Excerpts from the Addison Fire Protection District on Facebook:
We are excited to introduce our latest addition – a 107′ aerial from Pierce. Today, Widaman Sign completed the decals, and it looks fantastic. Next, the aerial will undergo upgrades for new radios and emergency lighting before it returns for final training and deployment.Ladder 72 will be at station 72 in the industrial park and will play a vital role in our operational strategy for the next 10-15 years. Serving as our truck company, it will carry many items including heavy-duty extrication tools. Additionally, it will be ALS equipped and staffed with firefighter/paramedics.We extend our gratitude to our Board of Trustees for making this purchase possible.
Addison FD photo
Addison FD photo
Addison FD photo
thanks Tim
#1 by Bill Post on April 2, 2024 - 5:00 AM
So since the new Addison Truck is going in service at Station 72, will Quint/Engine 72 remain in service or will Station 72 remain a one fire company Station with the new Truck being the only manned suppression company at the Station. If they do take Quint/Engine 72 out of service then the New Truck 72 wiill still need to act as an Engine company if the fire is in Station 72’s first in District. One of the advanrages that Addison had of being an all Quint Fire Department was that they didn’t have to run with a seperate Truck company but since the New rig will be their “Truck” company then would probabaly need to create new positions unless they take Quint/Eingine 72 out of service.
If am correct when Addison last ran a dedicated a Truck company wasn’t it running out of Station 73 as Tower Ladder 73 or perhaps Tower Ladder 3 before the Dupage County fire station renumbering?
#2 by Bill Post on April 2, 2024 - 4:36 AM
Wow, that is really a surprise. The last thing that I would have expected would be for Evanston to order a MId Mounted Tower Ladder. It is interesting that they are apparently breaking with their Tradition of being an all “Straight Stick” town. It is also interesting that Skokie which is the next town west of Evanston had a Mid Mounted Tower Ladder on order which I understand is scheduled to be assigned to Truck 18 , so both of Skokies Trucks will apparently be Tower Ladders.
It is ironic also that the CFD had converted Tower Ladder 34 back to a Truck company in 2021 after being a Tower Ladder for over 30 years due to having a few underpass accidents (even though they managed pretty well as a Tower Ladder for about 25 years without major underpass accidents and so if the underpass’s were really a problem the CFD could have ordered a Mid Mounted Tower Ladder for Truck 34 (like Skokie and Evanston are doing,) instead of playing musical chairs with some of their Tower Ladders.
#3 by MABAS 21 on March 31, 2024 - 6:57 PM
So with the new Pierce Enforcer tower (Truck 1) and the KME stick (Truck 2), what is Springfield running as their 3rd truck? Is Pierce the Arrow tower (Ex Truck 1) reassigned to Truck 3? Since they purchased a used 75′ Pierce truck from Decatur, do they still have the Spartan/RD Murray stick?
#4 by Mike on March 31, 2024 - 1:36 PM
This is very interesting to hear about Evanston. I thought they stayed with tillers was because of how narrow the streets are, obviously you need 2 drivers per apparatus with the tiller, and I know the spare is a rear mount aerial. Hopefully this mid mount tower ladder isn’t going to be bust. That’s a lot of money to spend on something that may not work the way they wanted it to.
#5 by Drew Smith on March 30, 2024 - 6:45 PM
We looked at this truck and determined it wasn’t for us. I heard the reason Springfield FD did not take delivery was because it was ordered by a previous chief, and the current chief does not want a tank or a pump on the truck. I respect that choice.
#6 by Collin on March 30, 2024 - 2:29 PM
Michael M – the Evanston City Council approved 2.3 mil for the purchase of a new aerial to replace the reserve truck that needs about 300k in repairs. The new aerial will be a Pierce Enforcer mid mount tower with an expected delivery in 2025 due to a deal with Macqueen to secure a production spot for one of their demos scheduled to be built. The the new truck will be made to EFD specs by the apparatus committee; it will not be a demo. As of now it will replace truck 22 as frontline and the 2011 will go to reserve.
#7 by Localguy on March 30, 2024 - 12:03 PM
Springfield rejected this truck bc it was what the last mayor wanted. They are opening station 13 and the mayor at the time this was ordered wanted a dual purpose rig. They got a new mayor. The FD showed the mayor why this was a bad idea and doesn’t work for how SFD operates. The new mayor agreed. So they are getting a second tower ladder. They’ve historically had two ladders and one tower. Now they will run two towers and one ladder. And 13 engines. And the truck companies are all true trucks, not quints.
#8 by MABAS 21 on March 30, 2024 - 9:15 AM
Here’s the link of the build on the Macqueen website.
https://www.macqueeneq.com/in-production/springfieldfd2
#9 by Mike C on March 30, 2024 - 6:28 AM
Mike – I remember hearing that before. Amazing how the administration basically puts a gag order out there. This would suggest the administration knows they made a poor decision.
I too would like to know the back story as to why Springfield rejected the truck. Springfield is on the pathway to an all Pierce fleet and they have been getting a lot of new rigs lately so this is interesting.
#10 by Mike on March 29, 2024 - 7:11 PM
Tom in the CAD which is the dispatch computer the apparatus are listed as Engines, Trucks, squads, ambulances, etc and run cards are built that require a certain amount of apparatus. The quints can essentially be an engine or truck because of the aerial device. Now with it looking like Addison is going back to engines and a truck there will be no more confusion. Theoretically the truck is still a quint: hose, pump, tank, ground ladders and an aerial device but I’ve read it is going to be used as a truck. Mike C. He was told from day 1 by the guys there that was a bad idea and when it was proven guys were threatened with discipline if they brought it up…Lol…
#11 by Aidan Hughes on March 29, 2024 - 7:10 PM
Why did Springfield reject this truck?
#12 by Tyler Tobolt on March 29, 2024 - 5:01 PM
Mike C,
This rig was bought by Springfield IL, but they cancelled the order and Addison picked it up.
#13 by Mike C on March 29, 2024 - 3:07 PM
Was this a demo? Nice looking rig.
The 75′ quints were a horrible decision by a previous chief. The 75′ ladder didn’t even reach most of the buildings in town. Glad Addison bought a tandem axle rig with a 100′ + ladder. It should be a much better fit even though the Ascendant ladder is a bit questionable.
#14 by Tim on March 29, 2024 - 2:01 PM
Michael, what do you mean they are redesigned as engines? I’m not a firefighter so just wondering if they means they will not be able to use there ladders or what it means?
#15 by The DH on March 29, 2024 - 12:58 PM
Michael – the quints were purchased by a former chief who loved quints. The ladder length really isn’t long enough for a normal setback. They were also in the CAD for DuComm and ACDC as an engine, truck, or squad so the guys said they never knew what their assignment was in the running order without really looking. The quints have been re-designated as engines.
#16 by Michael m on March 29, 2024 - 10:06 AM
Impressive! Love the color combo! I am guessing they realized they needed a truck that has a 100ft ladder. I know they have an engine on order as well. If I had to make a educated guess, maybe the 75 ft quints did not work out for them?
By the way, I heard Evanston is looking to order a Pierce tower ladder to replace Truck 22.
#17 by crabbymilton on March 29, 2024 - 7:50 AM
Impressive monster with a great color combo.