Archive for October, 2013

Chicago 2-11 Alarm fire 10-8-13

From Dave Weaver:

10/8/13 Chicago 2-11 Alarm Apartment Fire 3216 W. Wabansia Ave.
Radio Traffic Recording w/ Fireground by Radioman911.com
http://www.justin.tv/radioman911/c/3051374
(Will not play on Apple mobile devices)

Tags: , , , ,

Prospect Heights FPD open house

 

Prospect Heights Fire Protection District open house

Tags: , , , , , ,

Barrington FD & Fire Protection District update

The Daily Herald has an article about the Village of Barrington Fire Department and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District dividing their assets for what will become the two separate departments after the 1st of January.

The Barrington Fire Department and Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District on Friday took the last major step before they separate on Jan. 1, by dividing up the vehicles and equipment they co-own.

… both sides expressed satisfaction with the division.

Officials of the 48-square-mile fire district just outside of Barrington also found out this week that 16 of the 19 laid-off Barrington firefighters to whom it offered jobs have applied with them. Barrington Countryside offered these firefighters their current union salaries and vacation time, but not a continuation of their pensions.

Rowan said it is important to the fire district to retain firefighters with as much experience and institutional memory of the fire district as work there now.

The rest of the fire district’s roster of 33 full-time firefighters will be filled with staff provided by private contractor Paramedic Services of Illinois.

“I think the residents are going to be really pleased,” Rowan said. “We have the equipment we need and the personnel we need.”

On Jan. 1, the fire district will terminate its long-running contract for service from the Barrington Fire Department.

The newly divided equipment should be moved to its new locations among the village’s fire station and the fire district’s two stations in Barrington Hills and Lake Barrington about a week or two before the Jan. 1 split, Rowan said.

The contractual relationship between the village and fire district will be officially finished at the shift change at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1, he added.

Some of the previous posts on this split can be found HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Schaumburg FD open house 2013

This from Tyler Tobolt:

Schaumburg FD Open House October 5th

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Schaumburg Fire Department open house

Tyler Tobolt photo

Tags: , , , , ,

Lake Zurich FD open house

This from Sam Borica:

Hi,
I went to Lake Zurich’s open house today and got pictures of the apparatus including some updated shots of Ambulance 1 and 3297. You can view the rest of the photos on my Flickr here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/100946978@N03/.
Sam Borcia

 

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

MESS Canteen

Sam Borica photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

Lake Zurich Fire Department

Sam Borica photo

Tags: , , , ,

New rescue unit for Wilmette FD

This from Adam Levinson:

Hi,

I went to Wilmette FD’s open house today and took several pictures of their new Rescue 27. 
 
Adam
Wilmette Fire Department

Adam Levinson photo

Wilmette Fire Department

Adam Levinson photo

Wilmette Fire Department

Adam Levinson photo

Wilmette Fire Department

Adam Levinson photo

Wilmette Fire Department

Adam Levinson photo

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Western Springs apparatus history

The Doings Western Springs has a nice article with photos in the ‘blast from the past …’ heading chronicling the history of the first motorized engine purchased by the Western Springs Fire Department. A private owner has acquired the 1941 FWD engine and is planning on restoring it.

WESTERN SPRINGS – In 1941, just days before Pearl Harbor, Western Springs took delivery of a fire engine, whose design was years ahead of its time. But, in recent years, it nearly rusted away on an Iowa farm.

Western Springs’ first fire apparatus was a simple hose reel that had to be pulled to each fire scene. But, in 1924, the department acquired a real fire engine, an International/Buffalo pumper. That engine served the village admirably for many years. But, by 1940, the Village had grown considerably. And, the Village Board saw the need for a second, more modern piece of equipment.

While some towns might have simply purchased a fire engine that was readily available, Fire Chief Waldo Erickson was committed to getting the most for the taxpayers’ dollar. Erickson and his team literally designed the engine they needed from the ground up. And, the resulting bid specification read like no other. There would be no external ladders they would be stored in compartments accessible from the rear. And, there would be no open cab the engine would have an enclosed cab capable of holding three firemen. That feature would not become prevalent for another 20 years. And, the new engine would have four-wheel drive, pump 750 gallons of water per minute, and be painted white in order to be more visible to motorists.

