Frankfort FPD tower ladder for sale

Spotted on FentonFire.com from the Frankfort FPD

Frankfort FPD tower ladder for sale. Fenton Fire photo

thanks Al

Tags: Frankfort Fire Department, Frankfort Fire Protection District, Frankfort FPD tower ladder for sale

This entry was posted on December 26, 2015, 2:00 PM and is filed under Fire Department News. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

45 Comments

#1 by Brian on March 23, 2016 - 6:44 PM

Based on the snorkel and engine/tanker both being built by Smeal I’d guess a new truck if it is coming would be Smeal also
#2 by Michael M on March 23, 2016 - 10:55 AM

What will they be running out of Station 3 in the meantime? Also any idea who might build the ladder that they have in the works?
#3 by Chris Wolf on January 8, 2016 - 5:44 PM

Frankfort Fire Department held a special board meeting on December 11, 2015. At this meeting approval for the First Smeal Snorkel and a US Tanker, PumperTanker identical to the one Peotone Fire Department has on order. Aksum Fire Dept is a serious buyer for the old Engine 3 and Chebanse Fire Department is looking to buy the old US Tanker. F.O.I.A. Can obtain the records of said meeting. Speculation is the summer stint at the Joliet Raceway will allow for Smeal to receive full NFPA1901-2016 approval.
#4 by Brian on January 6, 2016 - 7:24 PM

A straight stick to replace the tower? No more need for a tower?
#5 by MABAS 19 on January 6, 2016 - 4:51 PM

a pumper/tanker is in the works and a new truck 107 FT
#6 by Dennis on January 6, 2016 - 3:42 PM

My bet for the Smeal snorkel is Carol Stream but it will be used at The Chicagoland Speedway for the 2016 race season so at least we will get to see it fairly soon.
#7 by Brian on January 6, 2016 - 2:44 PM

If Frankfort has placed orders that is cool, who is building the “second rig”. I heard rumors of an 85 foot snorkel and a Pumper/Tanker similar to Beecher.
#8 by MABAS 19 on January 6, 2016 - 1:04 PM

Just saying a Frankfort rig WILL be at FDIC not sure witch one as they have 1-2 on order
#9 by Ted on January 6, 2016 - 12:33 PM

It is going to a northern suburb, I guess you will all have to wait until FDIC…..
#10 by Bill Post on January 3, 2016 - 12:34 AM

Your point is well taken DMc77. Yes Matt apparently that was a power saw and not a spreader or a hydraulic extrication device that I saw in the rear cabinet of Evergreen Park Engine 51. Thanks for the clarification.
#11 by Tom on January 2, 2016 - 11:16 PM

I think either Willmette or Franklin Park.
#12 by Matt on January 2, 2016 - 10:32 PM

In Evergreen Park, the ladder carries the extrication equipment, the engines have a tray for tools and hose
#13 by DMc77 on January 2, 2016 - 6:54 PM

I can’t see Libertyville purchasing a third aerial apparatus, and I also don’t think Knollwood, Lake Bluff, or Lake Forest would be able to afford such a specialized piece (nowadays) of equipment, when a 75′ quint can do so much more than a 55′ Snorkel. There are (3) 75′ quints in the immediate area of those departments (LBVL, KNWD & HIWD) if the need for a shorter-than-100′-rearmount aerial apparatus in needed.

And if this mystery Snorkel is indeed going to a suburb of Chicago, don’t you think word would have gotten out of what dept. made/is making the purchase? Just because it is black over red doesn’t mean its already spoken for in the Chicago metro area.
#14 by Bill Post on January 1, 2016 - 3:32 PM

Yes, Brian that Evergreen Park engine looks perfect. The specs would of course be somewhat different as far as the rear hosebed goes as apparently the Evergreen Park engine has a large cabinet for extrication tools. Even though the engines from E-One haven’t been ordered as of yet, this would be the first time since 1988 that Chicago has ordered new engines from E-One (aside from Engines 9 and 10). It really was looking like Chicago would be a 99% SpartanERV town. Chicago now finds itself in a similar situation to what it was in around 1999/2000, when due to desperate financial straits they started buying a few rigs from wherever they could be picked up. That’s when they bought Engine 23 and Tower Ladder 5 from ALF. The current E-One tower ladders on order to my understanding are an add-on to a Texas order that Chicago got a good deal on and are not part of a long term bidding process which is the way things are normally supposed to be done.
#15 by Brian on January 1, 2016 - 2:49 PM

