From Steve Redick for #TBT:
A classic advertisement I found in my archives
Jan 21
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | No Comments
From Steve Redick for #TBT:
A classic advertisement I found in my archives
Tags: #TBT, Naperville FD Ahrens Fox pumper, Naperville Fire Department history, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage Ahrens Fox fire truck advertisement, vintage TRW Automotive Worldwide ad
Dec 31
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | No Comments
This from Mile Summa for #TBT:
For TBT-Tinley Park Squad 202, a 1966 Ford P-200 step van. Amazing how a relatively simple van like this evolved into today’s huge, fully loaded squads.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
Tags: #TBT, Mike Summa, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, Tinley Park FD Squad 202, Tinley Park Fire Department history, vintage fire truck
Dec 23
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 1 Comment
From Phil Stenholm:
HISTORY OF EVANSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SQUAD 21:
Prior to 1952, the Evanston Fire Department had no squad. EFD Chief Albert Hofstetter wanted to place a squad into service back in the 1930’s, but budget cuts stemming from the Great Depression put that on hold. And so the EFD’s specialized fire-ground support and rescue equipment (including inhalator since 1913) were stored at Fire Station #1 and would be loaded onto an engine and transported to the scene of an incident only when needed.
1. The First Squad was a 1952 Pirsch 1000-GPM / 100-gallon pumper-squad. One of five rigs purchased by Evanston from Pirsch 1951-52, this was the original Squad 21 from 1952-65, and while it had a 1000-GPM pump, it had no hose bed but there was a “red-line” booster hose reel and 100 gallons of water on board that could be used to extinguish a minor fire. This rig was initially staffed by two firefighters and responded to about 100 inhalator calls city-wide per year from 1952-1959 and to working fires and specialized rescue calls when requested. Inhalators were placed into service with all five engine companies in 1959, so Squad 21 was staffed by just one firefighter (usually the shift mechanic) and responded only to working structure fires and specialized rescue calls when requested 1959-62. It was placed back into front-line service in January 1963 as a four-man company when Truck Co. 23 was taken out of service. It ran as a manpower & rescue company from that point onward, responding to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide. It was also the primary inhalator company for Station #1 (keeping Engine 21 available for alarms in the downtown high-value district). Without a hose bed, the 1000-GPM pump was essentially wasted. The original squad body was removed and replaced with a new pumper body in 1966, after-which it ran as Engine 22 from 1966-70 and then as Engine 25 from 1970-76. It was retired and gutted for spare parts in 1980 (there were two other 1952 Pirsch pumpers still in reserve through 1983) and then it became playground equipment at Kamen Park at Asbury & South Blvd.
Bill Friedrich photo
2. The SS-1 of the Evanston Fire Department was a 1965 International / General Body pumper-squad. This rig replaced the 1952 Pirsch pumper-squad so that the Pirsch could be converted into a triple-combination pumper (see above). The work-horse of the Evanston Fire Department between 1966-76, this “Frankenstein” rig was constructed by General Body Co. at their Chicago factory using an International cab & chassis like the ones used by City of Evanston garbage trucks back at that time. General Body (makers of the legendary CFD Autocar squads, the Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile,” bookmobiles, and other specialty vehicles) fabricated the body and put it all together. Included on this rig was a split hose-bed with two leads of pre-connected 1-1/2 hose-lines designed for rapid fire-attack, a heavy-duty front bumper-mounted winch (used mainly to haul vehicles out of Lake Michigan and fire trucks out of snow drifts), extendable quartz lights, and a high-pressure deck gun master-stream nozzle. This version of Squad 21 was staffed by four firefighters and responded to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide, as well as to inhalator calls and minor fires (vehicle, trash, prairie, etc) in Station #1’s district. It was, by far, the busiest company in the EFD the years it was in service, and so new firefighters were often assigned to Squad 21 so they could gain a lot of experience as quickly as possible.
