Dec 17
The Stickney Fire Department had a box alarm this afternoon at 4125 Oak Park Avenue. Josh Boyajian sent this image of Engine 1201 pumping at the scene. The engine is a 2007 HME/Ahrens Fox 1250/1000/30 TM. Truck 1204, a 1997 Spartan Gladiator, 3D 1250/500, Aerial Innovations 105′ rear mount aerial can be seen in the background.
Stickney Engine 1201 and truck 1204 on the scene of the box alarm fire at 4125 Oak Park Avenue. Josh Boyajian photo
Dec 8
Additional images from the Leyden Township 3-11 yesterday submitted by Steve Redick, Jeff Rudolph, and Larry Shapiro.
Flames are visible from a vantage on the east side of the fire after the roof was in. Jeff Rudolph photo
Westchester's E-ONE Cyclone aerial is set up with an elevated master stream at the east side of the 'A' sector. Jeff Rudolph photo
Northlake Engine 808 is positioned on the street and awaits water from an in-line operation. Jeff Rudolph photo
Another shot from the front of the address showing Westchester's master stream. Larry Shapiro photo
Elmwood Park firefighters carry a 5-inch line to Northlake Engine 808. The Elmwood Park engine is making it's way further west on Grand Avenue to find a hydrant down the street. Steve Redick photo
Leyden Quint 133 is operating on the west side of the driveway with an elevated master stream and several hand lines. Larry Shapiro photo
Firefighters work a handline at the rear of the building. Jeff Rudolph photo
An overview of the western exposure of the fire building from the vacant lot next door. Steve Redick photo
Bensenville firefighters pull hose from Engine 89 to put additional hand lines into operation to hit the many hot spots throughout the ruins. Larry Shapiro photo
River Grove Engine 565, a Pierce Saber, is pumping in-line to Bensenville Engine 89 in the rear sector. Steve Redick photo
Bensenville Engine 89, a 2002 Pierce Lance, is supplying several hand lines in the 'C' sector. Larry Shapiro photo
Stone Park Engine 908, is the only E-ONE Quest engine in MABAS Division 20. It is on a hydrant east of the fire scene on Grand Avenue. Jeff Rudolph photo
A gallery of Steve Redick’s images can be seen HERE.
A gallery of Larry Shapiro’s images can be seen HERE.
Dam McInerney took in the Still & Box/EMS Plan I in the high-rise at 4800 S. Lake Park yesterday. There was a fire in one apartment on the 9th floor of a 25-story building that measured 50×250. Engine 45 laid two lines to charge the standpipe system. One line off the interior standpipe was used to fight the fire.
Broken windows on the 9th floor of this 25-story building show the location of the fire unit. Dan McInerney photo
Engine 63 is a 2005 Spartan/Crimson engine staged at the scene. Dan McInerney photo
The high-rise hose packs from the engine consist of 50' lengths of 2-1/2" hose with a smoothbore nozzle at the end. The nozzle has a spin down attachment at the end of it where 1-3/4" hose can be attached. This is the same nozzle that they use on their leader lines. Dan McInerney photo
Engine 16 was on the scene with their 2002 Spartan/Luverne engine (D606). Dan McInerney photo
Truck 16 staged. This is a 2002 Pierce Dash 100' rear mount (E312). Dan McInerney photo
Detail of the graphics on Truck 30. Dan McInerney photo
The company of Tower 37 stands by their rig which is a 1996, HME/LTI 100' rear mount (EE281). Dan McInerney photo
Engine 45 laid two lines to charge the standpipe system of the building. Dan McInerney photo
The engineer from Engine 45 uses a hydrant pump to drain the water from the hydrant. Dan McInerney photo
Command Van 2-7-3 responded to the scene as the mobile command post. Dan McInerney photo
Dec 8
Chicago had a 2-11 alarm fire yesterday on the near south side prior to the Leyden fire. Jeff Rudolph was at that scene which was over rather quickly. Before he went to the Leyden fire, he took several photos and submitted these. The fire was at 1500 33rd st.
Engine 39 on-scene at the 2-11 alarm yesterday. This is a 1999 HME Luverne engine. Jeff Rudolph photo
Squad 1 is shutting down their master stream as the fire is knocked on 33rd Street yesterday, In the background, a reserve tower ladder 's master stream is still in operation. Jeff Rudolph photo
Engine 8 was pumping at the fire as well. Their unit is a 2002 Spartan Luverne. Jeff Rudolph photo
Squad 1 uses their Snorkel unit for an elevated master stream. The 55' Snorkels have been a fixture with the Squad companies in Chicago for many years. Their fate is unknown as American LaFrance, the owner/manufacturer of the Snorkel, no longer offers the product. Jeff Rudolph photo
Of the 96 engine companies in Chicago, roughly 15 still still run with these HME SFO/Luverne engines that have a much shorter wheelbase. Here, Engines 39 (1999) and 28 (1997) are pumping side by side at the 2-11, which is somewhat of a rarity. Jeff Rudolph photo
Flossmoor has a new engine being built by Crimson. HERE is a link to the latest production photos that have been posted. It will be mounted on a Spartan chassis with a Gladiator cab. The body is stainless steel with a 1,000-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water.