I think if you look at the Evergreen Park engine that would be something CFD could work with
#16 by Bill Post on January 1, 2016 - 2:20 PM

Happy New Year. Keeping in mind that this thing of who is getting the new Smeal 55 foot Snorkel is just a guessing game, based on the hint that Ted has given whether it is accurate or not the fire departments that seem to best meet that description (south of North Chicago and east of 294) I think perhaps East of 94 or 294. The two fire departments most likely would be Knollwood or Lake Forest. I have doubts about Lake Bluff and I doubt it would be Wilmette , as they have 2 Tower Ladders. Either way well find out soon ehough.

As long as we’re talking about new fire Apparatus, I recently found out that the CFD’s contract with Spartan Crimson had expired and that the CFD is planning to order 2 or 3 E/One Engine companies which supposedly is from the E/One contract from the new E/One Engines (9 and 10) delivered to O’Hare Field. As the contract is still in effect for a few more years , it is my understand that the CFD would like to see if E/One would build some smaller “City Style” Engines in place of the O”Hare Field design rigs.
#17 by Rusty on December 31, 2015 - 7:03 PM

Wilmette?
#18 by Bill Post on December 31, 2015 - 3:11 PM

The theory of the Snorkel being purchased by Abbott Labs for Libertyville station 3 makes sense. Many fire departments had Snorkels (at one time) however as fire departments started getting strapped for cash and less Snorkels were being built, as well as increased use of the tower ladders you no longer saw Snorkels the way they once were. The logical thing would be that the new Snorkel would be a Quint where the rig would be used primarily as an engine company but could also be used as a truck or a Snorkel if needed.
As for Glenview, the Glenview Fire Department as it is today was two different fire departments when that Snorkel was purchased. The Snorkel was purchased by the Glenbrook Rural Fire Protection District consisted of today’s Glenview engines and Stations 7 and 8. The Snorkel ran out of Station 8 at 1901 Landwehr. Station 6 was the Town of Glenview’s fire station which was the only one that the town had. It was the recently torn down station 6 at 1815 Glenview road and it reality wasn’t that old however the land was sold to a major real estate and condo developer. The town had their own truck company. When the two fire departments were merged (around 1992) the new fire department only ran with one truck company and it was decided to run the truck out of Station 8 on Landwehr road. At that time Glenview was using a new straight aerial ladder so it was relocated from Station 6 to 8 and most of the time the Snorkel was a reserve apparatus to be used when needed.
Even today after new stations 13 and 14 were built instead of putting an Engine 14 in service Truck 8 was relocated to new Station 14 and it officially runs as a Quint when first-due and it runs village wide on structure fires and on pin-in accidents as the fire department’s only truck company.
#19 by MABAS 21 on December 31, 2015 - 2:00 PM

Glenview had a snorkel
#20 by Rob on December 31, 2015 - 12:44 PM

Libertyville Sta 1 is jump with the engine/tower, Sta 2 is 75ft quint.
#21 by Bob on December 31, 2015 - 12:13 PM

It’s probably going to Libertyville to cover station 3 and was probably purchased from Abbott labs for the village
#22 by Bob on December 31, 2015 - 12:12 PM

Libertyville also had a snorkel
#23 by Bob on December 31, 2015 - 12:07 PM

Could it be lake bluff or Knollwood
#24 by Rob on December 31, 2015 - 10:29 AM

I’m going to guess either Lake Forest or Antioch as both depts are black over red. They both have towers with Antioch up for sale. If I remember correctly it was posted with fire truck mall they are selling it for a smaller unit.
#25 by Ted on December 31, 2015 - 9:56 AM

The Snorkel is going to a Department I believe had one previously, and will be east of 294, and south of North Chicago
- #26 by mike on December 31, 2015 - 3:04 PM
  
  So what you’re saying is knollwood.
#27 by chris on December 30, 2015 - 6:33 PM

Algonquin, I think they are getting ride of their tower also
- #28 by mike on December 30, 2015 - 9:42 PM
  
  They are, but they’re replacing it with a quint.
#29 by thefiremang on December 30, 2015 - 4:02 PM

I’ll drop my two cents and say Huntley may get the snorkel, like I said just my two cents. Happy window licking. Lots of new apparatus hitting the suburbs.
#30 by Albert W Schlick III on December 30, 2015 - 1:02 PM

Come on Ted…don’t tease us! Tell us what you know!

