More Evanston Fire Department history and apparatus details from Phil Stenholm:
1924 Seagrave 85-ft TDA (Truck 1) at Fire Station #1 on Lake Street circa 1950 :
Bill Friedrich collection
The five new Pirsch rigs (Truck 21, Truck 22, Engine 21, Squad 21, and Engine 25) lined-up L-R at Fire Station #1 on Lake Street circa 1952:
Bill Friedrich collection
1951 Pirsch 85′ TDA (Truck 21 1951-68 and then Reserve Truck 23 1969-79) at Fire Station #3 on Central Street when it was the reserve truck in the 1970’s:
Bill Friedrich photo
1952 Pirsch 85-ft TDA (Truck 22 1952-79) after it was refurbished in 1969:
Bill Friedrich photo
1968 Pirsch Senior 100-ft TDA as Truck 22 in the 1980’s (was Truck 21 1969-79)
Bill Friedrich photo
1968 GMC / Pirsch tractor (ex-Aurora,CO) pulling refurbished 1952 Pirsch 85-ft ladder & trailer (Reserve Truck 23 in the 1980’s)
Bill Friedrich photo
1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM pumper (was Engine 21 1949-1952, then Engine 22 1952-66, then Reserve Engine 26 at Station #5 1966-70) It was sold to a private individual (Stuart Trock) for use as a party & parade vehicle in 1970 (it was only 21 years old when it was sold). It was was kept in very good condition by Trock and it was in the Evanston 4th of July Parade every year back in the 1970’s and 80’s.
Warren Redick photo
1937 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper (one of two identical pumpers purchased by Evanston at that time after voters passed a bond issue). It was Engine 3 (later Engine 23) 1938-57 and then it was Reserve Engine 27 at Station #3 1958-70.
Warren Redick photo
1937 Seagrave Service 65-ft aerial-ladder truck that was a front-line rig (Truck 2) at Station #1 1937-1952, and then it became Truck 23 at Station #3 1955-62 (in front-line service), before finally going into reserve (still known as “Truck 23”) 1963-69.
Warren Redick photo
#1 by Phil Stenholm on December 20, 2020 - 12:50 AM
The Evanston Fire Department’s fleet was numbered in 1954:
150 – 1951 Mercury sedan (CHIEF)
151 – 1946 Ford coupe (FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU)
152 – 1951 Pirsch 85-foot TDA (TRUCK 21)
153 – 1952 Pirsch 85-foot TDA (TRUCK 22)
154 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/80 pumper (ENGINE 21)
155 – 1949 Seagrave 1000/80 pumper (ENGINE 22)
156 – 1937 Seagrave 750/80 pumper (ENGINE 23)
157 – 1937 Seagrave 750/80 gallon pumper (ENGINE 24)
158 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/100 gallon pumper (ENGINE 25)
159 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/100 gallon pumper-squad (SQUAD 21)
160 – 1937 Seagrave 65-foot service aerial-ladder truck (TRUCK 23)
161 – 1927 Seagrave 1000/50 pumper (RESERVE ENGINE 26)
162 – 1927 Seagrave 1000/50 gallon pumper (RESERVE ENGINE 27)
163 – 1924 Seagrave tractor (ex-T1) / 1930 pumper body (ex-E4) – high-pressure wagon (SQUAD 22)
164 – 1942 Jeep (UTILITY)
The Evanston Fire Department’s fleet was re-numbered by Fleet Services in 1968:
301 – 1966 Ford station-wagon (CHIEF – F-1)
302 – 1963 Plymouth station wagon (SHIFT COMMANDER – F-2)
303 – 1964 Plymouth station-wagon (FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU- F-3)
304 – 1962 Ford station-wagon (FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU- F-4)
305 – 1965 Dodge station-wagon (TRAINING OFFICER – F-5)
306 – 1956 International pick-up truck (UTILITY)
307 – 1942 GMC DUKW (F-7)
310 – 1937 Seagrave 65-ft service aerial ladder truck (RESERVE TRUCK 23)
311 – 1951 Pirsch 85-ft TDA (TRUCK 21)
312 – 1952 Pirsch 85-ft TDA (TRUCK 22)
320 – 1965 International / General Body pumper-squad (SQUAD 21)
321 – 1968 Pirsch 1250/300 pumper (ENGINE 21)
322 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/100 pumper (ex-S21) – new Pirsch pumper body installed in 1966 replaced original 1952 squad body (ENGINE 22)
323 – 1958 Seagrave (open cab) 1000/300 pumper (ENGINE 23)
324 – 1958 Seagrave (open cab) 1000/300 pumper (ENGINE 24)
325 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/100 pumper (ENGINE 25)
326 – 1949 Seagrave 1000/80 pumper (ex-E22 – RESERVE ENGINE 26)
327 – 1937 Seagrave 750/80 pumper (ex-E23 – RESERVE ENGINE 27)
328 – 1952 Pirsch 1000/80 pumper (ex-E21 – RESERVE ENGINE 28)
#2 by John on December 19, 2020 - 8:10 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQrhbseJT2w
#3 by Crabbymilton on December 18, 2020 - 10:31 PM
Interesting history to say the least. I think I’ll have to pull up that video at some point. Thanks for the eye candy.
#4 by John on December 18, 2020 - 8:33 PM
Now I know what the rigs from the story looked like. And there’s also a YouTube video of some of these, with a guy named “Tom” as the tillerman.