This from Larry Shapiro for #TBT:
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Larry Shapiro photo
Mar 21
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 3 Comments
This from Larry Shapiro for #TBT:
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, American LaFrance 900 series engine, chicagoareafire.com, classic fire engine photo, Hoffman Estates Fire Department history, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire engine photo
Nov 17
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 2 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT-This is a Chicago Heights engine. It is a 900 series American LaFrance and that is all I know about it. If anyone out there knows more, please feel free to supply the answers. Enjoy and comment.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
Tags: #TBT, American LaFrance 900 series engine, Chicago Heights Fire Department history, chicagoareafire.com, Mike Summa, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage American LaFrance fire engine
Oct 8
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 2 Comments
This from Wayne Stuart:
The Gary Fire Department operated four 1970 American La France 900 Series engines. They were assigned to Engine Companies 1,2,3&4. They had 1500 GPM pumps and 300 Gallon tanks. Engine Co. No.4 was assigned this apparatus. It carried ALF Serial # 12-1-2321. It had seen a lot of use when this photo was taken in the early 80’s.
Wayne Stuart Photo
Gary Fire Department 1970 American La France 900 Series engines. 1500/300 Engine Co. No.4 was assigned this apparatus. It carried ALF Serial # 12-1-2321. Wayne Stuart photo
Tags: American LaFrance 900 series engine, classic American LaFrance fire engine, Gary Fire Department history, historic fire truck photo, Wayne Stuart
Apr 28
Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Fire Scene photos, Historic fire apparatus | Comments off
This from Larry Shapiro:
While digging through some old images, I came across these three shots spanning thirty years or more of Glencoe engines at fire scenes.
Glencoe Engine 87, a 900 Series American LaFrance at a fire scene with Winnetka’s mid-ship American LaFrance aerial. Larry Shapiro photo
Glencoe Engine 30, a Pierce Saber on scene. Larry Shapiro photo
Glencoe Engine 30, a Pierce Saber using a deck gun at a fire in 2013. Larry Shapiro photo
Glencoe FD Engine 30, an E-ONE Typhoon at a fire scene in 2016. Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: American LaFrance 900 series engine, classic fire scene photo, Glencoe Fire Department history, Glencoe {Public Safety Department history, Larry Shapiro, Pierce Saber fire engine, vintage fire scene photos, white fire engine
Jul 15
Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 19 Comments
This from Steve Redick:
I was doing some scanning from the “wayback” files and found a few you might like to see…The first was a huge pile of RR ties in Bensenville that burned for hours and hours..early 80s. Got some rig shots including the old Bensenville International Squad rig..I remember at this fire the oxygen levels near it got low and one fireman started acting very erratically til they got him into better atmosphere..very strange but no one thought of using masks at an outside fire back then.
I got a lot of interest in the Elk Grove tiller shot too…..
Found a coupla shots of some Mt Prospect rigs, and the Wood Dale truck
Also a fire in a trailer in Morton Grove at the old OCC site (Oakton Community College)
All these should be from the early 80s and shot on Kodacolor negative film…
Steve
Bensenville engine. Steve Redick photo
Railroad ties on fire in the 1980s. Steve Redick photo
Wood Dale Pirsch ladder truck. Steve Redick photo
Railroad ties on fire in the 1980s. Steve Redick photo
Bensenville squad. Steve Redick photo
Elmhurst Mack CF engine. Steve Redick photo
Another shot of the Elmhurst engine. Steve Redick photo
Leyden Township Hendrickson/FMC engine. Steve Redick photo
Elk Grove Village Pirsch TDA. Steve Redick photo
Mount Prospect American LaFrance engine. Steve Redick photo
Mount Prospect American LaFrance engine. Steve Redick photo
Mount Prospect squad 543. Steve Redick photo
Morton Grove engine with burned out trailer. Steve Redick photo
Tags: American LaFrance 800 Series engine, American LaFrance 900 series engine, American LaFrance engine, Bensenville Fire Department history, black and yellow fire trucks, Elk Grove Village Fire Department history, Elmhurst Fire Department history, FMC fire engine, Hendrickson chassis fire truck, historic fire photos, historic fire truck photos, Leyden Township FPD history, Mack CF fire engine, Mack CF tractor with Pirsch tillered aerial, Morton Grove Fire Department history, Mount Prospect Fire Department history, Peter Pirsch & Sons, Pirsch 100' aerial ladder truck, Pirsch aerial ladder, Steve Redick, white fire trucks, Wood Dale Fire Department history, yellow fire engine, yellow fire engines, yellow fire trucks
Oct 25
Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Fire Service News, Fire Truck photos | 4 Comments
Arlington Heights engine serves in Oklahoma:
This from Bill Friedrich:
Here is another Illinois rig serving a second life outside our state. Antlers FD in Oklahoma purchased the 1968 American LaFrnce 900 series that was rehabbed by Marion in 1980. Steve Loftin photo
Arlington Heights Fire Department Engine 418, a 1968 American LaFrance 900 Series engine that was re-habbed in 1980 by Marion Body Works. It has a 1,000-GPM pump and 500-gallon water tank. Bill Friedrich photo
Engine 2 for the Antlers Fire Department in Oklahoma is this 1968/1980 American LaFrance 900 Series/Marion Body Works 1000/500 engine originally owned by Arlington Heights, IL. Steve Loftin photo
Tags: 2nd home for American LaFrance fire engine, American LaFrance 900 series engine, Antlers Fire Department, Arlington Heights Fire Department, Bill Friedrich, Steve Loftin
May 2
Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 3 Comments
Jeff Rudolph is keeping us honest … and making sure that we’re accurate in our historical postings. He recently submitted comments reminding us of some fire departments that had non-red units which were not referenced in the postings about MABAS Division 3 and MABAS Division 4.