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!
#31 by Ted on December 30, 2015 - 12:43 PM

the Smeal Snorkel in going to a northern burb,,,,
#32 by Tim on December 29, 2015 - 11:14 PM

Having worked on accident scenes with Frankfort fd I could see them using a snorkel as a squad as Frankfort doesn’t have a squad truck and new lenox has a snorkel so it does make sense that maybe the need for them to purchase one is there
#33 by Brian on December 29, 2015 - 6:36 PM

If Frankfort gets a snorkel it will likely be an 85 footer. Heard rumors of plans for this and some other apparatus restructuring
#34 by mike on December 27, 2015 - 10:36 AM

Not that they would do it but this would be a good purchase for Chicago. It doesn’t have a pump or tank on it and would probably just need a little work to make it set up for them.
#35 by Frank on December 27, 2015 - 8:15 AM

Frankfort is one of those towns where it seems like they have a little bit of everything maybe a snorkel is next
- #36 by Robert on December 29, 2015 - 5:51 PM
  
  Snorkel is not for them because I asked about it. An ff from Frankfort said no. But he said something might be in planning/building.
#37 by Michael M on December 27, 2015 - 4:02 AM

Maybe they do not have the staffing for it. Also they have a quint at Station 2. Didn’t they get a new Pierce Engine a year or two ago for Station 4?
- #38 by Robert on December 29, 2015 - 5:52 PM
  
  Maintenance is high for the tower ladder.
#39 by Drew Smith on December 27, 2015 - 1:09 AM

First, I am not sure how it was determined that Frankfort is getting a snorkel as nothing in this original post or any others on this website substantiate that position. IT IS ALL SPECULATION.

Second, there could be any number of reasons why a department decides to remove a particular piece of apparatus from its fleet: Cost of maintenance, reliability, inability to staff it, the apparatus does not have the features needed, it duplicates apparatus already owned or of its neighbors, and budget issues are among the many. While this particular apparatus is relatively new that does not preclude it from possibly being inappropriate for this department or from having had mechanical issues the department may not longer with to deal with. I have no idea what their reasoning is and don’t plan to ask them. I will say that I see it does not have a pump or tank and for many that’s OK but in the suburbs it’s hard enough to get an aerial, harder to staff it, and almost impossible to justify a rig that is not a multi-tasker.

We as the fire service can justify things all we want but until the elected/appointed officials determine our voice is correct AND the available finances support the plan they are just words on paper.
#40 by Martin Nowak on December 26, 2015 - 11:45 PM

It’s becoming too much to maintain this truck.
#41 by Chris Wolf on December 26, 2015 - 7:08 PM

I remember going up to Appleton to bring that truck home. I’ve been gone now for about five years due to a L.O.D. Disability. I can’t say whether it’s a money pit, as I’m not in the firehouse anymore. But I would agree with a comment below. I wouldn’t sacrifice a 100ft ladder for the 35 ft reach of a snorkel. I was at 6 fires that I can remember with that truck, and to the previous post on set backs, I couldn’t agree more. Some houses had 50-75 ft set backs in the neighborhoods that have 5-6 thousand sqft homes. I guess all things move forward. I feel fortunate to have had that rig with me for almost four years. Both at station 1 and then when it was moved to station 5. Loved working on it.
#42 by Rich on December 26, 2015 - 6:48 PM

Their get a snorkel?
#43 by Dan on December 26, 2015 - 5:15 PM

Glad the management of Frankfort will sacrifice the safety of the people living in town, so they can be the cool guys and get the newest piece of old outdated equipment that is out there. The snorkel will work real good with all the over 50 retirement buildings in town and all the set backs on houses. But hey on the plus side every buff will be there to get a picture. Wonder if they are going to sell tshirts?
#44 by Rich on December 26, 2015 - 4:17 PM

Did they get a new truck?
That truck was somewhat new. Why would you sell a good tower? Or was a p.o.s???
- #45 by mike on December 26, 2015 - 4:47 PM
  
  Maybe we found out where the Smeal snorkel is going now