Several area photographers were on hand when the CFD debuted the new squad apparatus today at Northerly Island.
Chicago FD debuts new squad apparatus by Rosenbauer America. Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
there will be more on this …
#1 by Bill Post on December 19, 2016 - 12:38 PM
Thanks for the information Rich S.
#2 by Rich S. on December 19, 2016 - 9:15 AM
The coffin boxes, on the top of the rear of the rig on either side of the boom. They are in the way of the boom in that the boom needs to be completely vertical in order to be used so as not to hit the boxes. In order to be removed it would cost $100,000 and there is no money to do this. I personally don’t understand how this issue gets by the inspection portion of the build but we are now stuck with these rigs as is. so yeah…..
#3 by Marty Coyne on December 19, 2016 - 4:42 PM
They’re on the original plans from three years ago. How did the city spec or accept those specs? If the city did spec them the builder isn’t going to absorb the cost to fix.
#4 by Jacob on December 8, 2016 - 1:06 AM
What are the issues with the “snorkels” that won’t get fixed?
#5 by Rich S. on December 7, 2016 - 7:31 PM
during delivery squad 5’s box hit a pole in a toll booth and needed to be fixed. work was done at the shops and it’s already repaired.
#6 by 9 man squad on December 7, 2016 - 6:28 PM
what was wrong with squad 5’s box
#7 by Bill Post on December 7, 2016 - 10:58 AM
Rich I am sure that you’re correct that the FAA’s basic requirements are to see that there is foam and water that can reach each part of the field within a few minutes. As long as that requirement is met the CFD can use some of the rigs for special calls or responses off the field if needed.
Thanks for the information fire guy. I believe that the alarm office sent Tower 63 on the box to 5441 River Road several years ago because they were only a few minutes away from the scene. Whether they will normally dispatch it there as the box tower ladder I really am not sure.
#8 by FD guy on December 7, 2016 - 9:22 AM
Tower 63
Battalion 13
2-7-3
do not have a off airport response district
#9 by Rich S. on December 7, 2016 - 6:39 AM
While I’m not assigned to the airport I believe FAA regulations do not account for the tower ladder or the squad. It’s more about the ability to reach each part of the airport with water and foam in a certain amount of time. So the squad and tower leave the field regularly. I also believe one engine may leave the field as well although they don’t really do this too much. At this time there is no money in the budget for new 5-1-2 or 5-1-1. Squad 5’s new box rig has already been repaired and the shops are working on the alterations to what is now wanted or was overlooked at time of spec…… There are some issues with the “snorkel” rigs that looks like will NOT be addressed due to $$$.
#10 by Fred M on December 6, 2016 - 10:41 AM
Thanks Bill. All we need to do now is wait until they are deployed and get feedback from the Co’s as to how they like them !
#11 by Bill Post on December 5, 2016 - 5:12 PM
Fred M I don’t know the details as to what the CFD did to get permission for off field responses for O’Hare companies however I do know that it has been in effect for a long time. The CFD has been using a Foam Task Force response since at least the 1990’s and perhaps the late 1980’s. The Foam Task Force consists of one ARFF unit, one O’Hare engine company, and Squad 7. The Foam Task Force has responded all over the city. I can think of at least three major incidents that they were called out on. A gas station that caught fire while it was being refueled one evening near the 4400 block of West Fullerton, an electrical vault fire around Wacker and Clark, and a tanker fire on the Dan Ryan near 47th Street are just a few that I can think of. Squad 7 is also on running cards for nearby suburban mutual aid. They respond into Des Plaines on box alarms.
In Engine 11’s still district which is west of Harlem, several years ago there was an extra alarm fire in high-rise at 5441 N River Road. Tower Ladder 63 was dispatched as the first-due tower ladder on the still and box and Squad 7 was due on the still. So apparently if the runs are nearby then some of the companies normally respond off the field.
Here is an interesting story about the former policy at Midway Airport. I don’t know if you know much about the CFD’s history at Midway but before they were using their current station which opened on March 8, 1991, the old Midway fire station was at 5837 S Central. It was officially opened as Engine 118’s quarters on August 3, 1949. The house had Engine 118, Cardox Crash Unit 1, and a few months later Truck 54 and Ambulance 12 were put in service there as new companies. The engine, truck and ambulance would respond both on and off the field until September 5, 1957 when new FAA regulations forbade both Engine 118 and Ambulance 12 from being dispatched off the airfield. Truck 54 was allowed off of the field.
Engine 127’s old quarters were located at 6411 S Central. It was only a block south of the western edge of the airport so Engine 127 took over the portion of Engine 118’s still district that was off of the airport. For EMS service in the neighborhoods surrounding Midway, the CFD put new Ambulance Company 19 in service on November 1, 1958 at Engine 127’s quarters. There were then two CFD ambulances only five blocks apart on Central Avenue. When Engine 32 and Truck 60’s new quarters were open December 21, 1959, the CFD relocated Ambulance 12 with them. Since the ambulance was no longer on the airport property, they were available for EMS calls in the surrounding neighborhoods. On the same day, Ambulance 19 was relocated to Engine 28’s house. Truck 54 was relocated to Engine 34’s new station when they opened on November 9, 1967 and Engine Company 118 was taken out of service on February 4, 1974.
#12 by Jason on December 5, 2016 - 1:45 PM
Aidan, Rich said that the squad needs repair for an accident during delivery. He already said it would be repaired. Common sense is not so common.
#13 by Fred M on December 5, 2016 - 10:57 AM
Thanks for the insight Bill P…..but Rich S brought up a interesting point….FAA funding….does it allow for Sq 7 to work within the city? Did the City get the ok from from the Fed’s to allow off field responses?
