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12 Comments (and one trackback)

• #1 by Bill Post on September 18, 2014 - 11:48 PM

  

  Even though the fire alarm office was initially talking to Engine 126 , it was Engine 74 who was the first Engine that reported on the scene.
  That was great deck gun work and whoever shot the video clip did an excellent job. It looked to me that it was Engine 74 that was using the deck gun on the blaze even though I couldn’t really make on the numbers on the rig.
  As far as the merits of running a wet truck (truck with water and pump on it) versus a dry truck even when Chicago was getting their Trucks delivered with a booster tank and pump on them ,during the late 60’s and early 70’s that feature was really meant for smaller incidents like rubbish or auto fires as the Trucks of that time had 2 booster reels on the rig really weren’t equipped or designed for lead outs the way some of today’s “Quints” are.
  The Los Angeles City Fire Department does normally run with an with Engine as a “chase rig” or a second piece on all but one of their Truck but companies but that is irrelevant to Chicago and there are very few fire departments that run their Trucks with a chase Engine.
  What actually is more relevant to the area where this particular fire was, is that for many years that area on the south east side (Engine 46’s still district) did run with another nearby Engine company until October 1st 1969 and that was Engine company 87 which ran out of the former fire station at 8701 S Escanaba when they were taken out of service replaced by Flying Manpower Squad 1. That was when there were manpower and fire company cutbacks going on in the Chicago Fire Department but that was still years before Engines and Trucks were used as first responders on the Ambulance Assist program. I am surprised that something like this hasn’t happened sooner when you consider how busy the neighboring Engine companies are such as Engines 126 and 72 when it comes to ambulance assist runs. The second due Engines to the area of the fire are all located over 2 miles away and a case could probably be made to put Engine 87 back in service considering that Engine 46’s area can be relatively isolated when Engine 46 is out on a run and even Engine 74 ( the second due company) has to cross over a drawbridge to respond into Engine 46’s area.

• #2 by Chuck on September 18, 2014 - 10:31 PM

  

  Dennis, I was listening to the audio link, and it sounded like they told the Chief that his first engine was 126, but with 46 out, it’s no wonder that thing got going like they did.

• #3 by Brian on September 18, 2014 - 7:34 PM

  

  The few times where a tank and pump would be handy on a truck. I am NOT saying that should happen before someone starts freaking out. Just saying it would be handy in this case.

• #4 by Dennis on September 18, 2014 - 6:37 PM

  

  The first engine due, Engine 46, was out on another run when this fire came in. The first engine that got on scene was Engine 74 which is further south of this area by a few miles.

• #5 by Mike on September 18, 2014 - 5:36 PM

  

  David the engines carry 500 gallons of water on board

• #6 by David on September 18, 2014 - 4:30 PM

  

  It certainly take some time to hook up to a hydrant and do the attack the classic way, so I was also wondering that a quick deck gun attack could probably many times stop the fire from spreading to the exposures. Just a small truck chassis with water tank and a deck gun, but I guess somebody probably had this idea before.

• #7 by Mike on September 18, 2014 - 7:58 AM

  

  George it takes time to get lines down and in place. The truck was there with no engine for almost 2 minutes. Whoever ordered the deck gun from the engine is the one who really helped get this fire out.

• #8 by George on September 17, 2014 - 8:24 PM

  

  By no means am I criticizing, but why did it take almost 3-4 minutes from the time the hose got laid to flow water? Again, I’m not Monday morning quarterbacking, I’m just wondering.

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• #9 by CFD 1979 on September 17, 2014 - 9:41 AM

  

  3-2-7 ******

• #10 by CFD 1979 on September 17, 2014 - 9:41 AM

  

  3-1-7 doing work!

• #11 by Mike on September 17, 2014 - 8:43 AM

  

  Nice to see them use the main to take glass. The deck gun did a lot too

• #12 by David on September 17, 2014 - 8:12 AM

  

  Such a nice clear job, great video.

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