This from Steve Redick:
I shared this official CFD image a while ago. Since that time Jack Connors took the time to identify all the rigs in the image.
Oct 8
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 2 Comments
This from Steve Redick:
I shared this official CFD image a while ago. Since that time Jack Connors took the time to identify all the rigs in the image.
Tags: Chicago Fire Department history, classic Chicago FD apparatus, historic fire apparatus, Jack Connors
Feb 13
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos | 14 Comments
Photos from the Chicagoareafire.com files of Chicago Engine 92
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
John Tulipano photo
Jack Connors photo
Steve Redick photo
Chicago FD Engine 92 – 2001 Freightliner FL106/American LaFrance 1500/500. Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: American LaFrance fire engine, Chicago FD Engine 92, Chicago Fire Department history, Freightliner fire truck, Freightliner FL106, Jack Connors, John Tulipano, Larry Shapiro, Steve Redick
Jan 15
Posted by Admin in Fire Service News | 2 Comments
It is with great sadness that we mention the loss of a friend. George Reichhardt served with the East Joliet Fire Protection District, retired as a captain with the Fermilab Fire Department, and was a lifelong fire service enthusiast. George spent many years documenting new and old apparatus from area fire departments with other photographers.
George C. Reichhardt 77, of Joliet, passed away Sunday, January 14, 2018 at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital, Glendale Heights. George was born in Joliet to the late Charles F. and Catherine M. (nee Briski) Reichhardt. Survived by his daughter Julie K. Reichhardt; a brother Donald J. (Barbara) Reichhardt and a sister Katherine Sheck; he is also survived by step-children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many beloved friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and a granddaughter Christina A. Bourg. George was a founding member of Fire Buffs of Illinois, he was a member of HOIFEC (Heart of Illinois Fire Enthusiasts and Collectors), SPAAMFAA (Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America), International Fire Photographers Association, Reichhardt Raiders, and Blitz Brothers. He was employed as a firefighter at the Army Ammunition Plant, East Joliet Fire Protection District, Fermilab, and Rockdale Fire Protection District. He was also a FAE Instructor and MABAS 15 Fire Photographer. His hobbies included photographing fire trucks, fires, trains, towboats, collecting fire memorabilia, and he really enjoyed riding Chicago Squad 3 in the early days. His publications include: Fire Apparatus Photo Album of the Ford Tilt Cabs – The Visiting Fireman, 1985 (Editor) and Darley Fire Apparatus – The Visiting Fireman, 1987 (Editor). George also received numerous awards and certificates throughout his career. The family will receive friends at Kurtz Memorial Chapel 102 E. Frances Rd, New Lenox on Thursday, January 18, 2018 from 2:00pm until time of services at 8:00pm. A fire department walk through will begin at 7PM.
Tags: Bill Friedrich, Chicago area fire apparatus photographers, Don Feipel, East Joliet Fire Protection District, Fermilab Fire Department, Fire Buffs of Illinois, fire service photographer dies, George Reichhardt, Hank Sajovic, Heart of Illinois Fire Enthusiasts and Collectors, Jack Connors, Jeff Schielke, Karl Klotz, Matt Schumann, Ralph Feld Memorial Award, Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America, Steve Redick
May 31
Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, New Apparatus Order | 12 Comments
The Elk Grove Village Fire Department has purchased a Pierce Velocity, 100′ rear-mount tower ladder from Pierce. The stock unit has a pump and water tank, a first for Elk Grove Village in many years.
Here are several of the previous trucks:
1970 Mack CF/Pirsch 100′ TDA. jack Connors photo
Jack Connors photo
Elk Grove Village FD Truck 138 was a 1970 Mack CF/Pirsch 100′ TDA that was upgraded in 1987 with a new Spartan tractor. Jack Connors photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Assigned as Truck 9, this was a 1983 Spartan CFD/Emergency One 110′ rear mount (0/0). Jack Connors photo
Delivery photo of the 1983 Spartan CFC/Emergency One 110′ 0/0 rear mount aerial. Larry Shapiro photo
In other news, Elk Grove will be purchasing an as of yet underdetermined type small squad to be housed with the new tower ladder at Station 7 as a jump company to handle EMS responses.
