Fans of the 1986 comedy ”Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” set in Chicago, may remember a scene in which a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder is driven through a glass wall and totaled. After its release, producers of the movie received hate mail from car enthusiasts who thought an actual Ferrari had been used for the shot. Never fear, gearheads—the vehicle driven through a (fiberglass) wall in the film was a modified MG sports car with nowhere near that value. The shot did come at a cost, though—designers of the car used real Ferrari badges without securing the rights, and were sued into bankruptcy. 

You’ll have to forgive us for having Chicago on the brain. We’ve been gearing up for NECA 2025 Chicago (see the preview pages starting on page 48), and this issue is aimed to get you packed and ready to go. First, a story piled high with Chicago ECs’ most recent accomplishments—including renovations at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and a brand new Joint Public Safety Training Campus in the city’s West Side. Sink your teeth into “A Deep Dish of Innovation” by Susan DeGrane on page 26. And the prehistoric icing on the Chicago cake is on page 98; check out On the Market if you’d like tips on wiring around dinosaur bones. 

For a look beyond the Windy City, head to “Seize the Moment” on page 36, which gets into the nitty gritty of the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It’s an unprecedented sum, but electrical contractors are hesitant about the investment. Why? Katie Kuehner-Hebert may have the answer in “Once and Future Infrastructure” on page 86. According to experts, critical maintenance project costs often exceed funding estimates and delays only worsen the backlog. 

Fortunately, we’ve got a generation of up-and-comers who are ready to take on the industry’s challenges. In “Unlocking Untapped Potential in Young People,” page 44, Andrew McCoy and Fred Sargent explore the life-changing effect of trade education on students in Cook County and Chicago. They spotlight the Chicago Hope Academy, where students have a Career and Technical Sciences curriculum that gives hands-on training and information about the trades. 

While we’re looking to the future, Jeff Beavers writes about how the internet of things is permeating our everyday lives. And it’s not just the smart thermostat in your house. Check out “The Digital Nervous System” on page 78.

Finally, in “Accounting for Accountability,” Susan Bloom talks to three experts about how technological advancements in PPE can affect how workers think about safety on the job.

And we haven’t even gotten to Safety Leader yet. Katie Kuehner-­Hebert walks us through learning reviews and other habits that build a safe and healthy job site culture on page 110. You never know when there is going to be a medical emergency, so Susan DeGrane explains why apprentices and journeymen should be trained in CPR and first aid on page 116. Chuck Kelly reminds us, on page 118, that managing in times of regulatory change is harder, but safety should always come first.  

In the movie, Ferris says “Only the meek get pinched. The bold survive,” but we might qualify that statement. The designers of the fake Ferrari did make a splash, but it cost them their livelihood. A lesson we can take from the real-life innovators, builders, twisters and shouters: the bold make history, but the safety leaders survive. So, be bold, be safe, and we’ll see you in Chicago.