This came in on Saturday from Josh Boyajian:
Tonight I followed a header into the city to 3318 w 38th street. Engine 65 and Truck 52 arrived and found heavy fire in sector 1 on the first and second floors. Engine 109 backed down and lead out a second line to the second floor. Here are some pictures I took.
May 13
In this reprint from a September, 1953 issue of Fire Engineering Magazine, the Peter Pirsch & Sons Co. of Kenosha, WI highlights 50 years of building fire engines for the Chicago Fire Department. The ad states that they started with 27 Pirsch Horse Drawn Wagons built in 1907, then there were 3 Pirsch equipped motorized chemical and hose cars in 1912 (the first motorized apparatus in Chicago), followed by 2 Pirsch equipped 600-gallon pumpers in 1916, and then 15 Pirsch 1,000-GPM 2-door cab pumpers built in 1953.
Bill Friedrich collection
Apr 26
New Spartan ERV (Crimson) engine for the Quinn Fire Academy. Brian Cummings photo
Side view of the new engine for the Quinn Fire Academy. Brian Cummings photo
Chris Ranck submitted information about the frequencies for the new CFD digital radio system.
| The frequencies are UHF digital, so a digital scanner is needed. (I have a Radio Shack PRO 106, which needs to be set as a P25 digital talkgroup).
The frequencies are:
I read that one bank of the scanner should only have digital frequencies. There are several analog UHF frequencies.
There are some other general city frequencies which can be found on either wwwradioreference.com or wwwchichagocarma.com. I hope this helps. |
An article on the CBS Chicago website mentions the CFD has begun the transition to digital radios, beginning with EMS.
After six years of testing – and spending more than $20 million – the Chicago Fire Department has finally started to go digital.
The switchover from analog to digital radios began Sunday at 8 a.m., with EMS paramedics getting the new radios.
“The fire department has been testing the system, along with OEMC (the Office of Emergency Management and Communications), and the Fire Department at this time is satisfied with the performance of the system, and we are ready to go live,” Langford said.
Langford says firefighters will start training with the digital radios in June and will switch to digital before the end of the year.
“Every person on the rig will have a radio,” Langford says. That will be a first for the Fire Department – where everyone has a radio.
Langford says the department will keep the option to switch back to analog, if necessary.
The article can be found HERE.
Apr 16
Images prior to the arrival of fire companies of one car that flipped and caught fire. Tim Olk photo
Tim Olk submitted the following:
Two cars passed me doing well over 100 mph, one on my left and the other on the right at the Edens/Kennedy split. As they made the sharp turn I saw both lost control. All I saw was smoke and car parts flying. Got on 9-1-1 and said there were 2 cars on fire and the need for a squad for a possible pin-in, 2 ambos and that I was searching for the occupants. Both cars were on fire . The upside down Caddy was on fire and it looked like both drivers were ejected. The guy was walking and the girl had to be pulled away from the car . The other driver asked me if everything was ok then walked away but later was found up the Edens with some other cars that had stopped. I hate the Kennedy at night after 2am, it’s a raceway.
As the overturned car burns, the two occupants can be seen in the background and the other vehicle is farther down the road. Tim Olk photo
The two occupants of this Cadillac were both out of the car after the crash. Tim Olk photo
A firefighter advances on the burning Cadillac. Tim Olk photo
Another firefighter waits for water to hit the second car that was on fire. Tim Olk photo
The line is moved in to apply foam to the overturned car after the main fire was knocked down. Tim Olk photo
The smoldering remains of the Porsche is examined to make sure the fire is out. Tim Olk photo
More images from the scene can be found HERE.
Bill Friedrich has initiated the first in a series of posts chronicling different types of apparatus that saw service in Chicago. The first post covers the Ward LaFrance engines from 1970.
There were a total of (7) P80′s delivered in 1970, one for each district. Companies that received these were Engine 126 (D-372), Engine 73 (D-373), Engine 8 (D-374), Engine 106 (D-375), Engine 22 (D-376), Engine 113 (D-377) and Engine 49 (D-378). These units had 2,000-GPM pumps.
Chicago Engine 113 was one of 7 units built in 1970 by Ward LaFrance with the Ambassador chassis, a 2,000-GPM pump, and 500 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich photo
This unit originally assigned to Engine 22 later went to Engine 99 and then to Engine 46 after a complete refurb. The CFD scramble on the door and the red unit number on the front were not part of the original graphics. This unit, damaged by a wall collapse, was rebuilt. Shown here after the rebuild, the cab is lacking the continuous hand rail at the canopy that extended up the sides and across the top. Additionally, the red section above the pump panel is not how this series was delivered to the city. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 73 was assigned shop #D373 that was eventually scrapped. This was the only 1970 Ward LaFrance that was not later rebuilt. Jack Connors photo
Engine 126's rig (shop #D-372), shows the full height polished metal behind the pump panel.. Jack Connors photo
Engine 106 received one of the seven units built in 1970 by Ward LaFrance. The original graphics only included the Chicago Fire Department name above the windshield. Larry Shapiro photo
This photo of Engine 8 in Chinatown shows the unit when it went into service. Jack Connors photo
Engine 49 is seen here on the fireground. Jack Connors photo
In 1990 (6) of the original 1970 P80′s were rebuilt by Able Fire Equipment Co. at their Frankfort, IL facility. The rebuild included a Ranger 4-door cab, a new aluminum Emergency One body, a 140-gallon foam tank, and other components of the original apparatus. The following companies received these vehicles; Engine 122 (x-Engine 126), Engine 69 (x-Engine 8), Engine 113 (x-Engine 106), Engine 46 (x-Engine 22), Engine 14 (x-Engine 113) and Engine 34 (x-Engine 49) All these vehicles were equipped with 5″ hose. One was assigned in each district of the city. Two of these, D-374 and D-375, were used in the movie Backdraft.
Engine 113 with a rebuilt 1970/1990 Ward LaFrance/Ranger/EONE engine. Bil Friedrich photo
This unit (D-378) for Engine 34 was formerly assigned to Engine 49. Jack Connors photo
Chicago Engine 14 also received one of the rebuilt Ward LaFrance engines in 1990 that had an extended bumper with LDH. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 122 received one of the 1973/1990 Ranger/EONE/Ward LaFrance refurbished engines. Jack Connors photo
Engine 69 received shop #D-374 which was later used in the movie Backdraft. Jack Connors photo
This shot of Engine 46 working at a fire scene provides a look at the officer's side of the rebuilt units. Jack Connors photo
The Chicago Tribune reports in a small article HERE:
Heavy flames and exploding propane tanks prompted a the 2-11 alarm and hazardous materials response at the large factory building in the 2800 block of West 48th Place.
Steve Redick took in the fire and submitted several images.
A chief keeps track of companies on the scene as Squad 5 is seen in the background. Steve Redick photo
Squad 5 provided one of 6 master streams working at the 2-11. Steve Redick photo
Tower Ladder 39 had a master stream working at the fire. Steve Redick photo
Engine 123 supplied multiple lines. Steve Redick photo
Engine 50 put their deck gun to work. Steve Redick photo
Firefighters use a multi-versal alongside Tower 39's master stream on 48th Place. Steve Redick photo
Tower Ladder 5 was the 2nd tower to the scene and was setup on 47th Place. Steve Redick photo
More images can be found HERE.
An 180-degree view of the scene taken from west of the fire shows the placement of both tower ladders plus Engines 50 and 123. Steve Redick photo
Feb 23
Bill Post found a link to a program from February 21st on WTTW that interviewed the President of the Chicago Firefighters Union.
View the recording HERE.
