A reader has asked for information and specs corresponding to the 1970s series Oshkosh/Pierce/Snorkel that saw service in Elk Grove Village.
Elk Grove Village Fire Department Snorkel.
thanks Scott for supplying the photo
The following is a reprint from a local newspaper when the unit was delivered:
Some will notice that;
- the chassis is indicated to be from FWD, but the cab appears to match the Oshkosh units which saw service in Chicago.
- the year is not indicated
- there’s no mention of a water tank
#1 by Brian on November 14, 2013 - 1:17 PM
Spring Valley on I-80 is downstate, Illinois? haha
#2 by NJ on November 14, 2013 - 12:37 PM
I didn’t say a straight stick. I suppose I should have added shift in there. LOL
#3 by DMc77 on November 14, 2013 - 12:23 PM
Stick = manual transmission
#4 by Bill Post on November 14, 2013 - 12:21 PM
NJ it’s funny that not only are Tillered Aerial Ladders “sticks” still popular in some fire departments but there are a few fire departments that have been actually adding Tillered Aerial Ladders to their fleets where they didn’t have any assigned.
#5 by Bill Post on November 14, 2013 - 12:14 PM
NJ I know that you are talking about 661 but when you mentioned about “driving a stick” do you still mean the “Snorkel” because in most places “driving a stick” meant a driving a Tillered Aerial Ladder Truck? So I was wondering what you are referring to when you said “driving a stick”.?
#6 by NJ on November 14, 2013 - 8:43 AM
Bill, yes I did know that about Philly FD. It’s a great use of existing assets. It would be great if CFD did that. Aside from the age of 6-6-1 how many FF’s even know how to drive a good old stick anymore?
#7 by Bill Post on November 14, 2013 - 3:43 AM
NJ speaking of remounting Snorkels ,did you know that the Philadelphia Fire department still uses two 85 foot Snorkels that were originally from the late 1970’s /early 1980’s and were remounted on KME chassis in the late 1990’s as first line Truck companies at Ladders 2 and 28 in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia has been using Snorkels since the mid 1960’s and unlike Chicago they were and are assigned as Truck (Ladder companies). As they have already remounted a few of them they really make them go along way. They also run two mid mount Tower Ladders and 4 Squirt or Snozzle equipped Engine companies. They have had some serious financial problems as well because a few years ago 5 Engine companies and 2 Trucks were taken out of service but they have still been getting new Engines from KME and they have even been getting some large Horton Van style Ambulances.
#8 by NJ on November 12, 2013 - 8:38 AM
Be nice if CFD did that with 6-6-1. They could probably even use the old chassis from the wrecked TL-34 which would be a better use of it, than letting it rust away while waiting to convert it to the new 5-2-2, IMO
#9 by Bill Fricker on November 11, 2013 - 10:57 PM
The Elk Grove Snorkel was sold to Spring Valley, IL in the late 70’s. The rig was taken back up to Pierce in 2006 and the boom and basket were removed and rebuilt and remounted on a new Pierce Arrow XT Chassis. The rig is still in service at Spring Valley. This is one of the very few snorkels in downstate Illinois.
#10 by Drew Smith on November 9, 2013 - 10:16 PM
Geneva had an almost identical in appearance snorkel, 206, that I believe was a 1965 model. Larry has a picture here http://chicagoareafire.com/blog/2013/03/geneva-fd-apparatus-photos/