Historic Chicago fire photos, 4-22-78

This from Steve Redick:

4-22-78, a 2-11 at 46pl and Lasalle Ave. I processed these in my own darkroom, shot on TRI-X. I was riding on Engine 84 that day and we were due on the 2-11 … dropped a 3-inch line into the Snorkel if I remember right. Used a Canon Rangefinder camera

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Steve Redick photo

Additional images are at fire scenes.net

Tags: black and white fire scene photos, Chicago FD Snorkel at fire scene, Chicago Fire Department history, historic fire scene photos, old Chicago fire scene, Steve Redick

This entry was posted on April 7, 2014, 2:05 PM and is filed under Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department History, Fire Scene photos, Historic Fire Photo. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Comments

#1 by David on April 9, 2014 - 3:39 AM

Engine 16 was also interesting in having a very short canopy, different than the rest of the Fords with the crew cabs. Looked a bit like a “missing link” between the simple short cabs of the first CFD Ford C rigs and the later 1970 batch with the longer crew cabs. When I see such pics I always regret that Ford’s not making cabover rigs any more. These rigs looked awesome in fire service. Also the spoke wheels, hard to see them on any trucks today.
#2 by Mike Mc on April 8, 2014 - 10:15 PM

Thanks for the photos. Great shot of Engine 16 with the aurora borealis light. The dual air horn must have been put on by the shops. Engine 16 was the only Ford with a crew cab that did not have a Mars 888. Engine 50’s rig was at the most only a year or two old at the time.

At extra alarm fires on the south side, once Snorkel 3 was put to work, sometimes there wasn’t much they could do except drop some lines and wait for either Snorkel 4 or Snorkel 5, which ever one was due, and Snorkel Squad 1. Of course, multi-versals could be put to use.

No portable radios. They probably, although not necessarily, had SCBA but would not use it for defensive operations back then. The tank along the wall reminds me there was no haz mat either. They must have already determined that it was either benign or empty because they are not cooling it.

Engines 16, 50, and the mentioned 84 should have been operating with five men since they were in the high risk/busy areas. I stress should have.

The 4th Division, out of Engine 59’s old house at 818 W. Exchange, in the stockyards, always competed with Division 2 (west side) for the most extra alarm fires.

Thanks again for posting the photos. Steve: was your father Battalion 12 that day?