURBS ARE ALL COMBINED SEWER SYSTEMS WHICH MEANS A WASTE FOR PEOPLE'S HOMES AND BUSINESSES GOES OUT INTO THE STREET AND THE RAINFALL HAS BEEN TO THE GUTTER.

IN THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT WE CAN KEEP OUT OF THE SEWER SYSTEM DURING A HEAVY RAIN ALLOWS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE THAT RAINFALL.

SO IF WE CAN GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SORT OF CURB THEIR WATER DURING THE STORMS, EVERY DROP WE KEEP OUT OF THERE IS PROBABLY A DROP THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT BE IN SOMEBODY'S BASEMENT.

>> EVERY LITTLE BIT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

ON THE WEST SIDE WITHOUT THE BASEMENTS HAVE BEEN FLOODED, FOLKS ARE STILL CLEANING UP.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER PATTERNS WE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS EXTREME EVERYWHERE WHETHER IT IS EXTREME HEAT IN THE WEST, SOUTHWEST.

FLOODING HERE, FLOODING IN THE NORTHEAST.

WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

>> WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES.

THAT UPPER-LEVEL LOW THAT EXISTS IN THE NORTHEAST IS HOLDING AIR AT THE MID-LEVELS OF THE OFFICE ARE AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT STRONG HOLD COMBINED WITH A STRONG WARM AIR TO THE SOUTHWEST, THAT SENSE OF A STRONGER JET STREAM AND DATE JET STREAM FOR STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE SEEING A TORNADO RESPONSE.

>> HOW ABOUT THAT EXTREME HEAT IN THE WEST?

PHOENIX HITTING 120 DEGREES AND THEY HAVE NOT GONE UNDER 110 IN A WEEK ?

>> THAT UPPER JET STREAM IS CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHWEST AND IT IS SHIPPING TO THE CENTRAL UNITED DATES WHICH IS MORE TYPICAL OF WHAT WE SEE IN THE DOG TAG IS DAYS OF AUGUST .

>> IS WASHINGTON OR LOCAL LEADERS NEED TO THINK ABOUT MILLIONS MORE IN ADDITIONAL STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AFTER THE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE SPENT GIVEN THE FREQUENCY OF THESE FORMS?

>> YELL, WE REALLY DO.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MAXED TO THE LIMIT, RIGHT NOW.

AND ANY MONEY WE COULD GET ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING US OUT.

>> IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS A LOT.

I AM GLAD TO SEE BOTH OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> UP NEXT, THE NEW OVER-THE-COUNTER BIRTH CONTROL PILL.

PLEASE STAY WITH US.

>>> ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION IS ABOUT TO GET A MAJOR BOOST.

THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS APPROVED AN OVER-THE-COUNTER BIRTH CONTROL PILL TO CRACK DOWN ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN THE WAKE OF THE SUPREME COURT DECISION OVERTURNING ROE VERSUS WADE.

HOW ACCESSIBLE WILL THE BUILDING AND WILL IT BE AVAILABLE?

JOINING US WITH MORE OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS THE INTERIM CHAIR, OB/GYN DEPARTMENT, DOCTORS ON YOUR HYDER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE FDA APPROVAL, TODAY?

>> THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT IN REGARDS TO HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME A PILL OR ANY BIRTH CONTROL OPTION IS AVAILABLE OVER-THE-COUNTER IN OUR COUNTRY.

I WOULD SAY THIS IS A MOMENTOUS OCCASION.

WE ARE HOPEFULLY MOVING FORWARD TO MORE OPTIONS, MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR PATIENTS.

>> DO WE KNOW AS TO HOW MUCH THIS WILL COST OVER-THE-COUNTER ?

>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK WE DON'T KNOW THE EXACT COST YET.

THE COMPANY HAS SAID THEY ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING THIS AFFORDABLE AND A KEY PIECE ABOUT MAKING SOMETHING ACCESSIBLE AND REDUCING BARRIERS TO ACCESS IS REDUCING THE COST OF IT , LOW COST FOR OUR PATIENT SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE COMPANY WILL MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE .

>> YOU MENTIONED ACCESS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, WOMEN NOW NEED A PRESCRIPTION.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE THOSE BARRIERS AND HOW EXPENSIVE IT YOU DO NEED A PRESCRIPTION?

