This from Josh Boyajian:
Wednesday afternoon, the MFAO gave out a water response to 33rd and Kedzie for a person that jumped off the bridge. Battalion 14 arrived on scene and confirmed the incident. I arrived about 5 min after the initial call came in. Crews were throwing ladders down the side of the bridge to the bank of the canal. Within 10 minutes, Squad 1, 6-8-7, and 6-8-1 arrived with divers ready to go. Dive Coordinator 6-8-6 directed Helicopter 6-8-1 and it’s divers into the last known spot where the person went in. 6-8-1 deployed two divers, and within a couple minutes, found the victim and brought him ashore.
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
Josh Boyajian photo
#1 by Westside on August 27, 2016 - 6:21 PM
LT501, Yes it is E23s old rig. the pump was removed and a pass thru/tunnel box installed. it serves as a spare for the Squads.
#2 by Bill Post on August 26, 2016 - 10:53 AM
Those are great shots, especially the ones of the helicopter hovering over the water.
The Chicago Fire Department’s original helicopter, which went in service in 1965 and was known by the radio signature of 441, was equipped with large pontoons so it could land on the water. Since the CFD’s helicopters are regularly used on the lake and for water rescues, I wonder why they haven’t equipped at least one of the current helicopters with pontoons.
I’m sure that there are some on this site who remember the original Model M476-4a Bell Helicopter with the transparent bubble cockpit. It couldn’t carry more than 2 or 3 people and any victim would have to be strapped into a stokes basket secured on the outside.
The late Fire Commissioner Robert J Quinn used it to place apparatus around large extra alarm fires. During the time period from 1965 through the early 70’s, all of the CFD apparatus had their numbers in large orange letters on the vehicle’s roof so they could be seen from the air.
When Helicopter 442 was first put in service in 1968 with a Bell Jet Ranger (without pontoons) they were dispatching it on expressway accidents to be used as an air ambulance. That turned out to be an experiment that ended after a year or two. The police would have to block traffic and secure a landing zone first.
#3 by Otis on August 25, 2016 - 5:47 PM
Nice Green light. Missed opportunity with the grill light.
#4 by LT501 on August 25, 2016 - 4:49 PM
I noticed an ALF Eagle in the last photo, parked behind the Scuba Team’s Truck. Any idea which CFD Company is using it? Is it the spare Squad (Engine 23’s old rig) ?
#5 by Matt on August 25, 2016 - 1:04 PM
6-8-7 is a Sterling Acterra/ALF Rescue Master
Sterling was the Ford heavy truck business before being sold to Freightliner and Daimler. It is no longer in business.
Rescue Master was a division of Medic Master, also bought by Freightliner and became a part of ALF .. and I think we all know what happened with ALF
This was purchased shortly after the two haz-mats
#6 by David on August 25, 2016 - 9:57 AM
Bill, if you mean the Sterling on the last photo, it’s from around 2003 or 2004, I think the company which produced these trucks is even out of business for a few years now.
#7 by Bill on August 25, 2016 - 7:13 AM
IS that a new Dive Truck?