Tags: Elk Grove buys new tower ladder, Elk Grove Fire Department apparatus, Elk Grove to implement small rescue unit for EMS responses, Elk Grove Village Fire Department, Elk Grove Village Fire Department history, fire truck photos, Jack Connors, Larry Shapiro, Mack CF tractor with Pirsch tillered aerial, Spartan Emergency One aerial ladder truck
Apr 4
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos | 9 Comments
More former Illinois fire trucks located in Mexico by Karl Klotz
North Palos FPD- Truck 804 (Mack CF)Roberts Park FPD- Engine 309 (Ford/E-ONE)Former engine from the Roberts Park FPD and a TeleSqurt from The North Palos PFD, both now in Mexico. photo from Flickr
A picture of ‘Estacion de Bomberos Iguala’, taken in Iguala de la Independencia in the state of Guerrero in Mexico.
North Palos Truck 804. Jack Connors photo
Roberts Park FPD Engine 30. Jack Connors photo
Tags: Estacion de Bomberos Iguala, Jack Connors, Karl Klotz, new home for old fire engine, North Palos FPD, Roberts Park FPD, US fire engines in Mexico, used Illinois fire trucks move to Mexico
Apr 3
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos | 2 Comments
This from Jeff Rudolph:
I found this on Kansas Fire Trucks.com serving the Soldier Township FPD
Tanker 71
1985 Pierce Arrow
GPM: 1,250
Gallons: 3,000
*Formerly served the Troy Fire Protection District in Shorewood, IL.
Jeff R
Soldier Township FPD (KS) Engine 71, formerly Troy Fire Protection District. Photo by Mark Engholm
1985 Pierce Arrow fire engine at the Troy FPD in Illinois. Jack Connors photo
1985 Pierce Arrow fire engine at the Troy FPD in Illinois. Bill Friedrich photo
Tags: Bill Friedrich, fire truck photo, Jack Connors, Jeff Rudolph, kansasfiretrucks.com, Mark Engholm, new home for used fire truck, Pierce Arrow pumper tanker, Soldier Township FPD, Troy Fire Protection District
Apr 29
Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire, Fire Department History, Fire Service Photos, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo | 19 Comments
The final installment from Jack Connors of the Chicago FD turret wagon history. Images in this article feature 6-7-3, Big John at various locations in the city; a display, a parade, and at two fire scenes.
On display in October of 1974 in the Civic Centre Plaza for fire prevention week. Jack Connors photo
Big John at Engine 42’s house in April of 1974 with Engine 42 and Truck 3. Jack Connors photo
In this photo at Engine 42’s house on Illinois, Big John sits with engine 42 and Truck 3, both built by American LaFrance. This and only one other house in Chicago matched an American LaFrance engine and truck together. The other pair was Engine 112 with Truck 21.
Standing by at a fire scene. Jack Connors photo
In the fire prevention parade, October of 1970. Jack Connors photo
On July 7, 1970, a 5-11 Alarm fire at 1750 N. Ashland Avenue resulted in the death of CFD Firefighter John Walsh when a wall fell onto a Snorkel. These next two images show Big John (6-7-3) deployed at that fire.
The fire was at 1750 N. Ashland Avenue, a 5-11 which caused the LODD of CFD FF John Walsh. Larry Walsh photo
Big John deployed in July of 1970 at a 5-11 Alarm fire where CFD FF John Walsh was killed. Larry Walsh photo
From the Chicago Park District website:
Walsh Park occupies the former site of a vacant building destroyed in a spectacular and deadly fire on July 7, 1970. Firefighter John P. Walsh, Jr. (1923-1970), for whom this West Town park is named, died five weeks after being critically injured while fighting the stubborn blaze. Walsh had served as a United States Marine before joining the Chicago Fire Department in 1951. He had been assigned to Hook & Ladder Company 44. Several months after Walsh’s death, the Dana Civic Organization requested that the Chicago Park District develop the fire-scarred site as a neighborhood park. The park district had acquired the 2-acre property by the end of 1972, with the help of grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Improvements began the following year. The 2-acre park includes playground equipment, an athletic field, basketball hoops, and a sand box.
From the Illinois Fire Service Institute:
![]() |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
On display at the Chicago Fire Academy. photographer and date unknown
The beginning of this series can be found HERE.
Previous articles on Big John are HERE and HERE.
Tags: 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago in July of 1970, American LaFrance in the Chicago Fire Department, building fire Chicago 1750 N Ashland Avenue 1970, CFD Deluge Wagon Big John, Chicago FF John Walsh, Chicago FIre Department Big John, Chicago Fire Department deluge wagon 6-7-3, Chicago Fire Department Turret Wagon Big John, Chicago LODDD Firefighter John Walsh, Chicago Turret Wagon 6-7-3, firefighter LODD in Chicago 1970, historic fire in Chicago, historic fire photos, historic fire truck photos, Jack Connors, Larry Walsh
Apr 26
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Service Photos, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 7 Comments
Saving the most impressive of the CFD turret wagons for the last, this article includes images from Jack Connors that show all sides and closeups of 6-7-3, otherwise known as Big John when it was new.
