In Will County, the Crete Fire Department has been added to the site. Crete has two stations with Pierce, Saulsbury, and Medtec apparatus.
Crete is changing the color of their units from white over lime green to black over red.
Crete Fire Station 2 is a t 3740 Melanie Lane. It was built in 1983. Dennis McGuire, Jr. photo
In MABAS Division 20, the Leyden Fire Protection District has been added to the site. Leyden has one station covering unincorporated Leyden Township. They have 13 full-time, 10 paid-on-call, and 6 contract personnel. Leyden currently houses the MABAS Division 20 Decon unit. They have two ambulances, a quint, an engine, and a utility unit.
The Leyden Fire District station is at 2600 Mannheim Road with a Franklin Park mailing address. Larry Shapiro photo
For many years the Leyden apparatus has been black over yellow. They have two ambulances which are this yellow with black accents and striping.
Leyden’s newest unit is this 2006 quint which features a new set of colors.
Engine 75 at the York Center FPD has been added to the site. This now completes the transition to an all-Pierce department for custom apparatus.
The 2012 Pierce replaces a 1993 E-ONE Hush.
The E-ONE Hush was originally white over lime green.
York Center Engine 75 was delivered as seen here. Larry Shapiro photo
The 1993 Hush replaced a Seagrave PB Series engine.
Two generations back, York Center Engine 75 was this 1973 Seagrave PB Series engine. Larry Shapiro photo
Robbins Fire Department Engine 2943 was a 1973 Seagrave 1250/5000) that formerly belonged to the York Center FPD. Bill Friedrich photo
More from Bill Friedrich about MABAS Division 11 departments that have had non-red fire apparatus.
Here is a shot of the Forest Park Mack CF in the lime green color. The photo is from retired Forest Park LT.Mario Tricoci
Forest Park FD Engine 401, a Mack CF was received lime green in 1974 with a 1,250-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water. Mario Tricoci photo
More on the non-red fire apparatus that served in MABAS Division 11.
Cicero Haz Mat 1 in 1976 was this lime green unit built by Koeing on a Ford F-600 chassis. Bill Friedrich photo
Haz Mat 1 was kept at Sta.2
Cicero Squad F-11 was this white truck built by Wolverine on a Ford F-600 chassis in 1976. It had a 25′ elevating ladder which was more commonly used by outdoor sign companies. Bill Friedrich photo
Here is a shot shortly after the Western Electric plant in Cicero closed down. This was Engine 6 on the radio.
Cicero acquired this 1978 Ford F-700/Howe commercial engine from the Western Electric Plant Brigade when it closed. This had a 750-GPM pump with 600 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich photo
The engine was sold to a department in Alabama. It was at Cicero for about 1-2 years. They did not care for the lime green color. Western Electric employed around 20,000 people and was located near 22nd & Cicero. They did have a full time department.
Cicero Engine 3 was delivered by W.S. Darley in 1981 on a Ford C-8000 chassis with a custom canopy configuration. Originally it was all white but was later repainted to match the new color scheme. Bill Friedrich photo
It’s been a while since our last article in The Color of Fire Trucks series. We are up to MABAS Division 11 this time with only one department to feature which previously ran with apparatus that was not red.
The Cicero Fire Department purchased several units in the 1970s and 1980s that were solid white. They had a Ford/Grove 100′ rear-mount aerial, a Ford/Darly top-mount engine, and a unique squad on a Ford F chassis with a light-weight ladder similar to those used by outdoor sign companies.
Cicero Truck 1 ran with this 1973 100′ rear-mounted Grove aerial ladder mounted on a Ford C-Series chassis. The body was built by American Fire Apparatus. Larry Shapiro photo
Shortly after being delivered to Cicero by the W.S. Darley Company in 1981, Engine 3 was photographed outside the station. Built on a Ford C-8000 chassis with a rear custom canopy cab with a top-mounted control panel, this engine had a 1,000-GPM pump and carried 500 gallons of water. Larry Shapiro photo
This week’s posting of the Division 10 apparatus showing departments that once had a unique colored rig or that have changed to red was flawed. The Clarendon Hills Fire Department should not have been featured since their current color is not red, but with that in mind, Bill Friedrich has submitted an image from a day when Clarendon Hills did have red trucks.
