As seen around … Oak Lawn « chicagoareafire.com

As seen around … Oak Lawn

From Dennis McGuire, Jr.

Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo

Tags: Dennis McGuire Jr., Oak Lawn FD Squad 1, Oak Lawn FIre Department

This entry was posted on October 2, 2017, 11:00 AM and is filed under Fire Truck photos. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

9 Comments

#1 by Matt on October 3, 2017 - 2:55 PM

The bed has a slide out tray that carries some cribbing and chocks, fire extinguishers and some hand tools.

Note that the Mutual Aid is often returned to Oak Lawn many times with the 100ft aerials both east and west of the town and manpower from other neighboring departments.
#2 by John on October 3, 2017 - 2:39 PM

Inside pics of the bed?
#3 by mike mc on October 3, 2017 - 1:42 PM

Yes, it is a shame but the rap on the old Pierce Lance (and before that a converted WLF engine) was that it went to too many incidents outside of the city and even the MABAS Division limits. The Oak Lawn chief about 20 years ago once complained to me that they were “out on another Robbins box alarm for a trailer park fire”.

I always thought that towns fortunate enough to have a fully staffed squad or even a truck (there aren’t that many when you really think about it) would want that company to respond to as many working fires as possible so they could be as proficient as possible. What are the odds of two working fires in the same division at the same time? But that is not how mayors, city managers, and council members view it.

Another possible reason for keeping the squad in it’s current condition, and I’ve mentioned this before, is because it can be easily sacrificed as part of a budget reduction – assuming no legal battles with the union.
#4 by MABAS 21 on October 3, 2017 - 11:28 AM

Jim, I agree and disagree with you. Yes it may help the citizens of Oak Lawn by responding to more runs in town, it is nothing more than a glorified EMS chase rig. Growing up in the former First Fire District, I remember both of the past Squad 1’s, the Pierce Lance and the WLF. This company was the pride of the OLFD. Initially it served as a manpower squad on working fires and a heavy rescue for advanced extrications. Since the fire service evolved, it also became a key vehicle for the MABAS Division 21 TRT and HAZMAT teams, carrying specialized equipment. Even though it worked out of town more than in town, as we know, this is the concept of Mutual Aid. With the “changing of the guard” and being awarded a substantial grant, the OLFD decided to place Squad 1 in reserve and purchase/operate Truck 3, the beautiful E-One 110′, as a heavy rescue/truck. Under pressure of the village administration, the current chief got rid of Truck 3, Squad 1 and Engine 27 for a 75′ useless quint. After the village Administration lost numerous court battles to uphold the minimum manpower, it was decided to run a spare engine in place of the squad. After getting the crap beat out of it with tons of mileage, the department administration decided to take Service 21, which this is formally known as, and run it as the current Squad 1. So based upon this history, I could see why so many people are upset and call it embarrassing, especially with it’s very limited capabilities. And one other thing to consider, yes it may have worked out of town more than in town, that was dependable, reliable manpower that you could always count on to get the job done on any fireground in our area, with some of the best talent on it.
#5 by Jim on October 3, 2017 - 9:36 AM

While I agree with you that this squad 1 is not what many of us remember, why is this one embarrassing? This one goes on many more runs than the old, doing what it is supposed to do, helping the citizens of Oak Lawn. Prior to this, the citizens of Oak Lawn paid for a squad that did more work out of town than in town. What made the old squad 1 so legendary is the firefighters that were assigned to it. Some of them are still around but many have retired. The politicians don’t control our love for the job or desire to help people so we shouldn’t allow them to.
#6 by Big Moe on October 2, 2017 - 10:06 PM

E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-I-N-G!!!!! Can’t they call it Utility 1 or some other name. The legacy of Squad 1 deserves more than this political sham. I would bid off of that ASAP.
#7 by Mike H on October 2, 2017 - 9:18 PM

Politics ruin everything (it was retired under the past/Heilmann administration). The current Squad 1 is an unfunny joke. How embarrassing is right. That 1991 Pierce Lance still could have been in service today (if it wasn’t for village hall and those boneheads).
#8 by Rich on October 2, 2017 - 8:03 PM

Mike I agree with you. Oak lawn was one of the first with heavy rescue squad in the area. What shame and embarrassing moment. I that department history. ALL the past men that tire squad 1!!!!
#9 by Mike on October 2, 2017 - 4:52 PM

How embarrassing. What was once a do all and well respected squad company has been turned into a joke of a vehicle thanks to the idiots running the village.