This from Eric Haak:
Here are some images taken at Chicago’s second still and box alarm on Saturday morning (12/28). This came in at the same time that companies were working at the box on 48th Place. It was interesting to see Squad 1 working at 112th and State Street.
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
Eric Haak photo
#1 by MABAS 21 on December 31, 2019 - 10:35 AM
Thank you Bill! That is an excellent account of the basic history of the squad companies. Honestly, I had no idea where a large number of those past squad companies were ever housed. Perhaps in the near future when you have more time, you can enlighten all of us with a more thorough history. Thanks again! Happy New Year!
#2 by Bill Post on December 31, 2019 - 4:01 AM
Mabas 21 here are the squad locations in reverse chronological order with some history.
The first three squads were put in service on January 15th 1913. Their function was to serve as manpower units specifically to man extra hose lines from the engines that they followed on still alarms. The original designation of the squadmen in 1913 were pipemen so there was no question as to their job on the scene of a fire.
From the beginning, squads were motorized so they were able to follow their engine companies quickly, as most of the engines were still pulled by horses. It wasn’t until February 5th 1923 that Engine 11, the last horse-drawn fire apparatus was taken out of service.
Squad 1 went in service at 85 E Washington which was Engine 32 and Truck 9s quarters. Squad 2 went in service at 114 N Aberdeen with Engine 34. They were there until 1964. Squad 3 went in service in Engine 48’s quarters at 4005 N Dearborn.
As it is very late I am just going to give you the final locations of the squads when they officially were taken out of service.
The final location of the squads.
Squad 1 228 W Illinois with Engine 42.
Squad 2 324 S Desplaines with Engine 5.
Squad 3 5349 S Wabash with Engine 61.
Squad 4 1219 W Gunnison with Engine 83.
Squad 5 8701 S Escanaba with Engine 87.
Squad 6 2179 N Stave with Engine 43.
Squad 7 2858 W Fillmore with Engine 66.
Squad 8 1401 S Michigan with Engine 104 and Truck 31.
Squad 9 5259 S Wood with Engine 116.
Squad 10 522 W Webster with Engine 22.
Squad 11 4835 N Lipps with Engine 108, Truck 23, Battalion 22, and Amb 7.
Squad 12 8120 S Ashland with Engine 129, Truck 50, and Division 7.
Squad 13 330 W 104 St with Engine 93.
Mabas 21 I have much more information about locations and dates and in many cases the reasons for relocations. These are the last places that the original squads were in service.
Squads 1 and 2 became Salvage Squads 1 and 2, and Salvage Squad 1 continued using Squad 1’s 1954 classic Auto Car squad. Salvage Squad 2 was usually assigned a 1956 International Harvester former high-pressure wagon with a deck gun.
On September 30, 1968 Salvage Squad 2 was relocated to Engine 24 at 2447 W Warren. Salvage Squad 1 was relocated to Engine 5 where Salvage Squad 2 was previously. On that day and also on October 1st 1968 Salvage Squads 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 went in service with one in each of the seven fire divisions. That is why Salvage Squads 1 and 2 were relocated.
The squads have an interesting history.
#3 by MABAS 21 on December 31, 2019 - 12:30 AM
Bill, would you be able to list a rundown of all 13 squads to where they were located? Thanks in advance.
#4 by Bill Post on December 30, 2019 - 11:06 PM
Thanks Mike Mc.
It probably was in the late 50s or early 60s that the squads had their still districts extended. I understand that squads with large districts at the outskirts of the city didn’t always respond to the far ends until a new policy was introduced which had them dispatched on stills throughout their full districts.
I wonder when other cities began dispatching second companies. I know that New York City was sending three engines and two trucks on most of their structure fires for years. Even telephoned alarms were dispatched by the nearest box number so every fire alarm would get a full box alarm response. In the 50s and most of the 60s that consisted of three engines, two ladders and a battalion chief.
#5 by Mike Mc on December 30, 2019 - 10:39 PM
Thanks for the historical info Bill. I’m pretty sure the second engine on a still started in either 1961 or 1962 after a fire near Midway airport got out of control because the only responding engine was trained by a long freight.
#6 by Bill Post on December 30, 2019 - 9:06 PM
When Chicago ran with the 13 original squad companies, 6 of them were on the south side, 2 on the west side, 1 was in the loop, and 4 were north. Of course you would only get one truck on a still alarm and from what I understand the practice of sending two engines began in the mid to late 1950s. As there were so many squads one was due on the still, a second on the 2-11, and third on the 3-11 alarm. Any additional squads would have to be special called.
The first squad to go was Squad 12 from Engine 129’s house which was to taken out of service in 1964 so they would have enough men to put Truck 62 in service at Engine 80’s new house. Squad 7 was the next to go on May 16th 1965 in order to make room for Snorkel Squad 3 in Squad 7 and Engine 66’s old house at 2858 W Fillmore.
When the three Snorkel squads were in service they would all be due on the same 2-11 alarms citywide. It was normal to have five squads on a 2-11 alarm and six on a 3-11. The reason why all of the Snorkel squads were due on the same extra alarm fires is because they were the only companies with the latest SCBAs and power saws. They were also the only companies with multi-versals.
The Chicago Fire Department didn’t start giving K12 power saws to truck companies until 1967 and in the same years they started giving multi-versals to some of the engines. Most of the engines and trucks weren’t given SCBAs until the late 70’s and it took some time for them to all be equipped.
Most of the remaining squads were taken out of service in mid to late 1967 with the exception of Squads 1 and 2. They became Salvage Squads 1 and 2 in late 1966 early 1967 and Squads 4 and 9 became Salvage Squads 3 and 7 in October 1968. Snorkel Squads 2 and 3 were taken out of service in May of 1969 however by then they had been re-designated as Rescue Squads 2 and 3 because they no longer were had operable Snorkels.
#7 by Tim on December 29, 2019 - 4:14 PM
That’s a long run for Squad 1. The southside companies all thought to themselves “Get these Downtown Prima Donnas outta here.” Prima donnas was not the words they used. 🙂