Bill tells us that:
Clarendon Hills started of with a black over red fleet. Besides this one, they had a really neat FWD engine and a Ford C squad truck. They also had a white tandem axle Ford F ambulance.
In 1963, Clarendon Hills ran with this 1963 IHC R-190/Darley unit that was black over red. It had a 750-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water with an overhead ladder rack. Bill Friedrich photo
Bill also tells us about the Hinsdale Fire Department:
Hinsdale had an all red fleet as well prior to the black and yellow rigs. Besides this ladder they had a Pirsch and FWD engine.
Hinsdale used to have red trucks like this 1952 American LaFrance 700 Series mid-mounted 75′ ladder truck. It ran as Truck442 with a 1000-GPM pump and 150 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich photo
Departments in MABAS Division 10 are featured in this next installment of The Color of Fire Trucks series.
Clarendon Hills ran this 1986 50′ TeleSqurt built by Pierce on a Mack CF chassis. Engine 349 had a 1,500-GPM pump and carried 500 gallons of water. Larry Shapiro photo
The Clarendon Hills Fire Department runs with apparatus that is painted white over a bright yellow. They currently have a fleet of four units with these colors.
One of several E-ONE units purchased by the Darien-Woodridge FPD was this 1990 top-mount Hurricane engine with 1,000 gallons of water and a 1,500-GPM pump. It ran as Engine 371. Larry Shapiro photo
The Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District currently runs with red and white apparatus. Their newest unit is solid red, and with this purchase they will retire one of the last of their lime-green apparatus which dominated their fleet for many years.
Riverside Engine 306 ran with this 1978 Ford C-8000/Seagrave. It had a 1,250-GPM pump and 750 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich photo
Forest View ran with one of the popular small DOT spec rescue squads like many other area departments. Squad 816 was built by E-ONE in 1980 on a GMC chassis. Bill Friedrich photo
One of many units that has been purchased over the years for service in Hinsdale was this 1982 E-ONE Protector IV engine. Running as Engine 343, it was built on a Hendrickson chassis with an 1871-W cab, and carried 500 gallons of water with a 1,250-GPM pump. Larry Shapiro photo
The Westmont Fire Department purchased this white and lime engine from FTI in 1978. It featured a 1,250-GPM pump with 500 gallons of water. It was built on a Pemfab chassis with their ‘wedge’ (Model 932-T) cab. Bill Friedrich photo
Willow Springs purchased this unusual 95′ tower ladder from E-ONE in 2001. Painted black, tower 600 had a 1,500-GPM pump with 300 gallons of water on a Cyclone chassis. Bill Friedrich photo
The Argonne Labs Fire Department put together this brush rig with a 1975 IHC pickup. Brush 75 had a 70-GPM pump and a 250-gallon water tank. Bill Friedrich photo
One of the many units that saw service in Western Springs when their apparatus was painted white was this 1981 Pierce Arrow engine. It was one of the early Pierce Arrow models with a chassis that was made by Oshkosh. Engine 437 had a 1,500-GPM pump with 750 gallons of water. The top-mount control station featured a hand-rail due to the large and spacious area.At this point in time, Pierce was building the cab and body. It wasn’t until later that they began to assemble the entire chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
The only unit that the Romeoville Fire Department has run with that was not red was this 1979 E-ONE (DOT) light-duty rescue on a Ford F-350 chassis. Perhaps what is most unusual about this is that these were normally delivered lime green. Bill Friedrich photo
Romeoville had a white light-duty rescue by E-ONE. Most of these units were delivered lime green as per the DOT spec.
This was one of two Seagrave engines that was purchased by the McCook Fire Department and was painted yellow. Engine 379, built in 1979, had 500 gallons of water with a 1,250-GPM pump. Bill Friedrich photo
Many years ago, the McCook Fire Department had red apparatus, then they switched to bright yellow for several years before the fleet was changed again to red and white.
