Mar 31
Martin Nowak has brought several items to us for publication.
– he spotted this delivery photo on the Foster Coach website
Franklin Park's newest ambulance is this 2008 Ford Medtec Type III that was purchased through Foster Coach. The unit was previously used on the tv show Trauma. Foster Coach photo
– Roberts Park FPD has a new department website
– Martin has a site featuring his own photos HERE
– Bedford Park Pickup 713, 2006 ford f-250
Bedford Park 713 - a 2006 Ford F250. Martin Nowak photo
Mar 30
The Bensenville Fire Department has placed an order for a new engine from Toyne on a Spartan Metro Star chassis. The engine will have a 1,500-GPM pump, a 750-gallon water tank, and a 30-gallon foam tank. Delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of this year.
When the new engine goes into service as engine 87, Engine 86, the 1994 Pierce Arrow will be assigned to their fire academy.
Dennis McGuire, Jr. sent a link to an article in yesterday’s Daily Herald about the Fox River & Countryside Fire Rescue District hiring personnel. Some excerpts:
Though the final staffing contract has yet to receive a vote, Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue trustees now have an employee roster they believe rivals or surpasses any other local fire department.
American Emergency Services completed the hiring of the district’s fire and ambulance personnel. Of the 21 full-time employees, 18 are certified to work as both firefighters and paramedics. The remaining three will have the same credentials upon completion of paramedic school. The department will employ 10 paid-on-call firefighters with lesser training as basic EMTs and two firefighters with paramedic certification. Including additional part-time staff, the district will have nearly 40 employees in the fire department.
Trustees announced Monday night the department is now a member of MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) Division II, which includes communities such as South Elgin, Elgin and East and West Dundee among others.
Trustees also said discussions are under way for auto aid agreements with South Elgin and Pingree Grove.
(Fire district President Jim) Gaffney also said he plans on having further discussions with St. Charles to see what assistance the two fire departments may be able to provide each other in the future.
Gaffney refused to answer any questions about the district’s impasses with Campton Hills and South Elgin on the progression of construction on the district’s new fire houses in those communities. Both communities have issued stop work orders to the fire district in recent weeks. Gaffney said those notices won’t slow down the fire district.
“We’ll be ready to go at midnight on May 1,” Gaffney said.
The entire article can be found HERE.
We have received information about the following fire departments and their MABAS Division affiliation changes. The website has been adjusted to reflect these changes.
– Itasca is now only in MABAS Division 12
– Rosemont is only in MABAS Division 20
– Streamwood is now in MABAS Division 1
Mar 28
Josh Boyajian submitted photos of Berwyn’s two new ambulances that went into service this week. Both are 2011 Medtec, Type III units on Ford E-450 chassis. These are assigned to Ambulance 905 and Ambulance 907.
Berwyn Ambulance 905 went in service this week with a new 2011, Ford E-450 Medtec Type III unit. Josh Boyajian photo
Berwyn Ambulance 907 also received a 2011, Medtec Type III unit on a Ford E-450 chassis identical to Ambulance 905. Josh Boyajian photo
Ryan Wyckoff sent this note: ‘The ambulances are Wheeled Coach, not Medtec. All ambulances in Berwyn are identical and are all Wheeled Coach.’
thanks for the correction Ryan
Taking advantage of a sunny day last week, Larry Shapiro stopped by Evanston Station 23 and was able to get some images for the website that were missing. The apparatus shots that were added to Station 23 include Engine 23, the 2010 Pierce Arrow XT; Ambulance 23, a 1999 Freightliner/Wheeled Coach Type I; and R-21, the 1990/1998 Pierce Arrow 105-foot rear mount aerial which is Evanston’s spare truck. The truck was reportedly purchased by the local and donated to the department for use as a spare. Bill Friedrich tells us that it was formerly owned by San Antonio, TX.
The following updated information comes from Bill Friedrich:
– The Lisle Woodridge FPD is expecting to take delivery of a Pierce Arrow XT engine and an Arrow XT 100′ platform in the next few months. More info and photos when they become available.
– The Rutland Dundee FPD has placed an order for a Pierce Arrow XT engine. Delivery is expected later in 2011. More info and photos when they become available.
– According to sources, a medical ambulance bus has been ordered by the City of Chicago and delivery is expected in April of 2011. More info when it becomes available. For those unfamiliar with this, one website offers this description of their particular product:
The Medical Ambulance Bus (MAB®)
Sartin Services, Inc. an Archdale NC company designs and builds the state of the art MAB Medical Ambulance/Evacuation Buses. Since rolling out the first MAB in 2007, Sartin Services, Inc. has build over 18 vehicles that are in service around the United States.Each … bus can treat or transport as many as (20) twenty stretchered patients each with an individual metered oxygen supply. Many specialized ALS/BLS options are installed on the buses. Several other cities and states have units on order including Wilmington, Bismarck and many others are in the final stages of the ordering process. The buses are designed to provide caregivers and emergency responding personnel the tools they needed to treat and evacuate large numbers of patients. The buses are vital in evacuating hospitals and nursing homes that are in the path of a hurricane or other natural disasters.
Mar 27
Firefighters apply foam to the garage area to contend with fuel leaking from the car. Larry Shapiro photo
The Schaumburg Fire Department received calls of a car on fire in an attached garage around 4PM this afternoon. First arriving companies found heavy fire venting from the garage and the second floor above. The volume of fire was reminiscent of another house fire for the same shift in Schaumburg two weeks ago. The alarm was immediately upgraded from a Code 3 to a Code 4 and the first two engines were instructed to lay dual lines to the front of the house. A Box Alarm was transmitted for change of quarters companies only as Battalion 5 requested the remaining Schaumburg suppression units to the scene. The threat of extension to the exposure on the west side of the house at 233 Kingsport Drive was severe though companies were able to keep the fire from impinging on the neighbor’s house.
