Jul 13
Several Chicago rig photos have been updated, some with new units and others to present a nicer photo. Hank Sajovic, Jack Connors and Steve Redick are to thank for these images.
Jul 13
Dan McInerney of the Oak Park and Countryside Fire Departments passed along a link to the CFD website featuring updates on the new CFD fireboat.
The following information is from the link:
The Chicago Fire Department is acquiring a new NFPA Type III Fireboat to replace their 60 year old Fireboat, the Victor L. Schlaeger. The boat will be designed and built to operate year-round in Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and surrounding harbors. It will be used to respond to the firefighting, rescue, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive incidents (CBRNE), Hazmat decontamination, dive operations, and other waterway related responses.
Construction Progress (6/11/2010) Construction on the Chicago Fireboat is progressing on schedule. The majority of the hull structure has been assembled and the hull plating fitted. The aluminum deckhouse is being assembled simultaneously to the hull. Construction Progress (3/1/2010) Construction on the Chicago Fireboat began in February 2010. The cut steel sections for the hull have been delivered to the boat yard and the boat’s hull structure is currently being assembled. Contract Award (8/3/2009) A contract to build an NFPA Type III Fireboat for the City of Chicago was awarded to Hike Metal Products on June 20, 2009. Construction will begin in 2010 and the boat will be delivered in 2011. Check the link HERE from time to time for CFD updates.
Jul 12
The Naperville Fire Department had a 3-11 alarm fire on Sunday which originated in a downtown restaurant. The Daily Herald has an article on the fire HERE. The fire originated in a grease chute inside the Rosebud Restaurant at 48 W. Chicago Avenue and proceeded to travel in the void spaces of the older building. All 10 Naperville houses were involved at the scene. The extra alarms brought mutual aid companies to the scene and to cover Naperville firehouses. Truck 1, one of the brand new twin Spartan/Crimson 103′ quints went to work in front of the building during the early stages of the incident. It was later moved down the street where it was photographed by Larry Shapiro. Mutual aid was provided by Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Plainfield, Lisle-Woodridge, Darien Woodridge, Wheaton, Warrenville, Aurora, Glen Ellyn, Tristate, Aurora, Lockport, North Aurora and Westmont.
Both of Naperville’s tower ladders were working and Squad 1, Engine 2 and two spare engines were pumping at the scene.
Truck 1 was repositioned down the street after going to work in front of the building initially. Larry Shapiro photo
The fire was very smokey at times as firefighters worked to locate all of the hidden fire within the walls and the multiple roofs. A tongue and groove ceiling also made finding extension difficult. Larry Shapiro photo
Smoke engulfs firefighters from Naperville Tower 5 as companies work to locate hidden fire along the parapet at the Rosebud restaurant fire in Naperville on Sunday. Larry Shapiro photo
A full gallery of shots can be seen HERE.
The new tanker from US Tank has been delivered to the Countryside Fire Protection District. It’ll be some time yet before the unit goes into service, but HERE is a link to the delivery photos. It is a Heritage Model from US Tanker with a 1,000 GPM Hale pump and a 2,000 gallon water tank on an IHC chassis.
Jul 10
Another addition to Division 10 is the Hinsdale Fire Department. They are a single station department with 26 career personnel serving the town of Hinsdale which covers roughly 4.64 square miles in DuPage County. They run two ambulances, three engines, and a tower ladder. Hinsdale has always had a rather unique color scheme shared in this area by only Carol Stream which is also in DuPage County. They both had bright yellow apparatus with black roofs. While Carol Stream changed to black over red several years ago, Hinsdale still maintained their entire fleet of suppression vehicles in the black over yellow colors until recently. In 2008, they received their newest unit, a Spartan/Rosenbauer/Metz Raptor tower ladder which was painted black over red. There is one other department locally with this unique aerial device, and that’s the Countryside Fire Protection District in Division 4 (Lake County). While both of these towers are on short, single axle chassis, the Countryside unit is on an HME chassis and has a white roof.
This color scheme is unique to the area but does not appear to be around for too much longer.
The newest unit arrived with a traditional 'Chicago-style' paint scheme.
Thanks to Karl Klotz for providing all of the Hinsdale images.
Jul 9
The Orland Fire Protection District which covers the towns or Orland Park and Orland Hills has been added to the site thanks to Karl Klotz. All six stations can be viewed along with the in-service and reserve apparatus. Karl has one ambulance (#1) yet to photograph before the listings are complete. Orland runs Pierce aerials and the engines are either Pierce or Darley. All of the ambulances were built by Road Rescue and are Type III units on Ford E450 chassis. The newest engines and ambulances were delivered in 2008.
Orland runs three of these units.
Orland has several specialty units as well. They have a haz mat unit, small squad, TRT, dive, communications and a fire investigation unit. A favorite unit for many native Chicagoans is the 55′ Snorkel which is no longer in active service. It is reportedly used for public relations activities and lives at Station 6.
Orland Station 1 at 9790 W. 151st Street with traditional red doors labeled with each company. Karl Klotz photo
Jul 8
Glenview Battalion 6 has a 2009 Ford Expedition now replacing an older unit. Battalion 6 runs out of Station 6. Glenview has five stations.
Photo by Larry Shapiro
Clarendon Hills becomes the third department posted in Division 10. This single station department is staffed by 56 part-time & POC firefighters. They have a full-time chief and a full-time fire inspector. This is one of the few area departments left which uses the white over yellow paint scheme, and unlike the others Clarendon Hills uses silver instead of gold to decorate the apparatus. Many will remember their Mack heritage which has now given way completely to Pierce. They run an engine, squad, ladder truck and an ambulance.
This Mack CF/Pierce/50' TeleSqurt unit is no longer part of the fleet. It was the last of the Mack units purchased. Larry Shapiro photo
Jul 7
There has been a little house keeping on the site between the Glenview stations. It cam e to our attention that some reserve vehicles were in the wrong locations and hopefully now the site is more accurate. The following changes/additions have been made:
Additionally, Battalion 6 has a new vehicle.
Jul 6
The two stations of the Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District in Division 3 were posted last year sometime but there were several blank placeholders representing missing apparatus. In the meantime, they received a 2009 Pierce Arrow XT engine. All of the images for Station 20 have now been updated representing the current status for the apparatus. Station 20 has two ambulances, two engines, a truck, a squad, a battalion chief and a utility (not pictured). At the present time, the unit shown for Engine 20R is a 1991 Pierce Arrow. This rig is currently the backup engine while the department is having paint repairs done to the pair of 2002 Pierce Dash engines over the summer. Engine 19 and the unit which will become Engine 20R are sister units which will go out for body work one at a time. When both are back in town, the 1991 Pierce Arrow will be sold off and the 2002 Pierce Dash which was assigned as Engine 20 will become Engine 20R.
Deerfield's newest engine is a 2009 Pierce Arrow XT. Larry Shapiro photo
This 2002 Pierce Dash which is currently out for body work will become Engine 20R. Larry Shapiro photo
This 1991 Pierce Arrow is currently assigned as Engine 20R until the two 2002 units are both back in service. Then this engine will be sold off. Larry Shapiro photo
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