This next installment (our 9th) in our series highlighting The Color of Fire Trucks, comes again from Bill Friedrich and looks at MABAS Division 7. This MABAS division covers Kankakee County and part of Iroquois County.
Essex ran Squad 1974, a 1974 Dodge Power wagon that was modified by the department. Bill Friedrich archives
The City of Kankakee had two units on CF Mack chassis that were white over lime-green. One was this 1983 Mack CF600 with a 100′ Pirsch aerial ladder, a 1,250-GPM pump and 200 gallons of water. This was Ladder 6. Bill Friedrich archives
The Kankakee Township FPD had this 1975 IHC Cargostar 1910 with an Alexis body, 1,000-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water. It ran as Engine 84. Bill Friedrich archives
Pembroke FPD Engine 139 was a 1972 IHC Loadstar 1800 built by Central with a 500-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich archives
Otto Township Engine 38 was this 1986 IHC S1900/Luverne with a 750-GPM pump and 500 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich archives
This X-Glenside FPD engine is now running as Engine 1533 for the Papineau FPD. It is a 1981 Pierce Arrow with 750 gallons of water and a 1,250-GPM pump. Bill Friedrich photo
Bourbonnais Engine 63 was a 1976 was built by Howe on a Hendrickson 1871 with 800 gallons of water and a 1,000-GPM pump. Bill Friedrich archives
Engine 112 for the Grant park FPD was this 1963 IHC/Central with 1,000 gallons of water and a 1,000-GPM pump. Bill Friedrich archives
Chebanse Township FPD Tanker 2871 was a 1994/2001 Peterbilt 379 built by Midstate Tank. It carried 3,000 gallons of water with no pump. Bill Friedrich photo
Salina Township FPD ran Tanker 164 which was built on a 1985 GMC F-7000 chassis by Midstate Tank. There was no pump alongside the 2,000-gallon tank. Bill Friedrich archives
Rescue 10 saw service with the St. Anne Fire Department. It was a 1967 Chevy Step Van. Bill Friedrich archive
This installment is from Bill Freidrich.
This was the only non-red vehicle in the Cortland FD fleet.
The Cortland Fire Department ran this 1977/1982 Chevy/Horton Type I as Rescue 1751. Bill Friedrich photo
This Ward LaFrance/Hi-Ranger Snorkel was the only non-red rig in the Dekalb FD fleet. It was later sold to the Shabbona FPD and repainted white over red.
Dekalb had this lime yellow and white 85' Hi-Ranger built by Ward LaFrance in 1975. Bill Friedrich photo
The Shabbona Fire Department, bought this 1975 Ward LaFrance (P80) 85' Hi-Ranger from Dekalb. Bill Friedrich photo
This squad was the only non-red unit for the Shabbona Fire Protection District.
Shabbona had this 1975 Chevy Step-Van as Rescue 2516. It was their only piece that was not red. Bill Friedrich photo
Malta ran this as Rescue 4. It was a 1965 Dodge/Boyer with a 250-GPM pump and 300 gallons of water. Bill Friedrich photo
Maple Park bought this 1985 Alexis 2,750-gallon tanker on a Mack MC chassis which was built as a demonstrator/show truck. It had a 750-GPM pump and was the only non-red unit in Maple Park. Bill Friedrich photo
The Genoa-Kingston Fire Protection District used to run with a fleet that was all orange. One early unit was Engine 78, built by Pierce in 1978 on a Ford C-8000 chassis. It had a 750-GPM pump and carried 750 gallons of water. It also featured a 45' Aerial-ETT, an early aerial ladder design by Pierce. Bill Friedrich photo
When the Kirkland FPD ran with white apparatus, this front mounted pumper tanker from Howe was Tanker 2. It was built in 1961 on a GMC chassis. Bill Friedrich photo
Waterman Rescue 1251, the only non-red unit in their fleet, was built in 1986 by McCoy-Miller on a Cord F-800 chassis. Bill Friedrich photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
