This from Josh Boyajian:
I shot new truck 24 the other day. Its a 2014 Spartan ERV 103′ RM ladder. It carries shop # FD-E350.Enjoy
Chicago Truck 21. 2014 Spartan Gladiator Classic/Spartan ERV 103′ RM with Shop ID#E350-. Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Also on a side note, there are four new ambulances waiting to be placed into service at the shops for Ambos 7, 36, 58, and 86.
#1 by Bill Post on July 25, 2014 - 3:22 AM
Thanks for the information about the Aerial Pipes Dennis. This is indeed newsworthy. At one time (meaning the 50’s and early 60’s only a very few of Chicago’s Truck companies were Ladder Pipe equipped however when Chicago started replacing it’s old truck (Ladder companies) beginning in 67 through the 70’s all of the new Truck companies were equipped with Ladder Pipes.
Because of the expansion of Ladder Pipe usage in Chicago during the late 60;s and early 70’s the Chicago Fire Department started to slightly de emphasize the use of the old Snorkel companies.
In Chicago’s 1968 consultant study (the same one that had recommended the creation of the Flying Squads to back up 4 man Engines and Trucks), the consultant had also recommended reducing Chicago’s Snorkels from 9 to only 5.
The consultant had recommend that all 3 of Chicago’s Snorkel Squads be taken out of service and that one of Chicago’s regular Snorkel companies be taken out of service. Instead the late Fire Commissioner Robert J Quinn had only taken Snorkel Squads 2 and 3 out of service but took Snorkel companies 2 and by default Snorkel 7 out of service. When I say by default I meant that Snorkel 7 was actually destroyed in a fire building collapse but it was never replaced. Either way Chicago ended up with only 5 active Snorkels by 1972. A few of the remaining Snorkel companies were also relocated to areas of high fire frequency according to the consultant. That had temporarily had left the south side with only one Snorkel as Snorkel 6 was relocated from Engine 46 to Engine 110 and Snorkel 4 was relocated from Engine 104’s old quarters ( at 1401 s Michigan avenue) to Engine 67’s old quarters at 4666 W Fulton (near Cicero and Lake streets). Snorkel 3 at Engine 60 at the time covered the entire south side. Because there was such a large gap in Snorkel coverage Snorkel 5 would often relocate to Snorkel 3 when Snorkel 3 was committed to a fire. Snorkel 5 was located at Engine 43 at the time however on April 5th 1974 they relocated to Engine 35’s current quarters only to be relocated to Engine 57’s current quarters on April 8th 3 days later. Both of the stations were large and new stations at the time so I really don’t know why Snorkel 5 only spent 3 days at Engine 35.
January 10 1975 Snorkel 5 was relocated to Engine 5 finally brought a Snorkel company back to the Center of the City and closer to the south side. On January 4th 1977 Snorkel 5 was relocated once again to Engine 23’s current quarters. That had put them closer to the southwest side and they were only a few miles west of the Loop (downtown).
From 1961/62 until the early 70’s the Chicago Fire Department would normally dispatch 2 regular Snorkel companies on a Still and Box Alarm. Some areas would also get a Snorkel Squad on a still or a Still and Box Alarm. On the 2-11 alarm the CFD would dispatch a 3rd regular Snorkel company and would dispatch all 3 Snorkel Squads together , unless one of the Snorkel Squads was dispatched previously to the fire earlier.
The 3-11 alarm would automatically have a 4th Snorkel company dispatched. So on a 2-11 six of Chicago’s nine Snorkels would be on the scene and on a 3-11 seven of Chicago’s nine Snorkels would be on the scene.
By no longer equipping the straight Aerial Ladder Trucks with Ladder pipes it only is making a stronger case for more Tower Ladders to be put in service.
A case can be made for putting a new Tower Ladder in service at Truck 40 when you consider how large Tower Ladder 34’s Still and Box District is as well as the size of Tower Ladder 39’s , Still and Box district.
When Chicago’s original 6 Tower Ladders were put in service around 1986 Truck 27 was originally assigned a Tower Ladder, however less then a year later the Tower Ladder was reassigned to Truck 62, however in 1993 it was reassigned again, this time to Truck 37 (which in my opinion was a smart move) as there was more fire duty in the 5th district (where Tower 37 is located) then in Truck 62’s area at the time.
#2 by The DH on July 24, 2014 - 11:15 AM
Dennis, are you talking about the ladder pipe set-up (hose and the strap-on nozzle) that CFD has always used?
#3 by David on July 24, 2014 - 9:40 AM
Josh thanks for the photos! I kinda miss the chromed front fenders but otherwise the rig looks great. Also I’m really glad they don’t use the blue lights, finally a victory of common (aesthetical) sense.
#4 by Josh on July 24, 2014 - 7:27 AM
Can’t depend on the tower ladders lol last week Tower 34 and Tower 54 were streight truck companies. There were no reserve towers available.
#5 by Tom Foley on July 23, 2014 - 10:23 PM
Is not having an aerial pipe a big deal?
My sarcastic answer is “if your larger structure is on fire it is!”
For structure fires that require aerial water, I would assume the tower ladders and even snorkels would be the “go to” apparatus versus this truck.
Does that basically mean the purpose of the ladder on this truck is pretty much just rescue?
#6 by Josh on July 23, 2014 - 10:12 PM
New Ambos are being readied for service for Ambos 1,3,6,7,9,33,41,58,86. There is at least 5 more that I’m missing
#7 by Westside on July 23, 2014 - 9:32 PM
the tips on the pierce are break away also.
#8 by Dennis on July 23, 2014 - 8:44 PM
And all these new trucks no longer carry aerial pipes, so no more aerial pipe operations for these new trucks. The reason being is the last few feet of the tip is a break away and the force of the water pressure on the tip will break off the tip.
#9 by Josh on July 23, 2014 - 8:40 PM
No blue lights what so ever, all red and yellow on back, front is red,white, and green
#10 by Martin Nowak on July 23, 2014 - 6:35 PM
I love these trucks. Beautiful indeed.
#11 by Bob on July 23, 2014 - 5:55 PM
Josh, could you tell if there are blue lights on the back of the apparatus and green lights on the roof lights?
#12 by Robert on July 23, 2014 - 5:10 PM
That’s a beautiful Truck