Excerpts from wgntv.com:
At around 4:40 p.m., police said a CFD ambulance was stolen by an unknown man in the 200 block of West Cermak. Police said the ambulance was parked on the street and there was no patient inside.
SkyCam9 observed the stolen ambulance driving on the outbound Stevenson at speeds up to 80 miles per hour. At around 5:55 p.m., the left rear wheel was blown out. The driver was taken into custody near Dwight, Illinois.
wgntv photo
wgntv photo
thanks Martin
#1 by Rich S. on April 27, 2022 - 6:19 AM
MABAS21/Crabby I can’t even guess why fleet/CFD does half the things they do or don’t do. There is no suggestion box when it comes to apparatus specs. I mean we no longer have black roof buggies because they save $
#2 by crabbymilton on April 27, 2022 - 5:59 AM
Well that’s what I meant with my car Rich. So as long as they have the key on them, all they have to do is get in and push the starter button. No chance at all of starting it without a key. Unless FORD doesn’t offer that.
#3 by MABAS 21 on April 26, 2022 - 8:36 PM
Rich S. is there a reason why the powers to be don’t spec your Ambos with the ignition override switch on them? The bus could be left running with keys out of the ignition and on the driver’s possession. The suburbs have been doing this for quite a while.
#4 by Rich S. on April 26, 2022 - 8:12 PM
WOW, it’s amazing to me how some of you are completely oblivious to the real world here. CFD ambulances are doing 25+ runs a day some of our firehouses are 100+ years old ( horse and carriage) size., (HORSE & CARRIAGE) ! Engine 8 has 1 engine, 1 truck, 1 buggy and 1 ambulance in a space large enough for not that. The ambulance and the buggy are left outside for the majority of the day so people can breathe in the house. The city can barely buy toilet paper there’s no money for new houses not that there’s any land to build them in anyway. This was a freak incident with a nut job.
#5 by crabbymilton on April 26, 2022 - 1:29 PM
Or how about put the criminals that do this in prison?
#6 by Harry on April 26, 2022 - 12:50 PM
Either cfd has to build several new stations or do like nyc does when a station is getting rebuild or rehabbed put the vehicle in what is called a cage
#7 by Chicagoland fire photos on April 26, 2022 - 12:34 PM
Responding to a few questions that I thought that I could answer. Cfd ambo have 3 sets of keys, one in the ignition, and one on each medic. Also, this practice probably won’t end in most places especially firehouses such as Engine 99 or 8 in this case, with the ambulance parked in either of these houses there is absolutely no room to move with the ambo parked inside so they only park inside at night. So, to conclude I don’t think Cfd will end this practice because the positives out way the negatives in this situation.
#8 by crabbymilton on April 26, 2022 - 11:31 AM
I stand corrected Marty. I would have thought that they had the type of system similar to my ’21 NISSAN ALTIMA. As long as I have the key/fob in my pocket, I just have to walk up to the car and open the door. If you don’t have the key/fob. you won’t get in let alone start the engine.
#9 by Mike hellmuth on April 26, 2022 - 11:26 AM
As the old saying goes it’s not the first time and won’t be the last time……..
#10 by Chuck on April 26, 2022 - 10:18 AM
Engine 8 is an extremely tight firehouse. They have been leaving the ambulance outside the house during the day practically since it was put in service. I’d be willing to bet that practice ends immediately.
#11 by Marty Coyne on April 26, 2022 - 9:59 AM
Rich S, agree with you. We’re all human, no one got hurt and that’s what’s important.
Crabby – in CFD ambo’s the key stays in the rig at all times, the fobs are for locking and unlocking and both medics have one and stays with them on shift.
#12 by Rich S. on April 26, 2022 - 9:49 AM
For all the experts and infallible individuals out here, it happens (it’s called a mistake). Crazy that CFD ambulances do tens of thousands of runs every year and to think someone forgot to lock a door or maybe hit the lock button and it didn’t actually lock. This city is filled with nuts walking around, this guy just happened to find the one unlocked vehicle on the street. These rigs are beat over 200,000 miles on most of them. This has happened in other places around the country it’s not that big a deal.
#13 by crabbymilton on April 26, 2022 - 9:19 AM
Chicago does have traffic jams so it took longer but they finally got him. Even if the thing was unlocked, the key/fob should always stay in the drivers pocket to avoid this. The goof who stole the ambulance couldn’t have thought that he would get very far so if I had to guess, drugs likely were a factor or mental problems.
#14 by Harry on April 26, 2022 - 8:56 AM
The real question was why it took 2 hrs to catch him
#15 by Marty Coyne on April 26, 2022 - 8:16 AM
Ambo was parked in front of the firehouse. Someone likely forgot to lock it. CFD ambo cabs and boxes unlock and lock together. Both are locked or open.
#16 by crabbymilton on April 26, 2022 - 5:46 AM
At least there was no injuries and no patient being put in danger. It does raise some question as to why the drivers area wasn’t locked? I realize that the engine has to be left running but there’s no reason given the keyless entry options on vehicles now that the cab area couldn’t be secured.