Sep 17
This from Jeff Braun, Jr:
Here are some photos of the Berwyn FD and Berwyn E.S.D.A. rigs that were at the annual Oktoberfest (9/16/17), the crews were operating the Division 11 smoke trailer, for the children attending the event. Thanks
-Jeff Braun Jr.
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo
Jeff Braun, Jr. photo
This from Eric Haak:
The following images were taken just after noon on June 24, 1966. The fire was in the Western Lumber Company yard at 2732 W. Madison Street and was a 5-11 +2 specials. One of the great things about these old images is that they show what many of these areas once looked like. The wider angle views show Madison looking west just before California. A few years later, this area would be decimated by the 1968 riots. The other nice thing about this series of images is that it shows the early attack in the first picture and then the Snorkels being brought in by the last picture. In that last picture, the building on the left with the Rocky’s Grill sign on it is just about the only building left standing today. Nearly every other building you see in these images are a thing of the past.
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
Sep 11
This from Brian Kazmierzak:
Al Kirchner is the retired Chief of the US Marine Corp Fire Service and a life long Fire Buff of the Chicago FD especially Engine 61 and the 16th Battalion when it ran out of Engine 45 under the auspices of Bill Foran and company.
Al was a Notre Dame student firefighter who grew up on Long Island NY and ended up becoming personal friends of Commissioner Quinn.
After Notre Dame Al went on to work for the Washington DC FD and then the USFA and eventually the Superintendent National Fire Academy.
Al has made his Chicago memories come alive for one of the most fanned firehouses in Chicago!
For those of us that fanned at Engine 61 this place conjures up great memories. For me it was with Lt. Pat Durkin and in the end Capt. Keith Witt.
In an interesting turn of events Keith Witt retired out of the CFD as a chief in the 18th Battalion and now works with me at Penn Twp FD IN.
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
Brian Kazmierzak photo
This from Steve Redick:
Here is a radio traffic recording I made of a 2nd alarm fire at 5945 Dempster in Morton Grove. I believe this was on January 25, 1989. The battalion chief who had the fire was Norman Ruth. This was a real dandy and I was there just after the initial attack lines were laid. If you listen closely you can here all kinds of classic dispatching and RED Center radio traffic from the good old days. The fireground traffic is very telling if you listen closely as well. Old suburban traffic is hard to come by and is a very minute portion of my archive but this is a real classic.
Steve
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
This from Eric Haak:
This week’s blast from the past is a 5-11 from June 26, 1961. The address was 2600 S. State Street with the fire breaking out on the top floor of the 7-story, Douglas Hotel around 1:45 in the afternoon. The building at one time was a grand hotel from the 1890’s but had fallen in esteem, along with the neighborhood, and was functioning as an SRO with over 500 residents at the time of the fire. The first image is looking west across State. The last image is looking south down State Street and the Dearborn Homes housing project can be seen in the background. Three of the four Snorkels were used at this fire and two Jeep pressure rigs can be seen in the images. Enjoy!
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
From the collection of Eric Haak, photographer unknown
This from Mike Summa:
This is Riverdale’s Squad 85, built on a FWD chassis. Enjoy and comment.Mike Summa
Riverdale FD Squad 85. Mike Summa photo
This from Wayne Stuart:
In addition to Mike Summa’s photo of the Riverdale Fire Departments FWD engine they also ran this 1965 FWD/Pierce 85′ Snorkel. If you look closely at Mikes photo you can see the boom of this rig inside the station.
wayne stuart photo
Riverdale FD Truck 84 – 1965 FWD/Pierce 85′ Snorkel. Wayne Stuart photo
This from Mike Summa:
Here is the Riverdale Fire Dept.’s 1970’s FWD Engine 82. I have no specs of this so if anyone knows please indicate.Thanks, Mike Summa
Riverdale FD Engine 82. Mike Summa photo
Aug 30
This from Steve Redick:
historic Chicago Fire Department radio traffic from a very busy October 19, 1990.
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