How old is Chief Boden on Chicago Fire?

Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) is the veteran on Chicago Fire. While firefighters like Mouch (Christian Stolte) and Herrmann (David Eigenberg) occupy the elder statesmen role in the 51, there is nobody competing with Boden when it comes to experience.

He’s seen it all and done it all, and he has the credentials to back it up. He is, however facing some challenges in the firehouse. Severide (Taylor Kinney) is MIA, Carver (Jake Lockett) is a liability, and Mouch (Christian Stolte) is fighting for his life in the hospital. How much longer will Boden be in charge? How long has he been putting fires out?

Here’s what we were able to gleam about his age through context clues.

How old is Eamonn Walker on Chicago Fire?

The show has never directly stated Boden’s age. What we do know is the various things he’s been a part of since he became a firefighter. Boden served as a Navy SEAL when he was younger, which explains the SEAL trident he has framed in his office. He previously worked as a firefighter in New York, which we know because he confirmed he was one of the firefighters who was on duty when 9/11 occurred.

We also know that Boden was a member of Rescue Squad 4 in Chicago, where he met Severide’s father Benny (Treat Williams) and Peter Mills’s father Henry. In season 6 we get a good glimpse at the bars and star on Boden’s sleeve, and they indicate that he’s been a firefighter for at least 35 years.

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If we backtrack from the year season 6 was released (2017), that means Boden has been fighting fires since at least 1982. This tracks if we were to align Eamonn Walker’s real date of birth, 1962, and apply to the character. Boden would have been 20 when he became a firefighter, which would make both him and the actor who plays him 61 years old.

Boden is obviously not in the field anymore, so his age is less a point of concern that it is for the other veterans who work at the 51. Given that people like Mouch and Herrmann are in their late 50s, however, it makes perfect sense that Boden would be slightly older.

As we’ve stated in other age-related posts, its easy for the writers to align the age of the actor and the character, barring any major plot points that would require changes. Since Boden’s age has never been directly related to the story, we can safely assume he shares an age with his offscreen counterpart.

What did you think of the Chicago Fire season 11 finale? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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