View of the rear and driver’s side in front of Engine 8’s house. Jack Connors photo
Overhead shot from the second floor. Jack Connors photo
Closeup of the hydraulic controls. Jack Connors photo
Hose inlets. Jack Connors photo
View from the rear. Jack Connors photo
The two guns as seen from the rear. Jack Connors photo
Hydraulic lift cylinder. Jack Connors photo
On-board pump. Jack Connors photo
On-board generator. Jack Connors photo
Another view of the two massive turrets. Jack Connors photo
Additional master streams could be deployed off the front bumper. Jack Connors photo
Impressive front end with chevron striping on the bumper. Jack Connors photo
The previous article in this series (pt 18) is HERE and an earlier post featuring Big John is HERE.
Tags: CFD Deluge Wagon Big John, Chicago Civil Defense Fire and Rescue, Chicago FD Deluge Wagon, Chicago FIre Department Big John, Chicago Fire Department deluge wagon 6-7-3, Chicago Fire Department turret wagon, Chicago Fire Department Turret Wagon Big John, Chicago Turret Wagon 6-7-3, historic fire truck photos, historic truck photos, historical photos of Chicago Fire Department, Jack Connors, John F. Plant, massive custom built fire truck in the Chicago FD
Apr 21
Posted by Admin in Apparatus on-scene, Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, Historic Fire Photo | 1 Comment
Another installment on the history of turret wagons in the Chicago Fire Department from Jack Connors. Images depict Big Mo as it was on two different chassis. It was assigned as 6-7-2 originally on a 1953 International 6×6 chassis which was painted black over red. This unit carried shop #G-248. It was later remounted onto 1957 GMC 6×6 chassis in the blue and white colors of the Civil Defense carrying shop #G-157 .
Images from Jack’s collection are featured from Ken Little and George Brown in addition to Jack’s own photos.
Big Mo seen here working at a 5-11 Alarm fire with specials in June of 1969 at 14th and Indiana. George Brown photo
Big Mo 6-7-2 was built by the CFD shops on a 1953 International 6×6 chassis. George Brown photo
BIg Mo 6-7-2 at Engine 13’s house. George Brown photo
The first version of Big Mo at 66th & State. George Brown photo
Big Mo in the fire prevention week parade in October of 1970. Jack Connor photo
Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-2, known as Big Mo at Engine 42’s house. George Brown photo
Unknown date and location with the second Big Mo at a fire scene. Ken Little photo
Tags: 5-11 Alarm fire in Chicago, Chicago Civil Defense Fire and Rescue, Chicago FD Deluge Wagon, Chicago FD Turret Wagon 6-7-2, Chicago Fire Department turret wagon, Chicago Fire Department Turret Wagon Big Mo, Chicago Turret Wagon 6-7-2, Chicago Turret Wagon Big Mo, George Brown, historic fire in Chicago, historic fire photos, historic fire truck photos, historic truck photos, historical photos of Chicago Fire Department, Jack Connors, Ken Little
Apr 13
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 1 Comment
Another installment on the history of turret wagons in the Chicago Fire Department from Jack Connors. Images depict the 1976 Mack MB turret wagon that was assigned as 6-7-5 and 6-7-1.
Lettered for 6-7-1 at a Chicago FD Muster and Flea Market. Jack Connort photo
Photographed in May of 1986 by Engine 42’s house on Illinois Avenue as 6-7-1. Jack Connors photo
Another photo from July of 1977 as 6-7-5 sits on Illinois Avenue across from Engine 42’s house. Jack Connor photo
Photographed in July of 1977 at a community event held near 56th & Kedzie, Talman Federal Bank. Jack Connors
The previous post was HERE.
Tags: Chicago FD Deluge Wagon 6-7-5, Chicago Fire Department, Chicago Fire Department deluge wagon 6-7-1, Chicago Fire Department turret wagon, Chicago Turret Wagon 6-7-1, Chicago Turret Wagon 6-7-5, history of Chicago FD turret wagons, Jack Connors, Mack MB600 chassis
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
Arclite theme by digitalnature | powered by WordPress