This from Josh Boyajian:
CFD Still & Box @ 416 e 75th, here are some of my shots from the fire tonight.
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Full gallery is on my site…
Chicago Still & Box Alarm, 11-29-14
#1 by Gnarldtoad on December 1, 2014 - 12:05 PM
So has the deal on the Rosenbauer Squads been killed or up in the air? There has not been much information and it is going on over a year now?
#2 by tom sullivan on December 1, 2014 - 7:57 AM
Chicago has a long tradition of running rigs well past their prime lifespan. in the late 60s’ / early 70s’ there were “front line” regularly assigned rigs there were well over 20 years old. they were old pre ww2 era technology and design,,, no booster tanks, wooden aerial ladders, etc.
when they went oos they where replaced by similar rigs. companies would get a “spare” and then run that until it broke , then replaced by another, and another, etc. the pool of spare rigs came from companies that were taken out of service permanently because of the mattman report.
the comment about the dedication of the fire dept. members making do with what they had to work with is very true.
the city has never had a consistent long term plan on timely apparatus replacement. there were attempts over the years but they fell off track due to the political realities. certain times allowed large replacements like the years after 9-11 but then the cycle repeats.
Pingback: Commercial fire in Chicago – November 29, 2014 | FireScenes.Net
#3 by Bill Post on December 1, 2014 - 3:16 AM
Danny is correct Engine 50 is a 1995 Spartan Luverne. The 1997 Engines were HME/ Luvernes and the 1998 and 1999 Engines were the short wheel base HME/Luvernes. The irony is that Engine 50 had been using a 1998 short wheel base HME Luverne however when Engine 89 received their current 2001 Spartan Luverne rig as a “hand me down” in around 2009/10 they gave their 1995 rig to Engine 50. I understand that the HME”s Luvernes aren’t very popular due to having smaller and less roomy cabs then the Spartan Cabs.
As far as running with spare rigs on the Squad companies go, even in the days of the Original Snorkel Squads during the 1960’s, Snorkel Squad 3 (also known as SS 3) for over 2 the 4 years that they were in service (May 16 1965 until May 1st 1969) they were running with out a Snorkel from January 26/27th 1967 ( the great blizzard of 1967) until they were taken out of service on May 1st 1969, Technically speaking they were officially redesignated as Rescue 3 from Mid December 1968 until going out of service on May 1st 1969 but they were still the same 2 piece company. The Original Snorkel Squad 2 had also run without a Snorkel for the last 6 to 10 months before going out of service around May 16th of 1969.The were also redesignated as Rescue 2 for the last 5 months of operation during December of 1968.
#4 by Robert on December 1, 2014 - 1:27 AM
As someone from CFD. The city does not care how old something is. As long as it works and gets the job done. There was a rumor that there are new trucks coming. This I am unsure of this, but we shall wait and see what tomorrow brings us.
#5 by Josh on December 1, 2014 - 8:08 PM
Your comment doesn’t make any sense…if your on in the city…what company are you on? And No, the city is not getting all new trucks! If anything is purchased, it will be a Purchase Including Engines, Trucks, and Towers….which no one has even starting the bidding process on.
#6 by Tom Foley on November 30, 2014 - 11:18 PM
To play a little devil’s advocate, there is something to say about a department that is able to function and deliver the skill and expertise of CFD… even if they are working with rigs that are upwards of 15 years old.
Watching this site, it’s almost entertaining to see the burbs getting new rigs every 5-10 years and some of them are going out on far fewer calls.
Proof that it’s the hard working men and women of CFD that are the integral piece to the equation and not necessarily the rigs.
As an onlooker, it will still be nice to see new snorkel squads… someday…
#7 by danny on November 30, 2014 - 4:59 PM
engine 50 i believe is a 1995 they only ordered spartan luvernes in 1992and 1995
Pingback: Chicago Still & Box Alarm, 11-29-14 (more) | chicagoareafire.com
#8 by J on November 30, 2014 - 3:44 PM
Some companies that I know for a fact…..
Engine 50, a fairly busy engine is still running a 1997 Engine front line….
Truck 20 has been running with a spare Seagrave for many months now. Who knows what happened to their Pierce.
Truck 33 has been running with an 1988 E-One Ladder for about a year now.
Tower Ladder 34 as pictured….
#9 by Brian on November 30, 2014 - 3:32 PM
The age of the spares has to do with the quality of those trucks when originally built that they still hold up to the demands. The towers are old spares because they haven’t bought any to create newer spares. Plus some of the “new” towers were wrecked so hard to have them in service.
New towers and squads are badly needed. Hopefully Smeal gets the snorkel line rolling and the city/rosenbauer fiasco comes to a conclusion.
#10 by JS on November 30, 2014 - 2:25 PM
I don’t think I’ve seen a big city with spares as old as Chicago…mid to late 80s for tower ladders and snorkels, mid 90s for trucks and engines with a few early 00s.
#11 by Eric Haak on November 30, 2014 - 1:45 PM
That was Squad 5.
#12 by Michael M on November 30, 2014 - 1:19 PM
Which Squad’s snorkel is the reserve filling in for? Any idea when the CFD might get new squads? I know the last deal for new squads fell through.
#13 by Sebastian on November 30, 2014 - 12:13 PM
Never seen a big city fire department use spares as much as chicago does..