This from Eric Haak:
Here are some images of a fire that Chicago had at 118th and Halsted at 0900 hrs on Saturday morning (5/14). There was heavy fire from the 2.5-story frame on arrival and the fire was boxed within a minute of the first companies landing. These views were taken over a half hour in. Most of the fire was knocked down but I did get an opportunity to shoot the newly numbered Tower Ladder 34. Lighting and rig positioning were not optimal but good enough. It had also been a while since I had seen Engine 115 who are now apparently in a newly numbered spare. You can see the numbering on 115’s door is not nearly as big as a normal rig. Don’t know how long they have been in D588.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
#1 by BIll Post on May 17, 2016 - 3:56 AM
Eric who were the box engines and the RIT truck? I know that the normal still engines were 115 and 75, while the still trucks should have been 27 and 24. The 3rd engine should have been 62 so who was the 4th engine? Was the tower set up when you arrived or did you get to the scene ahead of them?
An in house study the CFD had done in 1986 recommended that Engine 115 stay at it’s present location however the study amongst other recommendations, had suggested that a new station be built at 115th and Emerald Avenue for Truck 24 and an engine company to be relocated from further into the city such as Engine 103. That proposed new station would have been less then three blocks from the fire you were at. Of course most of the recommendations in that study were not followed even though they were made by people within the Chicago Fire Department which had called for four new stations to be built on the far south side. Three of the four would have been built in the 22nd Battalion and the 4th would have been built in the 24th Battalion.
#2 by Eric Haak on May 17, 2016 - 6:26 AM
Bill, they were 62 and 120. Not sure who was RIT. The tower was set up and flowing before I arrived which was almost exactly a half hour after 115 landed.
#3 by Bill Post on May 16, 2016 - 3:27 PM
I agree that it’s good to see Tower 34 in their “new” regular rig as opposed to their 30-year-old spare. Speaking of rigs and the far south side, if you have noticed (which I have mentioned previously) the 22nd Battalion (where this fire was located) has been getting quite a few fires for a while now and it definitely is where a lot of the work is occuring in the new fifth district. The fact that the 22nd Battalion is so far south and gets a good share of workers makes the case that another tower ladder should be put in service on the far south side. Truck 40 is a good candidate for one now that they are in a new station. For the same reason a good case can be made for a new squad company on the far south side such as at Engine 122’s quarters. For those who are not familiar with the history of Chicago’s current squad/Snorkels, Engine 122 is where the current Squad 5 was originally put in service in September of 1983 when today’s squad companies were assigned Snorkels. The number of squads in city was reduced from 6 to 3 which doesn’t include Squad 7 at O’Hare. Engine 122’s house is ideally located as it is only a block east of the Dan Ryan Expressway which allows it to get around quicker and it is also much closer to the 23rd Battalion which gets a pretty good share of workers. Four years later (December 1987) Squad 5 was relocated further north to it’s current quarters. Just as there are four command vans in the city there should be four squads as they both respond on confirmed working fires. There are two command vans on the south side (because the south side is so large) and there should ideally be a second squad there as well.
There is somewhat of an irony in that the locations where today’s squad/Snorkels were initially put in service were actually in better overall locations for getting around the city than today. Squad 1 was put in service at Engine 5’s station, Squad 2 went in service with Engine 106, and Squad 5 with Engine 122. All three of those houses are located within two blocks of Chicago’s expressway system. From a strategic point of view the three squads were more centrally located for the area of the city that they were supposed to cover. Engine 106 can cover both the northeast and the northwest sides of the city while Engine 5’s house is in a good location to cover the Loop and the west side and Engine 122’s house is well situated to cover the south side.
Once again the south side is so large that there really should be a second squad there.
As it isn’t very likely that another squad will be put in service, it would make sense to have several strategically placed truck companies around the city with some additional extrication gear such as airbags and battery operated Hurst tools that is normally carried only on the squads. These could be designated as heavy extrication trucks be located on the far ends of the city furthest from the squads so that it wouldn’t be that long of a wait if the heavy extrication equipment was needed.
#4 by Eric Haak on May 16, 2016 - 6:49 AM
Thanks Fleet-guy. I always wondered why they didn’t do that before. As a photographer, it is always disappointing to see the spare because years later you forget what company was in it. I know that is a petty, non-fire related thing but I am always looking at things from a photo aspect. From a tactical aspect, I guess it would be a good idea too. There have been many fires that I have been on where the first three engines on a still and box are all in spares. I guess it would make things easier to identify who is where in those cases. I noticed a spare the other day that had an old “107” removed from the door but it was not an original “107” rig. It looked like the “107” had been added to a spare to identify it and then they had a hard time getting it off the door. Just an observation.
#5 by Michael M on May 15, 2016 - 11:44 PM
Rear drivers side compartment of Engine 115
#6 by Michael M on May 15, 2016 - 11:44 PM
What equipment is in the rear driver side compartment?
#7 by Michael m on May 15, 2016 - 8:12 PM
What happened to 115s main rig? Was it in a accident?
#8 by Michael m on May 15, 2016 - 8:10 PM
Nice to see Tower 34 not in their 30year old rig! Hope they stay away from the viaducts!
#9 by Fleet-guy on May 15, 2016 - 1:56 PM
Eric, there is a new program started in CFD. If u have noticed lately the Spare’s apparatus numbers (E-251, D-588) ect have been remove off of the doors. They have been replaced with a steel plate painted red. This is for the magnetic Company number used when that company is in a spare. Part of the change out will be to report to air mask to receive the numbers.
#10 by Crabby Milton on May 15, 2016 - 7:55 AM
Nice shot of 115.