This from John Keller:
This is one of the two new flatbed lumber units. The other rig is sitting in the shops lot unlettered, also I don’t believe that these will be replacing 5-2-2 as the first one is currently stationed at Special Operations. I also have no info on the rig but the Shop No. is G-664
John Keller photo
From the Foster Coach Sales Facebook page:
Brand new custom Horton conversion on a Freightliner chassis
new Ambulance 5 for Morton Grove. Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
Foster Coach Sales photo
This from Dennis McGuire, Jr.
Found these on the Ferrara websiteSpecs:Igniter Chassis2000 GPM / 1000 TankSerial# H-5287
Ferrara photo
Ferrara photo
Ferrara photo
The second department in MABAS Division 27 has been added. South Chicago Heights, a single station department that covers 1.5 square miles operates two ambulances and two engines. Ambulances are from Wheeled Coach and Osage. Engines are from Crimson and American LaFrance (before it was bought by Freightliner). This is one of the few departments in the area operating a Type II style ambulance. Images were provided by Jack Connors.
The South Chicago Heights station at 2729 Jackson Avenue. Jack Connors photo
Nov 21
The York Center Fire Protection District in MABAS Division 12 covers 5 square miles which includes unincorporated Villa Park, unincorporated Lombard, unincorporated Oak Brook, York Center, and parts of Oak Brook Terrace. They operate out of one station with 2 full-time and 68 part-time personnel.
The York Center apparatus includes an E-ONE Hush pumper with a rear mounted engine, a Pierce pumper, a Pierce heavy rescue, Medtec ambulances, and a US Tanker built on a Freightliner M2112 chassis.
The entire York Center fleet used to be white and lime green. This 1993 E-ONE rear engine HUSH has an enclosed top-mounted operator's console protected by the extended vista cab. There is a 1,500-GPM pump and a 750-gallon water tank. This engine is still in with the department but the green has been replaced with red. Larry Shapiro collection
In McHenry County Division 5, the two stations of the Hebron-Alden-Greenwood Fire Protection District have been added to the site although two apparatus images are missing. They run with four commercial engines utilizing Ford and Freightliner chassis. They have two brush rigs and a 3,500-gallon tanker which formerly saw service in Woodstock. According to their website, the district completed their first year of Advanced Life Support service in February of this year. They have two Type III Medtec ambulances.
Thanks to Bill Friedrich for supplying the images.
The first Spartan/Gladiator Crimson 103' rear mount aerial ladder. The assignment for this piece has not yet been released. Larry Shapiro
There have been several previous postings which referenced the IAFC Fire Rescue International Trade Show in Chicago several weeks ago. A gallery is available by scrolling to the bottom of the page HERE which fittingly shows many of the trucks as they were leaving McCormick Place and lining up to receive a few gallons of fuel so that they could make their way to a gas station. As with any trade show, the fuel is siphoned out of the tanks before they enter the convention center as a safety measure to reduce the hazards of fires and leaks.
Although the units featured in the gallery are a hodgepodge sampling of the display pieces, there are images of several local units which are better shots than what was available inside the convention center. These images include the Freightliner/Medtec MICU from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, the Pierce Impel quint from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago, the Spartan/Super Vac (SVI) HDR from Cherry Valley, the Pierce Velocity PUC tower ladder from South Holland, the custom Sutphen SP112 industrial tower ladder for the Exxon Mobile Joliet Refinery and the Spartan/Crimson rear mount aerial ladder for Chicago.
South Holland's Pierce Velocity PUC tower ladder. Larry Shapiro photo
The Sutphen SP112 tower ladder for the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Joliet. Larry Shapiro photo
The Pierce Impel quint going to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago. Larry Shapiro photo
Jul 29
The Chicago Fire Department Special Operations Division apparatus and the Support Services vehicles have been added to the site. These two divisions maintain a number of vehicles in a warehouse located within several blocks of city facilities. The Special Operations Division has units to supplement companies throughout the city for various types of technical rescues and large scale incidents. The Squad companies, hazmat units, Air Sea Rescue and many of the specialized pieces that are in firehouses throughout the city are all under the Special Operations Division umbrella.
Jul 2
Station 2 is home to a medic unit, an engine, and the special teams which includes haz mat, the dive team, and a mobile unit for the fire investigation team. Larry Shapiro photo
Division 16 encompasses only three fire departments but it represents roughly 100 square miles of area and includes 19 fire stations. The departments are Downers Grove, Lisle Woodridge, and Naperville. Previously, Downers Grove and recently Naperville have been added to the site with their combined 14 stations. As of today, the five stations of the Lisle Woodridge Fire District are on the site as well.
Engine 541 (running out of station 4) is the newest unit in the fleet. Larry Shapiro photo
Three of the Lisle Woodridge stations are in the Village of Lisle and two are in the Village of Woodridge. They staff four engines, two trucks, a battalion chief and four medic units. One of the medic units is only staffed for 12 hours a day. Neither of their truck companies (one ladder and one platform) carries water or has a pump. Lisle Woodridge used to maintain a suppression fleet that was 100% E-ONE and a medic fleet of Freightliner/Life Line ambulances. Today, though several E-ONE units remain in the fleet, they are being phased out by Pierce units. Currently both trucks and two of the engines are Pierce. The medic units are still from Life Line although the Freightliner FL60 chassis are being replaced with IHC 4300 chassis.
This unit which has no official assigned duties was one of the first super-command-cab units built by Spartan back in 1984. Spartan introduced these enormous cabs to the fire service and the first few units were built for suburban Chicago departments including this EONE rescue, a Frontline rescue for North Palos, and an FMC pumper for Fox Lake. The square cab design was not popular and made way for a contoured cab after a short period of time.
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
