Archive for May 23rd, 2014

Franklin Park closes fire station

The Franklin Park Herald Journal has an article about the closing of a fire station in Franklin Park.

The village of Franklin Park stopped staffing its fire station on Elm Street on May 1 due to changes in calls and rail traffic. As anyone driving through Franklin Park knows, the village is divided by rail tracks. The eastern section of Franklin Park used to be split off from the rest of the village by north and southbound tracks.

The Elm Street station, located on the eastern border of Franklin Park between Parklane and Franklin Avenue, was primarily responsible for calls in that portion of the village. “That (Elm Street) station was primarily (built) there because it was inaccessible when trains were coming through town,” Fire Chief Steve Iovinelli said. That changed, however, in 2007 when the Grand Avenue underpass was finally completed. Trains no longer stopped emergency vehicles and other traffic.

Earlier this year, Iovinelli started looking at call numbers. He found three things:

• From 2010 to 2013, only 9.5 percent of all calls to the fire department came from the section of Franklin Park covered by the Elm Street station

• Call volume north of the Canadian Pacific tracks — which run east and west near downtown — had increased. The area north of the Canadian Pacific tracks includes much of the industrial section of the village as well as residents.

• Rail traffic along those tracks increased about 25 to 30 percent over the last few years.

As a result of these changes, Iovinelli said the ambulance at the Elm Street station was responding to more calls north of the rail tracks and, because of increased train traffic, taking longer.

The ambulance from Elm Street is now based at the main fire station at Addison and Scott Street. The station at Atlantic & Franklin Avenue will now be the first responder for all calls south of the Canadian Pacific rail tracks including the section of town previously handled by the Elm Street station.

thanks Dan

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Where are they now … Bellwood

This from Danny Nelms:

danny nelms

Grumman AerialCat tower ladder

Bellwood’s former tower ladder. Kent Parrish photo, Kentuckyfiretrucks.com

 

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Bedford Park selling antique Snorkel

REQUEST

FOR PROPOSALS BY THE

VILLAGE OF BEDFORD PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The Village of Bedford Park will receive sealed proposals for the sale of a 1959 GMC Snorkel Fire Truck.  This vehicle is being sold on an “AS IS” condition.  The vehicle is not in operating condition.  The minimum bid for this vehicle is Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000).  Prospective purchasers can view the vehicle during normal business hours at the Bedford Park Fire Station #1 located at 6820 South Archer Avenue in Bedford Park, Illinois.  Bids will be received from May 23, 2014 to June 6, 2014.    Bids shall be delivered to the Bedford Park Fire Department in a sealed marked envelope marked “1959 GMC Snorkel”.  The bid must contain the name, address, and phone number of the bidder.  Bids will be opened on June 9, 2014, with the awarding of the bid to occur at the Bedford Park Village Board meeting set for June 19, 2014.  The successful bidder will be required to submit payment to the Village of Bedford Park within five (5) business days after awarding the sale.  The successful bidder shall be required to remove the vehicle from the Bedford Park Fire Station within five (5) business days after payment is tendered to the Village.

The Village President and Board of Trustees reserve the right to reject any and all proposals or parts thereof and to waive any informalities, technicalities and irregularities with respect to the proposals.

By Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Bedford Park, Cook County, Illinois.

By:

Carol Lumpkins

Village Clerk

From Dennis McGuire, Jr:

This was the first snorkel to be built as a fire apparatus and was originally rejected by Chicago FD

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Area fire trucks for sale

Scott Pilafas found a former Lemont ambulance on eBay

Hi! I found this on eBay and thought you might like it! Check it out now!  2003 International MedTec ambulance, a solid ambulance with a lot of life left for sale. Maybe a smaller department would be interested.

ambulance for sale

Former Lemont 2003 International/Medtec Ambulance for sale.

Kevin Griffin spotted the following area fire trucks being offered for sale:

fire truck photo

Former Evergreen Park 1999 E-ONE aerial ladder truck for sale. Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus photo

fire engine photo

Former Palos Heights FPD 1992 Pierce Lance engine for sale. Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus photo

Pierce fire engine

Former Evanston Pierce engine for sale. Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus photo

E-ONE tower ladder

Oak Brook tower ladder for sale. Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus photo

E-ONE tower ladder

Calumet City tower ladder for sale. Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus photo

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