MABAS Division 4 additions:
The Abbott Labs Fire Department in North Chicago had this 1978 Darley foam pumper on a Ford C8000 chassis. It carried 500 gallons of water, 20 gallons of foam, and had a 750-GPM pump. Bill Friedrich photo
The Abbott Labs Fire Department previously had two lime green engines and a van.
The Bonnie Brook Fire Protection District had this tanker built by Boyer on a Ford L8000 chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
The Beach Park Fire Department was formerly the Bonnie Brook Fire Protection District. They had a brush truck, this tanker, an engine, a squad, and a van that were painted lime green before they switched to red.
Round Lake had this FMC Roughneck engine on a Spartan chassis with the CFC cab. Jeff Rudolph photo
In addition to the two white CF Mack engines that were owned by the Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District, they also had this Spartan/FMC engine.
MABAS Division 3 additions:
Evanston had two of these 1974 International/Hendrickson Howe engines that were yellow. Both had 1,000-GPM pumps and 300-gallon water tanks. These were later painted red. Photographer unknown, Jeff Rudolph collection
The Evanston Fire Department received twin engines in 1974 from Howe. They were both bright yellow and assigned as Engine 23 and 24.
Highwood used this X-Northbrook 1969 American LaFrance as a reserve engine. It had a 1,000-GPM pump with 500 gallons of water. Jeff Rudolph photo
Highwood used a retired engine from Northbrook as a reserve engine. This 1969 AmericanLaFrance 900 Series ran in Northbrook as Engine 60. The rear body work was done while it was owned by Northbrook.
Winnetka purchased a small 'DOT' rescue from Pierce in 1981. Jeff Rudolph photo
In 1981, the Winnetka Fire Department received a small rescue on a Chevy chassis from Pierce. Bought with funding from the federal government, it was painted lime green to match the Department of Transportation spec. It was later repainted red and white.
Tags: American LaFrance 900 series engine, Beach Park Fire Department, Bonnie Brook Fire Protection District, Evanston Fire Department, FMC Roughneck pumper, Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District, Highwood Fire Department, Howe fire apparatus, Howe top-mount engine, Jeff Rudolph, lime green fire trucks, Northbrook Fire Department, Winnetka Fire Department, yellow fire engine, yellow fire trucks
Jul 12
Posted by bgshap in Fire Department History, Fire Department News, Fire Service News, New Listing, Site News | Comments off
Winthrop Harbor sits along Lake Michigan in the northeast corner of MABAS Division 4 along the Wisconsin border. They operate out of one station which is part of the municipal building with the police department. Packed full of apparatus, the four-bay station houses nine pieces of equipment. They are one of the only all Seagrave departments in Illinois with two engines and a 75′ Meanstick quint. Dating back to their long history of FWD rigs, they had FWD logos affixed to all of their modern Seagrave units. All of their equipment with the exception of the ambulances are painted white.
Winthrop Harbor has this restored 1949 FWD engine which is used in parades. The engine made the trip to Clintonville, WI for the Seagrave 125th anniversary.
The 1949 FWD engine was in Clintonville for the Seagrave 125th anniversary parade. Bill Friedrich photo
The officer's side of the restored 1949 FWD engine when it was at Seagrave. Bill Friedrich photo
This photo of the Winthrop Harbor fleet was taken in the 1970s by Bill Friedrich. Included are the 1949 and 1952 FWD engines, a 1966 Dodge/Welch mini pumper, a 1963 900 Series American LaFrance engine, a 1973 P-Series Seagrave engine, and a 1974 Ford/Welch squad unit.
Tags: 1949 FWD fire engine, American LaFrance 900 series engine, Bill Friedrich, FWD fire apparatus, Larry Shapiro, MABAS Division 4, Seagrave aerial, Seagrave engine, Seagrave Maurauder II, Seagrave Mean Stick, Seagrave P-Model engine, Welch fire truck, Winthrop Harbor Fire Department
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
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