We have added yet another department in MABAS Division 15. The Rockdale Fire Protection District has one station with a three square mile district. They have two engines, a tanker, a squad, a brush truck, and two support vehicles. The newest engine is a 2008 custom Sutphen top-mount which is backed up by a 1994 FMC Omega pumper on a Sentinel chassis. The cab and chassis were built by Spartan and basically represent the Spartan RS style (round-steel) but there was a custom set of trim packages and options that were unique to the FMC private label.
The Rockdale station has traditional red doors. Karl Klotz photo
Rockdale Tanker 2017 was one of many that were called to assist the Joliet Fire Department on the 20th of March, 2009 in battling the Empress Casino Fire. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery of images from the Empress Casino Fire in Joliet on March 20, 2009 can be seen HERE.
An FMC Sentinel tear sheet showing the unit purchased by the Woodstock FPD with the standard Sentinel trim package.
The front cover of the introductory FMC Sentinel brochure.
The Braceville Fire Department covers 1.5 square miles in Grundy County. They have one station which is staffed by 17 volunteers responding to both EMS and fire calls. They have two engines, one truck, a brush rig, and an ambulance in addition to a Chevy Suburban. The ambulance and one of the engines were both previously owned by Braidwood. The truck is from the Lyondell/Equistar facility. It is a 1979 tandem axle Seagrave chassis with a 54′ Squrt and bodywork by Pierce. It carries 500 gallons of water plus 500 gallons of foam. The X-Braidwood engine was built in 1982 by Alexis on a Hendrickson 1871-C chassis. The C designates a contour cab. Hendrickson also offered the S or square cab design at the time. This engine is soon to be replaced with a new Spartan Metro Star Darley engine in December. The new engine has a light tower and a complete set of Genesis Rescue tools in the front bumper and at the rear of the unit.
Thanks to Karl Klotz for the images and information.
Another department in MABAS Division 12 has been added to the web site. The Oak Brook Terrace Fire District operates out of one station and covers a district of 2.5 square miles with a combination of full-time and part-time personnel. This station is packed with apparatus. They have two engines, a tower ladder, two ambulances, a TRT trailer, and a pickup. As mentioned in previous posts, they just put a brand new Spartan/Marion engine into service. This unit represents a transition for the department to black over red rigs from white over red. The other engine and tower ladder are both E-ONE units and the ambulances were built by Medtec.
Chicago is well known as the birthplace for the Snorkel’s use in the fire service, and the entire Chicago metropolitan area was a mecca for Snorkels. Units could be found with every boom length that was offered and built by several different body builders. Prior to purchasing the 95′ tower ladder from E-ONE in 1991, this department had an unusual 85′ Snorkel on a conventional GMC 7000 chassis. This was one of the only Snorkels in the area that was not built on a C-Series chassis from Ford, a cab-over International, or on a custom fire truck chassis.
The headquarters station for the Oak Brook Terrace Fire District. Larry Shapiro photo
This 1964, 85' Pitman Snorkel preceded the the E-ONE tower ladder in Oak Brook Terrace. Shown here at their old stations, the body was built by Pierce on a GMC 7000 chassis with a V-12 engine. Snorkel 86, as it was known at the time, had a 1,000-GPM pump and carried 200 gallons of water. Larry Shapiro collection
The Tri-State FPD, in MABAS Division 10 received a new 100′ tower ladder this year which was built by Smeal. It has a Spartan Chassis with a Gladiator Evolution cab which has trim offered exclusively to Smeal which is called their Sirius cab.
Tri-State Tower 529 is a 2010 Spartan/Smeal with a 2,000-GPM pump and a 300-gallon water tank. The ladder is 100'. Bill Friedrich photo
The Tri-State FPD fleet includes two Pierce engines, the Smeal tower ladder and a Pierce engine with a Sky-Boom aerial device. Bill Friedrich photo
Another department in MABAS Division 19 has been added to the site. The Manhattan Fire Protection District covers 72 square miles from two stations. Their staffing consists of 9 full-time personnel, 35 part-time, and 35 POCs. The Manhattan fleet includes three IHC 4300/Road Rescue Type I ambulances and engines from Pierce and Alexis. They just received their newest engine which is a 2010, Spartan Gladiator Classic, Alexis with a 1,500-GPM pump, and 750 gallons of water. Manhattan received a new heavy rescue last year built by SVI Trucks which was also on a Spartan chassis with an extended, super command, Gladiator Classic cab. The old squad was built in 1986 on a Chevy Kodiak chassis by Marion, and is now owned by the Manhattan Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
The 2009 Spartan Gladiator Classic/SVI heavy rescue/air unit/light unit assigned as Squad 1216 in Manhattan. Karl Klotz photo
Manhattan's previous squad 1216 was this 1986 Marion Body unit on a Chevy Kodiak chassis. This rig is now with the Manhattan Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Karl Klotz photo
When the new Alexis engine was put into service, Manhattan donated old engine 1211, a 1984, IHC/Pierce with a 1,500-GPM pump and a 1,000-gallon water tank to the Hurst Fire and Rescue Department in Southern Illinois.
Manhattan's newest piece is this recently delivered Alexis engine on a Spartan chassis with a Gladiator Classic cab. It replaces a 1984 Pierce engine on an International chassis with a four-door cab. Karl Klotz photo
Old engine 1211 was this 1984 Pierce commercial pumper that was built with an IHC cab and chassis. Members of the Manhattan FPD recently drove this unit to Southern Illinois where they presented it as a donation to the Hurst Fire & Rescue Department. Karl Klotz photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
