The following comes to us from Bill Post:
Here is something new about Skokie Engine 18.
Skokie Fire Department Engine Company 18 has been a part-time engine company for the last few weeks. It is on-duty from 8am to 8pm and is deactivated from 8pm to 8am the next morning.
The Skokie Fire Department does run a Squad/Pumper out of Station 18, as well as straight aerial ladder truck and an ambulance, so they still have a company with engine capabilities running out of Station 18 at night. Normally when Engine 18 is on-duty, the engine is the first-due company along with the ambulance on EMS runs. When the engine is unavailable or off-duty, the truck is sent on the EMS runs with Ambulance 18. Squad 18 runs village-wide on still alarms and special duties such as pin-in accidents. As such, Skokie normally doesn’t send the squad as the first-due company on EMS runs. The squad does normally run first-due on stuck elevators however.
The Skokie Fire Department is one of three ISO (Insurance Service Organization) rated Class One fire departments in the Chicago area and runs out of three multi-company stations. Skokie in reality is a four engine department as Station 17 (the east side fire station) has Rescue 17 which runs as a second engine to Engine 17. Tower Ladder 16 out of Station 16 (headquarters) also has pumping capabilities in addition to Squad 18.
#1 by fireman hank on July 19, 2012 - 12:33 AM
I am told it is out of service due to lack of manpower about 85% of the nights. The fire department has overtime to keep it in service during the day. The guy told me that they used to run truck 18 with only two guys during the day but now they run 3 all of the time on truck 18.
#2 by Drew Smith on July 18, 2012 - 10:56 PM
Skokie Utility 17 is a commercial chassis heavy squad that carries special equipment, primarily TRT and haz mat.
The previous Squad 18 did not have the same hose bed configuration as the engines but I am unsure about the current S18. Before A17 was stood up S18 and RT17 ran with four members. S18 typically would take the alley on a reported fire.
#3 by Drew Smith on July 18, 2012 - 10:52 PM
ISO facts:
http://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/1000/ppc1001.html
Nationwide: 57 class one FDs
Illinois: 3 class one FDs (Skokie, Lisle-Woodridge, and ???)
Arlington Heights is now a class two FD.
#4 by glynch on July 18, 2012 - 6:20 PM
whats the utility used for?
#5 by Bill Post on July 18, 2012 - 4:18 PM
Last night Engine 18 remained in service after 8 pm so It looks like Engine 18 remains in service on some nights.
Fire dude, has this part time status for Engine 18 been happening intermittently or does it go out of service in the evening on a regular basis?
#6 by fireman hank on July 18, 2012 - 1:48 PM
this has been going on for almost a year now.
#7 by Kevin K. on July 18, 2012 - 11:19 AM
I know Lisle-Woodridge is. I think Arlington Heights is the other.
#8 by FF99PM on July 18, 2012 - 11:16 AM
Arlington Heights FD and Lisle-Woodridge FD
#9 by Jim on July 18, 2012 - 10:57 AM
Arlington Heights, Lisle-Woodridge and Oak Lawn. Although I don’t know if Oak Lawn still is.
#10 by Joe on July 18, 2012 - 10:55 AM
Last I knew it was Lisle-Woodridge, Arlington Heights, and Skokie in northern Illinois. Oak Lawn used to be. There are several other smaller departments in southern and central Illinois that still are, Springfield Fire Department among them.
#11 by Brian on July 18, 2012 - 10:54 AM
Arlington Heights and Lisle-Woodridge
#12 by Mike McAuliffe on July 18, 2012 - 9:39 AM
What are the other two class 1 departments? Thank you in advance.
#13 by Rp on July 17, 2012 - 11:24 AM
Skokie Engine – Fire suppression and BLS EMS Follow.
Skokie Rescue – Fire Suppression, Service Truck Capabilities, Extrication
Skokie Squad – Fire Suppression & Extrication
#14 by Leon D. on July 16, 2012 - 11:42 PM
Whats the difference in an Engine/Rescue/Squad in Skokie? All appear to be Pierce rescue pumpers.