New squad for Schaumburg (more) « chicagoareafire.com

New squad for Schaumburg (more)

updated production photos of the new Squad 55 being built by Pierce for Schaumburg

Pierce photo

Tags: fire truck being built, new engine for Schaumburg, new squad for Schaumburg, Pierce job number 30929, Pierce Manufacturing, Schaumburg Fire Department

This entry was posted on November 14, 2017, 3:30 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, Fire truck being built. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

10 Comments (and one trackback)

#1 by Scott on November 20, 2017 - 4:42 PM

Schaumburg no longer has the 135′ ladder. It has been MANY years since the last one. The trucks in Schaumburg have a standard compliment of 2 each for the majority of the year. If they go out of town for a MABAS alarm they will take 4 by taking a rig down or moving manpower to get the 4.

When Squad 55 moved into the new house that was built for them, Schaumburg did eliminate an engine company. The Meacham station had 2 engs, now just 1. The squad was always a true heavy squad, and when they where moving to the new house it became a pumper squad and 55A has most of the MABAS Div 1 tech rescue equipment (as well as a small amount of hazmat equipment). Squad 55A also received financial support from MABAS Div 1 to be the primary MABAS tech rescue vehicle.
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#2 by Rich on November 17, 2017 - 9:02 PM

Schaumburg is one of the BEST FIRE Department’s in the area!!!!
#3 by Tyler Tobolt on November 17, 2017 - 12:51 PM

Bill, Schaumburg runs with 4 guys on Squad 55.
#4 by Bill Post on November 17, 2017 - 6:12 AM

Thanks for the information Sebastian. Does the squad run with three or four? Skokie runs with three on the engines, trucks, and squads. Skokie Squad 18 and Rescue 17 are pumper squads. Rescue 17 is scheduled to be getting a new apparatus. The current one is a 1999, long wheelbase Pierce. I don’t know if the new one will be as long. It runs as the second engine out of Station 17 and does have some squad and truck equipment which includes ground ladders which is why it is longer. The current Squad 18 (a 2007 Pierce) is quite a bit shorter than even the previous Squad 18, however the body is a little taller and it has a built-in deckgun. Both the squad and the rescue truck (as it used to be called) ran with four until Ambulance 17 was put in service with the new Station 17 in 2003. They took the 4th man off Squad 18 and Rescue Truck 17 in order to staff Ambulance 17 without increasing the payroll. That’s also when they took the ALS equipment off of Rescue 17 and dropped the designation rescue truck even though they were running with the same apparatus. It really runs more as an engine than a truck.

It is interesting that the relatively new chief in Skokie left and is now chief of the Schaumburg Fire Department. I understand that former Chief Walter was responsible for changing Skokie’s apparatus paint scheme from white over red to red with black trim. I actually preferred the white over red paint scheme. Maybe he can convince Schaumburg to run with three-man truck companies. He just became Schaumburg’s chief this past July so I doubt if he was responsible for ordering the new squad.
#5 by CrabbyMilton on November 17, 2017 - 6:01 AM

You said it all Bill. Why people would get upset about a squad like that having 2 axles is silly. They didn’t flip a coin or draw cards when they were specing this thing. One axle would be too much for it because of the weight.
If they had speced it with one axle, someone would have screamed about that too with one axle being overloaded and how stupid they were for not doubling it.
It always goes back to the crowd that always says that FD’s and PD’s spend to much when in fact equipment is needed in order to carry out the mission people demand. So sadly, people on our side often give them fuel for their fire.
#6 by Sebastian on November 17, 2017 - 3:10 AM

Bill, schaumburg has 2 man truck companies. I’ve
Seen them run on more than a few occasions with
Two. Especially truck 52.
#7 by Bill Post on November 16, 2017 - 10:00 PM

Yes, Rich I totally agree with you about the Schaumburg Fire Department. There is no question that they are one of best equipped and also one of the luckiest fire departments in the Chicago metropolitan area.They are lucky in more ways then one. They are one of only two suburban fire departments that had been running with 135-foot aerial ladders (the other being Naperville). Also they haven’t taken companies out of service as they continue to run with what is in effect five engine companies and two truck companies that are staffed. Even Naperville has taken a few engines and one truck out of service. Now all of Naperville’s truck houses run without an engine. They run as quints. A few years ago they had four trucks but now they are down to three which is still pretty impressive for a suburban department. They also have a pumper/squad. Another way that Schaumburg is lucky is they don’t run with jump companies which many suburban departments are doing. A few of Chicago’s suburbs can’t even afford to run with full-time trucks. It’s like playing Russian Roulette as to whether you’ll be getting a truck on a still alarm in some places. Skokie is another one of those very few suburbs that run with two pumper/squads in addition to three full-time engines and two staffed trucks.
Schaumburg runs with 3-man engines and trucks as some suburbs have 2-man companies.
#8 by Rich on November 16, 2017 - 6:58 PM

One of only few departments that have FULLY MANNED SQUAD!!!! Great job Schaumburg. I’ve always like Schaumburg Fire Department!!!!!
#9 by Anonymous on November 16, 2017 - 11:36 AM

To clear things up

“The reason the new Rescue Pumper will be equipped with tandem axles is primarily for weight carrying capacity. The single rear axle and suspension on the old squad is only rated for 31,000 lbs. The weight of the equipment, water (600) gallons, and personnel approaches maxed out load capacity. The new tandem axle squad will be rated at 48,000 lbs capacity. Granted, we sacrifice some turning radius, but this has been deemed to be minimal and acceptable.

Over the last 10 years the Fire Department has been required to carry more equipment to accomplish their job tasks in the field. Carrying this much weight down the road and stopping is very tough on the vehicle. Replacing the single-axle with tandem-axle squads has allowed us to perform to expectations.”
#10 by Hunter on November 14, 2017 - 10:57 PM

Nice squad. Can’t wait to see it done and put on the new website