Bill Friedrich photo
3. The Pie Truck – a 1977 Chevrolet / Penn Versatile Van. Known by Evanston firefighters as the “pie truck,” this third version of Squad 21 replaced the 1965 International / General Body squad, mainly because the amount of specialized HazMat, rescue equipment, and dive-team gear added by the EFD in the 1970s exceeded what could be carried on a pumper-squad. Also, Squad 21’s manpower was reassigned to the two MICU ambulances that were placed into service 1976-77, so Squad 21 became an unmanned “jump rig” that was staffed by manpower from Station #1 only when needed at a working fire, HazMat incident, specialized rescue, dive team call, etc. Thus Squad 21 was no longer the SS-1 of the EFD. It was later reassigned as the Dive Team support truck.
Larry Shapiro photo
4. The Gladiator : A 2006 Spartan Gladiator / Marion “walk-in” heavy-rescue squad. Like the Chevrolet / Penn van that came before it, this newer version of Squad 21 is a “jump rig” at Station #1 and is staffed only when needed, but the 2006 version of Squad 21 can carry much more equipment than could the Chevy. Besides an air cascade, heavy-duty winch, portable power & lights, and lots of room for specialized equipment and gear, the 2006 Squad 21 also features rehab facilities for extended incidents.
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, Bill Friedrich, Evanston FD Squad 21, Evanston Fire Chief Albert Hofstetter, Evanston Fire Department history, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Phil Stenholm, shapirophotography.net, vintage fire truck photos
Dec 18
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 4 Comments
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
Tags: 1924 Seagrave 85-ft TDA, 1937 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper, 1937 Seagrave Service 65-ft aerial-ladder truck, 1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM pumper, 1951 Pirsch 85' TDA, 1968 GMC / Pirsch tractor (ex-Aurora, 1968 Pirsch Senior 100-ft TDA, Alton gets ISO Class 3, Bill Friedrich, classic fire apparatus, CO) pulling refurbished 1952 Pirsch 85-ft ladder & trailer, Evanston Fire Department history, historic fire apparatus, Phil Stenholm
Dec 12
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | No Comments
Pirsch ad featuring Lisle-Woodridge
thanks Keith
Tags: classic Pirsch fire truck literature, Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District history, vintage Pirsch sales literature
Dec 3
Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Fire Scene photos, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo, throwbackthursday | No Comments
This from Dennis McGuire, Jr. for #TBT:
Flash back to January 18th, 1994 when the high reached only 11 below zero, following a morning low of minus 21 and yielding a daily average temperature of minus 16. On Chicago’s south side, fire companies were battling a 2-11 in a 4 story apartment building at 8049-59 S St. Lawrence.
Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
More photos HERE
Tags: #TBT, Chicago FD Engine 82, Chicago Fire Department history, Dennis MGuire Jr, Firefighters battle fire in frigid weather, historic 2-11 alarm fire in Chicago, historic fire scene photos, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage 2-11 alarm fire in Chicago, winter fire scene photos
Nov 29
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 10 Comments
This from Bill Schreiber:
photos are from a visit to Jackson, MN back in April of 2013
Bill Schreiber photo
Bill Schreiber photo
Tags: Bill Schreiber, Chicago FD Snorkel Squad 1, Chicago FD SS1, Chicago Fire Department history, old fire trucks in scrap yard, vintage Chicago FD apparatus in scrapyard
Nov 26
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 4 Comments
From Larry Shapiro for #TBT
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, Highland Park FD Truck 100, Highland Park FD Truck 31, Highland Park FD vintage American LaFrance Ladder Chief aerial, Highland Park Fire Department history, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday
Nov 5
Posted by Admin in Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 8 Comments
This from Larry Shapiro:
Here’s a unique truck for #TBT – an E-ONE Hurricane/Bronto Skylift F174 demo unit with dual front axles. I don’t know the disposition of this truck. I photographed it in 2005 at the E-ONE factory.
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, 1985 E-ONE Hurricane 95' tower ladder, Bronto Skylift F174 HD2000, E-ONE Hurricane Bront Skylift F174, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday
Oct 29
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 3 Comments
This from Mike Summa:
For TBT- Crestwood Squad 2305, a 1982 Mack(MS) Mid-liner /1985 Phoenix 500/500 pumper/squad. This one was to be built by Pierreville before they went under.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
and a few more photos from our archives
Karl Klotz photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, Crestwood Fire Department history, Karl Klotz, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Mike Summa, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photo
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