#14 by Rich on December 4, 2016 - 7:53 PM
What about 512? Is squad 7 going to become 512? What about the current 511 and 512? I don’t know just asking.
#15 by Rich S. on December 4, 2016 - 2:15 PM
Sebastian, they need to be gone over by the shops and all the company’s need to get trained on them. The shops are doing some alterations and tool mounts so probably not til after Christmas.
#16 by Aidan Hughes on December 4, 2016 - 1:57 PM
Are they going to repair Squad 5’s new box rig
#17 by Sebastian on December 4, 2016 - 7:01 AM
Does anyone know when these squads are actually going to be in service?? Feel like they keep hetting paraded around instead of hurring up and put them in service!!
#18 by Rich S. on December 3, 2016 - 8:33 PM
Squad 7’s Pierce was just completely rebuilt and the rumor is it may be renumbered and given to Haz Mat rig 5-1-2, if not it will remain a Squad 7 spare. It will not be used in the city proper due to the FAA funds that paid for it. And Aidan the Rosenbauer was involved in an accident while being delivered to us.
#19 by Jeff Webster on December 2, 2016 - 10:01 AM
Didn’t they just refurb Squad 7 Pierce? What will happen to this? Reserve only for O’Hare?
#20 by Bill Post on December 1, 2016 - 3:31 AM
Fred M, Squad 7 has been responding on the far northwest side for quite a while. It goes to pin in accidents on the Kennedy west of Harlem and I believe that it will also be dispatched as far east as Nagle. It normally responds as the first due Squad in Engine 11 and Engine 119’s district and on the west end of Engine 86’s district. It’s also due on MABAS box alarms in some of the suburbs surrounding the airport.
9 man Squad is correct. Squad 7 was first put in service on February 16, 1982 as Squad 6 using a 1975 Oshkosh/FMC pumper that had been retrofitted with a Snorkel around 1980/81. It was originally numbered as Engine 12. When it was made into a Snorkel squad, it was assigned a 1979 Chevy/E-One mini-pumper as it’s second piece. The mini-pumper was assigned to O’Hare and was numbered 153 before being assigned to the squad. When a new 6th District was formed on the south side September 2, 1982, Squad 6 was designated Squad 7. That was also on the same day most of the battalions were renumbered. Battalion 25 at O’Hare became Battalion 12.
Squad 7 at O’Hare actually predated the current Squads 1, 2, and 5 as Snorkel squads. The others didn’t go in service with Snorkels until September 19, 1983, about a year after Squad 7. That was before the CFD owned any tower ladders. Around the fall of 1988 Squad 7 was given a new Spartan/Supervac heavy rescue unit and the 1975/81 Oshkosh/FMC/Snorkel was taken out of service. Around the same time Truck 63 received a 1988 E-One tower ladder becoming Tower Ladder 63.
#21 by Aidan Hughes on November 30, 2016 - 8:11 PM
The HME or the Rosenbauer
#22 by Rich S. on November 30, 2016 - 4:26 PM
Hey guys, we don’t need another Squad down south most of Squad 5’s fires are in the 6th, 19th battalions. Squad 7 already has a “in city” response area. Don’t expect anything to change as far as response areas or additional Squads. We bought these rigs 4 years ago it just took rosenbaugher this long to get them done. And Fleet is already making modifications to these new rigs they will be in service after there done. Squad 5 needs body work already from an accident during delivery.
#23 by 9 man squad on November 30, 2016 - 3:49 PM
This is not the first time o’hare has had a snorkel. They formally had engine 12 with a Snorkel boom, that rig then became squad 7 before they got the 88 Spartan supervac.
#24 by Fred M on November 30, 2016 - 2:58 PM
Thanks for the shots Larry.
Bill P – do you know if the “plan” is to begin using Sq 7 in the city more?? Is this the first time O’Hare has had a SS Company assigned there??
#25 by Chris S on November 30, 2016 - 2:19 PM
So mad, I missed this yesterday by just a few minutes
#26 by John on November 30, 2016 - 2:15 PM
Bill Post.
Yessir, I agree. That would be a long overdue addition.
#27 by Gnarldtoad on November 30, 2016 - 12:13 PM
Sooooo the elephant in the room, when do they go into service and when does fleet start working on the the current units for reserves? Is the plan to have them under the tree on the morning of December 25th gift wrapped?
#28 by Bill Post on November 30, 2016 - 10:55 AM
Those are real fantastic shots. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rosenbauer uses them as publicity shots for advertising purposes.
John I would settle for one additional Squad on the far south side.
#29 by John on November 30, 2016 - 9:12 AM
When do they receive Squads 3,4, and 6?
I kid, I kid…
#30 by John on November 30, 2016 - 8:50 AM
Yes they look very nice lined up like that. I hope they work out and will be able to take the heavy work load the crews put on them. Nice job Larry Shapiro. John
#31 by CrabbyMilton on November 30, 2016 - 7:06 AM
Perfect pose as ready for battle.
#32 by ffpm571 on November 30, 2016 - 7:05 AM
Hey Chuck..I would think a professional photographer would know when and when not to use a polarizing filter…Go back to armchair buffing
#33 by Dan on November 30, 2016 - 3:58 AM
Just curious. Since Chicago is pretty much broke, where are they getting the money for the squads and other apparatus they have bought recently?
#34 by Chuck on November 30, 2016 - 12:38 AM
Nobody have a polarizing filter anymore?
#35 by Rich on November 29, 2016 - 7:15 PM
That’s an awsome picture. It would be nice the older squads do that.
#36 by tom foley on November 29, 2016 - 6:18 PM
Awesome photo op!
#37 by Aidan Hughes on November 29, 2016 - 5:42 PM
Wow! All these new squads sure look really awesome! I hope the crew likes them!