Ten different companies submitted bids, with the winning proposal coming from FWD Auto Company in Clintonville, Wisconsin. The company’s proposed price was $9,203, or $150,000 in 2013 dollars.

The new engine was delivered in late November 1941, just days before the start of World War II. Had the village waited even a few weeks to place its order, delivery of the new engine would have likely been delayed until 1946. Amazingly, the basic design was still being offered by FWD some ten years later!

In the 1950’s, Western Springs experienced considerable population growth and, as a result, it purchased another fire engine the white 1952 Ward-LaFrance that you may have seen in the Memorial Day parade. And, in 1967, the town acquired still a third piece of fire apparatus. But, the days of the 1941 FWD were numbered. In 1968, it was retired from service, replaced by a more modern FWD pumper.

Where the old engine went is not known. But, in 2012, it was on an Iowa farm and listed for sale on the eBay website.

While the old engine appeared to have been painted red at some point after leaving WesternSprings, it was in sad shape. But, after its fate was reported in a Western Springs Historical Society story on the internet, a gentleman from St. Louis contacted the Society for the owner’s name and phone number.

He subsequently contacted the owner and purchased the 71-year-old fire engine. In fact, he has already transported it back to St. Louis, where he plans to restore it as it appeared when first delivered to Western Springs in 1941.

The restoration process will likely take many months, or even years. But, for the time being, a great fire engine has been given a well-deserved reprieve.

Tags: , , ,

New ambulance for Skokie

Martin Nowak found this image of a new Horton unit for Skokie Ambulance 17 which was posted on the Horton FaceBook page.

new ambulance for the Skokie Fire Department

Horton photo

Tags: , , , ,

East Joliet FPD Open House

The East Joliet Fire Protection is having their annual open house tomorrow.

East Joliet FPD Open House

Tags: , , ,

4-Alarm fire in Fox River Grove, 9-29-13

This from Tyler Tobolt:

Photos from Fox River Grove 4th Alarm Structure Fire on September 29th
Around 6.15pm on September 29th, The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills FPD got a report of a structure fire at 1 Algonquin Rd in Barrington Hills.  Algonquin Engine 143 reported this was Fox River Grove’s jurisdiction and Fox River Grove FPD was dispatched. Companies responding reported a large header so Fox River Grove command requested a 2nd Alarm on Box Card #5-670 to the scene. Algonquin Eng 143 backed down the driveway to start a tanker operation to supply water to the Fox River Grove engine in front of the building.
The following departments responded on the 2nd Alarm; Lakewood Engine 1041, Carpentersville Engine 941, Palatine Engine 81, Hoffman Estates Engine 23, a Spring Grove engine, Barrington Tender 362, Crystal Lake Tender 371, East Dundee Tender 471, Nunda-Rural Tender 1371, Huntley Tender 973, Wauconda Ambulance 341, Marengo Rescue Ambulance 1152, the Algonquin chief, a Barrington chief, a Crystal Lake chief, a Huntley chief, Lake Zurich as RIT, a Cary Safety Officer, EMA, and the Salvation Army.
COQ: Nunda-Rural ambulance, McHenry engine, Nunda Rural chief.
Shortly after the 2nd Alarm was requested, command requested a 4th Alarm on Box Card 5-670.  The following departments responded on the 4th; Fox Lake Engine 244, a Mundelein engine, a Grayslake engine, Elgin Engine 1, Schaumburg Engine 54, Rolling Meadows Engine 16, Woodstock Tender 73, Palatine Rural Tender 36, McHenry Tender 1274, Wonder Lake Tender 1671, Richmond Tender 1472, Hebron Tender 871, a Lake Zurich chief, a McHenry chief, a Wauconda chief, a Lakewood chief, and Air 5.
The fire was burning for about 2-3 hours
Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Fox River Grove Fire Department

Tyler Tobolt photo

Tags: , , , , , , ,