>> THE BARRIERS FOR SOME OF OUR PATIENTS, GETTING TO THE PHYSICIAN IS HARD TO NAVIGATE, FIGURING OUT WHERE TO GO, GETTING AN APPOINTMENT.

INSURANCE WILL OFTEN COVER AND CAUSE MAY NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH SOME INSURANCE, OTHERS AT A HIGHER COST .

I THINK ULTIMATELY, THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS MAKING MORE OPTIONS AVAILABLE AND MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PATIENTS WHICH REALLY OPENS UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS MORE PATIENT.

>> ARE THERE MORE OPTIONS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE?

DO YOU THINK THE FDA WILL CONSIDER?

>> I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I AM PERSON NOT AWARE OF THAT.

AND FOR DECADES , DATA HAS BEEN COLLECTED TO BE PRESENTED TO THE FDA SO GIVEN THE SYSTEMATIC AND LONG-TERM APPROACH IT TAKES TO GET A METHOD OVER-THE-COUNTER, I AM NOT AWARE THAT ANY ARE, CURRENTLY.

>> WE KNOW WHAT A LONG AND INTENSIVE PROCESS THAT IS SO WHAT ABOUT SAFETY MEASURES PEOPLE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND?

NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A DOCTOR AND TALK ABOUT IT .

THEY CAN JUST WALK RIGHT INTO THE PHARMACY.

>> LIKE MANY OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE NOW OVER-THE-COUNTER , THERE ARE THINGS LIKE GEOMETRY CASE AND OTHER MEDICATIONS OVER-THE-COUNTER.

THIS MEDICATION , DECADES OF RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS HAS BEEN USED.

THERE ARE VERY FEW ALTERCATIONS.

AND ULTIMATELY, FROM PATIENTS SHOWED THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE MEDICATION FROM THE DATA .

AGAIN, MOST PATIENT GO WITH THE PROVIDERS THEY CHOOSE.

IT IS REALLY A PERSONAL CHOICE .

>> WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS THAT THE USDA HAS LISTED LIKE BLEEDING, CRAMPS AND THERE IS A RISK FOR FOLKS THAT PERHAPS ARE SUFFERING FROM BREAST CANCER OR WORRY ABOUT BREAST CANCER THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN WITHOUT, CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

SIDE EFFECTS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE VERY RARE WITH THIS METHOD AND OTHER BIRTH CONTROL PILLS, AS WELL.

AGAIN, THOSE ARE SIDE EFFECTS THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY HARD BUT CAN BE FRUSTRATING TO PATIENTS AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD AND ADDRESS THAT WITH HER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER IF THEY CHOOSE TO.

ANOTHER SCENARIO IS BREAST CANCER.

THE FDA'S RULING THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PATIENTS CAN VARY SAFELY AND WITH THE LABELING AROUND BREAST CANCER, THAT PATIENT SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN HARM.

>> VERY QUICKLY, WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE NOW THAT IT HAS GOTTEN APPROVAL TO BE OVER-THE-COUNTER?

>> IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BY 2024.

>> DR. HAEDER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US .

>> YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> UP NEXT, A PILOT PROGRAM PARTNERS PARAMEDICS WITH PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE.

SO, PLEASE STAY WITH US.

WITH THE PARAMEDIC, IT IS LIKELY IN A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AT YOUR HOME BUT A PILOT PROGRAM LAUNCHED LAST FALL PUTS PARAMEDICS INSIDE OF PATIENTS HOMES FOR NONEMERGENT THESE, TOO.

PARAMEDICS ARE MAKING HOUSE CALLS ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO HELP THEM BETTER MANAGE CHRONIC CONDITIONS, SUPPORT RECOVERY FROM HOSPITALIZATION .

THEIR AIM IS TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM HEALTH OUT COMES WITH THEIR PATIENTS AND THEY SAY IT IS PAYING OFF.

HERE'S ANOTHER LOOK.

>> WHEN YOU SAW THE DOCTOR, DID HE GIVE YOU AFTER VISIT SUMMARY?

>> YES, HE DID .

>> WE WALK INTO A HOME.

THESE THINGS ARE DISCONNECTED INTO HOW SOMEONE IS MANAGING YOUR CARE AT HOME.

DO THEY HAVE THEIR MEDICATION READY TO GO?

DO THEY EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE?

DO THEY KNOW HOW TO TAKE THEM?

