Archive for category Historic fire video

25th anniversary of the 1996 Aurora flood

This from Dave Weaver, Radioman911:

Aurora Flood 1996 documents the effects of a record setting rainfall that dumped nearly 17” of rain on Aurora in a 24-hour period. The video contains original and WGN TV news footage. It was posted on the 25th anniversary of the flood to the new RADIOMAN911 YouTube channel. It chronicles the flooding conditions in the region and includes some scenes of FD response from Aurora, Montgomery, and South Park FPD. (now part of Aurora Twp FPD)

Video by Dave Weaver 

1996 Aurora IL flood

1996 Aurora IL flood

1996 Aurora IL flood

South Park FD fire truck submerged in water during the 1996 Aurora IL flood

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Classic Chicago Fire Department video

Edward Hastings- CFD 1960’s/70’s from Sean McDowell 

thanks Steve 

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Chicago Fire Department history

Vintage Film – 1969 Chicago Fire Department – Fire Trucks – Cadillac Ambulance – Fire Boat

 

thanks Steve

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Vintage video of CTA operations in Chicago

This from Austin Lawler:

Hello,

I was watching a video that was posted by Curbed Chicago, that they found on YouTube. It is about the CTA in 1979, when they started to film everything, like the parts of the board meeting. Toward the end of the video there is about a 10 minute section about the fire at the 61st yard. It show stills of the fire, and video of the overhaul, very brief shot of an engine and a snorkel in the background. While not a dramatic video, it is interesting to see all of the charred rail cars as well as an up close look at the firefighters putting out hot spots. If any one on this site has video, radio communication, or still photos I would love to see that. The fire starts around the 10:30 mark on the video.

Have a good day,

Austin

 Excerpts from chicago.curbed.com:

What’s the first thing you do when you get a new camera? Take it with you everywhere and record everything, of course. And naturally, this is what the CTA did when videotape technology really began to take hold in the late ‘70s.

In this film, titled A Look at CTA, the CTA takes the viewer through a number of places to witness different experiences. After the intro, the film highlights the always-exciting board meeting (no surprise board members wanted to be in the CTA’s first video), then to the CTA’s Technical Institute, and then finally to the aftermath of a shop fire.

The video is delightfully ‘70s retro with its funky soundtrack, the US Bicentennial color scheme on train cars, and of course, lots of sideburns.

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Great Chicago Flood Mutual Aid Response

This from Dave Weaver:

4/13/92 Great Chicago Flood Mutual Aid Response

Fire departments from MABAS Division 13 in Kane County were requested along with many other MABAS divisions to respond with pumps to Chicago (MABAS Div. 9) to help control the Great Chicago Flood. The flood was caused by a bridge piling construction project that created a breach in an abandoned coal tunnel beneath the North Branch of the Chicago River. It was discovered the morning of Monday, April 13, 1992. Companies from departments including Batavia, Geneva, Elburn, Hampshire, Maple Park, and North Aurora, rallied at the Kane County Sheriff’s Office which was located in Geneva. The task force departed around 4:30 PM based on the time shown on the overhead light board at the I-88 York Rd. toll plaza. The convoy traveled to the staging area at the Chicago Fire Academy. I was a member of the Marywood FPD and shot this historic response to assist Chicago. Other than some precautionary EMS responses from the 1995 heat wave disaster, this was one of just a few manpower related mutual aid fire requests that Chicago has made in modern history.

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