New buggy for Chicago FD Paramedic Field Chief 4-5-9

This from Danny Nelms:

The new 4-5-9, B641

Rich O’Connell photo

Tags: all red Ford Explorer for the Chicago FD, Chicago FD EMS Field Officer 4-5-9, Chicago FD Paramedic Field Chief 4-5-9, Chicago Paramedic Field Chief 4-5-9, fire department Ford Explorer, Rich O'Connell

This entry was posted on July 29, 2020, 3:30 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, New Delivery. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

12 Comments

#1 by Bill Post on August 2, 2020 - 3:00 AM

So Craig if the rumor is correct it would mean that Engine 121 would house two ambulances as Ambulance 79 is currently there. It still would be better than running with two or three out of 115’s house. Ambulance 29’s current house has Ambulance 72, 79, and 60 all within a mile and a half.
#2 by Craig Mack on August 1, 2020 - 8:46 AM

The other rumor is A29 is going to E121s house. That way the residents can’t complain as much about how far their ambulance is being moved.
#3 by Jack on July 31, 2020 - 9:05 PM

@bill Ambulance 76 was originally supposed to go to engine 4s house since they have the room for it. That area can use an ambulance because ambulance 11 and 43 are constantly going to runs in that area.But some alderman in the southside complained and 76 was moved there. It’s rumored that ambulance 76 might go to engine 4 when that new station is built because it does not make sense running 3 ambulances out of there.
#4 by Bill Post on July 31, 2020 - 5:37 PM

To get off the subject of the color of the buggies, it’s good to see that they added another EMS field supervisor. I know that 459 is at Engine 46’s house, and considering that five new ambulances were added to the fleet over the last year it was definitely needed.

As most people on this site know, hopefully by the end of the summer Engine 115’s new house will be opened. Last year in Chicago’s press release, they mentioned the new station will be the second largest in the city, but it also mentioned that the station will three ambulances. I know that doesn’t necessarily mean a thing as it is more likely that those ambulance could be spread out rather. The three ambulances they are talking about are most likely Ambulance 76 from Engine 115’s quarters, Ambulance 5 from Engine 75, and Ambulance 29 from Truck 24.

I’ve heard that there isn’t room for an ambulance with Engine 62 and Truck 27. It is a fact that for years Ambulance 5 had been quartered with there when they still ran with a tillered aerial ladder and the old 17th Battalion. What happened to the space for the ambulance? Did they shorten one the apparatus bays sometime ago? It doesn’t make sense to have three ambulances in 115’s new house in the southwest corner of the battalion when there are many EMS runs on the the east side in Engine 62’s district. Perhaps space can be made for Ambulance 5 in Engine 62’s house even if it means enlarging one of the bays. It’s true that when Ambulance 5 was there it wasn’t a paramedic van, but it was a Cadillac ambulance with a high roof, so there should be space for an ambulance. Ambulance 5 was there for 17 years from April 1 1949 til March 23rd 1966.
#5 by Rich s. on July 30, 2020 - 8:51 PM

Fleet does not care about our tradition. Not one bit. $3500 a buggy adds up for their check book. That’s the bottom line period.
#6 by FFPMTOM on July 30, 2020 - 8:28 PM

That’s kind of a BS answer they gave about wrapping the roofs in black. You just do it before you add the antennas and light bars. All the black and white squad cars in the suburbs are wraps.
#7 by crabbymilton on July 30, 2020 - 6:12 AM

Even after 10 years being out of production, I still miss the CROWN VICTORIA but I guess if this thing works for police, it seems to be fine for this too. The wheel choice makes sense. Why not just plain steel since aluminum adds to the cost. Wouldn’t even need wheel covers just have the steel wheels painted red too.
#8 by harry on July 29, 2020 - 10:23 PM

nice to see that they are still getting the explorer but why those ugly full wheel covers any new bc suv
#9 by Danny on July 29, 2020 - 8:19 PM

i asked about the leasing and was told that it was not the case it was a cost decision by fleet as apparently ford charges 3500 per unit to paint the roof black. and they apparently tried to wrap the roofs and couldnt around the antennas and wiring for the lights
#10 by Marty Coyne on July 29, 2020 - 7:17 PM

The last batch of red only were leased. Then they bought some black and red. Not sure if leasing is again the reason.
#11 by Pj on July 29, 2020 - 6:23 PM

There are some things that are more important than cost. Tradition being one of those things. CFD is black over red and that should not be negotiable. When we compromise on our tradition we jeopardize our history.
#12 by MABAS 21 on July 29, 2020 - 6:16 PM

Back to solid red again?