Schaumburg Truck 53 is deployed to give firefighters access to the burned out second floor and roof area. Larry Shapiro photo
Schaumburg Engine 1 was in front of the house with several hand lines off including a foam line. Larry Shapiro photo
Schaumburg Squad 55's rig was down today so the squad company ran with the spare tower ladder. Quite an unusual scene is pictured here with three Schaumburg trucks at the fire. Larry Shapiro photo
The Daily Herald has an article HERE. According to the article, the homeowner was of aware of the fire.
Annarella, who had lived in that Schaumburg house since Dec. 14, 1978, was in her kitchen when she heard someone pounding on the front door alerting her to a roaring fire inside the attached garage.
“It was Ruth and Skip Barchfeld,” she said. “They saved my life. They are the heroes.”
Annarella safely bolted from the house, but could do little to stop the flames.
Companies applied foam to the garage and car within as leaking fuel was prevalent.
Engine 51 runs with a 2008 Pierce Impel shown here on a hydrant in front of the house. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro went to the scene and arrived after the fire was knocked down. He submitted several images and has a gallery HERE.
Damage to the house was extensive as can be seen here during the overhaul phase. Larry Shapiro photo
Mar 27
Berwyn had a Box Alarm this afternoon at 2311 Harvey. The first company on scene reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story bungalow. Mutual aid companies were from Stickney, Cicero, North Riverside and Forest Park. Josh Boyajian was at the scene right after the first engine and saw heavy smoke with fire on the second floor. He submitted several images.
Berwyn Engine 903 is on a hydrant at the end of the block. Josh Boyajian photo
Companies had a long leadout to reach a hydrant on a different main. Josh Boyajian photo
Berwyn's Seagrave aerial was in the 'A Sector' with the main extended. Josh Boyajian photo
Heavy smoke met first companies on their arrival. Josh Boyajian photo
Companies laddered the second floor to deploy hand lines. Josh Boyajian photo
Fire vents through the roof on the A-D corner of the structure. Josh Boyajian photo
Berwyn Engine 903 pulled past the fire to the hydrant at the end of the block. Josh Boyajian photo
Mar 26
An overview of the stadium exhibits. Many of the apparatus exhibitors moved into the new convention center this year. Larry Shapiro photo
The 2011 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) just ended. The convention center was filled with exhibitors who displayed everything from fire apparatus and gear to shirts and trinkets. There were two local area rigs on display this year. A Medtec Type III ambulance for Algonquin-Lake in the Hills was in the Pierce booth and a Cyclone II 95-foot rear mount tower ladder for University Park was in the E-ONE booth.
Algonquin-Lake in the Hills had a Medtec ambulance in the Pierce booth at the FDIC in Indianapolis. Larry Shapiro photo
This new tower ladder for University Park was in the E-ONE booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Other interesting apparatus displayed included four pieces for the FDNY including a Wheeled Coach ambulance on a four-door Ford chassis, an engine in the Seagrave booth, plus Rescue 4 and Ladder 137 in the Ferrara booth.
Seagrave displayed FDNY Engine 222. Larry Shapiro
Ferrara had FDNY Rescue 4 from Queens in their booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Ferrara also had FDNY Ladder 137 on dispkay. Larry Shapiro photo
Crimson had a tandem axle rescue for Elizabeth, NJ, KME had a tiller for Norwalk, CT, American LaFrance had a tiller for Ventura County, CA and HME had a Type III wildland pumper for CALFIRE.
This tandem axle heavy rescue for Elizabeth, NJ Rescue 1 was in the Crimson booth. Larry Shapiro photo
A tiller for Norwalk, CT was shown by KME. Larry Shapiro photo
This LTI tiller for Ventura County, CA by American LaFrance was in the Lucas Oil Stadium. Larry Shapiro photo
HME brought a Type III engine from CALFIRE. Larry Shapiro photo
As regards new introductions:
Pierce showed the new Dash CF chassis under a PUC rescue pumper;
One of two Pierce Dash CF units that were unveiled at the show. Larry Shapiro photo
Pierce also showed this mini pumper on rubber tracks BP. Larry Shapiro photo
Rosenbauer introduced their Smart Cab enclosure for adding a crew area to units built on a commercial chassis;
Rosenbauer introduced the 'Smart Cab' enclosure for three firefighters on a commercial chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
The Smart Cab has a two-step unit which swings out with the door for easy egress and entrance to the crew enclosure along with an option for a full-lenght glass covered door. Larry Shapiro photo
KME brought out the Predator Pro Series (Pumper Rescue Operations) integrated pumper and a new 79-foot ladder;
The KME Predator PRO is a rescue pumper on the new Predator chassis and features a short wheelbase and compact operator's panel. Larry Shapiro photo
The new 76-foor Aerial Cat quint on a new Predator chassis was in the KME booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Crimson highlighted their new acquisition of Classic Fire and showed their ‘Transformer’ on a commercial chassis;
Crimson had a min pumper in their new Classic Series which originates from their recent purchase of Classic Fire in Ocala, FL. Larry Shapiro photo
American LaFrance announced that they are now offering their Eagle custom chassis to other manufacturers and that the LTI aerials can also be purchased by others;
A 2010 emissions compliant Eagle cab and chassis was on display by American LaFrance. Larry Shapiro photo
E-ONE showed the eMAX pumper series with a narrow operator’s panel.
The E-ONE eMAX was shown on a Typhoon chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
You are currently browsing the archives for March, 2011
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