>> Reporter: WHEN MARGARET AND MARY O'CONNOR COME TO THE HOME, THERE VISIT IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A HEALTHCARE HOUSE CALL AND A CHECK IN WITH A FRIEND .

>> I REMEMBER YOU SAYING HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO YOU.

>> Reporter: BACK IN 2022, THE COVID INFECTION DEVASTATED JACKSON FLUNG.

>> NOBODY HAD NO ANSWERS.

PRETTY MUCH, I JUST LAID IN THE BED AND WAITED.

>> Reporter: THAT CHANGED WHEN JACKSON BECAME A PARTICIPANT IN THE MEDICAL HOME THAT WORK , A PILOT PROGRAM THAT LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER OF 2022 CONNECTING THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENT PARAMEDICS WITH PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP MANAGING CHRONIC CONDITIONS AT HOME .

>> THEY CAME TO THE DOOR AND THEY CAME IN WITH SMILES AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED THAT THEY MADE ME EXCITED!

>> Reporter: THEY COORDINATED HER CARE WITH HER DOCTORS, HELPED HER MANAGE MEDICATIONS AND RESEARCHED EXERCISES TO STRING IN HER LUNGS.

>> I WAS TIRED OF FIGHTING BUT YOU ALL CAME IN AND KEPT ME MOTIVATED.

>> THE WHOLE TIME I HAVE BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM, I HAVE NOT BEEN BACK TO THE HOSPITAL.

I AM ENJOYING LIFE, AGAIN.

>> THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE HELP CARE SYSTEM.

>> Reporter: SAYING PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED IN A PERPETUATING EMERGENCY ROOM CYCLE THAT CONSTRAIN RESOURCES.

>> PARAMEDICS RESPOND EVERY DAY THROUGH AN EMERGENCY.

MANY THE DIRECT RESULT OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE THEIR ONLY RECOURSE IS TO DIAL 911 AND GO TO AND EMERGED THE ROOM.

>> Reporter: SAYING PARAMEDICS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO INTERRUPT THE CYCLE IF THEY ARE GIVEN THE RIGHT TOOLS.

>> THEY ARE COMFORTABLE IN GETTING THINGS DONE.

WHAT ARE SOME VERY CONCRETE ACTION STEPS THAT WE AS THIS BROAD CAROTENE CAN TAKE THE RELEASE OF THE PATIENT BETTER?

>> THEY WERE FINDING SO MANY THINGS LIKE BROKEN WHEELCHAIRS AND MEDICATION THAT NEEDED TO BE REFILLED THAT AS WE BEGIN THE CONVERSATION, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, AS WELL, WAS SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH OUR PATIENT AND IT JUST ALL CAME TOGETHER.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS O'CONNOR OFFER THE INFORMATION SHE NEEDED TO RECOVER FROM A HEART CONDITION .

>> I COULD NOT WALK LIKE 10 STEPS.

THAT WAS THE MOST.

AND NOW, I GO WALKING AND RUNNING.

>> Reporter: GONZALES SAYS THEY ALSO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT SHE NEEDED TO CONTINUE PROACTIVELY MANAGING HER HEALTH.

>> Reporter: NINE MONTHS INTO THE PILOT, THE RESULTS ARE SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES.

>> THEY HAVE SUDDENLY REGAINED CONTROL.

IT HONESTLY HAS BLOWN ME OUT OF THE WATER DRAMATIC THAT IMPROVEMENT HAS BEEN.

THAT CHANGES PEOPLE'S LIVES AND IN TATE SCHMITT.

>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT," THIS IS ERICA HENDERSON.

>> THE PILOT PROGRAM, AND UP DATE AMONG THE PATIENT'S , A 47% DECREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND AN 88% INCREASE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM DEPARTMENT VISITS.

THEY ARE BETTER MANAGING THEIR CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND STAYING HEALTHY AT HOME.

THE ORGANIZATION AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAY THEY ARE HOPING FOR FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PILOT.

>>> THAT IS HOURS OVER THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, DON'T FORGET TO STAY CONNECTED BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING .

DON'T FORGET YOU CAN FIND US ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE.

AND PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT FOR A WEEK IN REVIEW.

FROM ALL OF US TONIGHT, STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE AND HAVE A WONDERFULLY.

POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW AND A PROUD SPONSOR OF PROGRAMMING THAT OFFERS STRATEGY TO ENHANCE THE