This from Asher Heimermann:
Naval Air Station Glenview was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995.

Asher Heimermann photo

Asher Heimermann photo

Asher Heimermann photo

Asher Heimermann photo
Aug 2
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 3 Comments
This from Asher Heimermann:
Naval Air Station Glenview was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995.
Asher Heimermann photo
Asher Heimermann photo
Asher Heimermann photo
Asher Heimermann photo
Tags: Asher Heimermann, NAS Glenview FD history, Naval Air Station Glenview, Naval Air Station Glenview Fire Department history, vintage fire truck photos, vintage military fire trucks
Mar 18
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 7 Comments
This from Larry Shapiro fort #TBT:
Since the site has been highlighting Rosemont apparatus being sold and replaced, here’s a bit of Rosemont FWD history for #TBT
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, classic fire truck photos, FWD fire trucks, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Rosemont Fire Department / Public Safety Department history, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos, vintage FWD/Seagrave fire truck in Rosemont IL
Dec 23
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 1 Comment
From Phil Stenholm:
HISTORY OF EVANSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SQUAD 21:
Prior to 1952, the Evanston Fire Department had no squad. EFD Chief Albert Hofstetter wanted to place a squad into service back in the 1930’s, but budget cuts stemming from the Great Depression put that on hold. And so the EFD’s specialized fire-ground support and rescue equipment (including inhalator since 1913) were stored at Fire Station #1 and would be loaded onto an engine and transported to the scene of an incident only when needed.
1. The First Squad was a 1952 Pirsch 1000-GPM / 100-gallon pumper-squad. One of five rigs purchased by Evanston from Pirsch 1951-52, this was the original Squad 21 from 1952-65, and while it had a 1000-GPM pump, it had no hose bed but there was a “red-line” booster hose reel and 100 gallons of water on board that could be used to extinguish a minor fire. This rig was initially staffed by two firefighters and responded to about 100 inhalator calls city-wide per year from 1952-1959 and to working fires and specialized rescue calls when requested. Inhalators were placed into service with all five engine companies in 1959, so Squad 21 was staffed by just one firefighter (usually the shift mechanic) and responded only to working structure fires and specialized rescue calls when requested 1959-62. It was placed back into front-line service in January 1963 as a four-man company when Truck Co. 23 was taken out of service. It ran as a manpower & rescue company from that point onward, responding to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide. It was also the primary inhalator company for Station #1 (keeping Engine 21 available for alarms in the downtown high-value district). Without a hose bed, the 1000-GPM pump was essentially wasted. The original squad body was removed and replaced with a new pumper body in 1966, after-which it ran as Engine 22 from 1966-70 and then as Engine 25 from 1970-76. It was retired and gutted for spare parts in 1980 (there were two other 1952 Pirsch pumpers still in reserve through 1983) and then it became playground equipment at Kamen Park at Asbury & South Blvd.
Bill Friedrich photo
2. The SS-1 of the Evanston Fire Department was a 1965 International / General Body pumper-squad. This rig replaced the 1952 Pirsch pumper-squad so that the Pirsch could be converted into a triple-combination pumper (see above). The work-horse of the Evanston Fire Department between 1966-76, this “Frankenstein” rig was constructed by General Body Co. at their Chicago factory using an International cab & chassis like the ones used by City of Evanston garbage trucks back at that time. General Body (makers of the legendary CFD Autocar squads, the Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile,” bookmobiles, and other specialty vehicles) fabricated the body and put it all together. Included on this rig was a split hose-bed with two leads of pre-connected 1-1/2 hose-lines designed for rapid fire-attack, a heavy-duty front bumper-mounted winch (used mainly to haul vehicles out of Lake Michigan and fire trucks out of snow drifts), extendable quartz lights, and a high-pressure deck gun master-stream nozzle. This version of Squad 21 was staffed by four firefighters and responded to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide, as well as to inhalator calls and minor fires (vehicle, trash, prairie, etc) in Station #1’s district. It was, by far, the busiest company in the EFD the years it was in service, and so new firefighters were often assigned to Squad 21 so they could gain a lot of experience as quickly as possible.
Bill Friedrich photo
3. The Pie Truck – a 1977 Chevrolet / Penn Versatile Van. Known by Evanston firefighters as the “pie truck,” this third version of Squad 21 replaced the 1965 International / General Body squad, mainly because the amount of specialized HazMat, rescue equipment, and dive-team gear added by the EFD in the 1970s exceeded what could be carried on a pumper-squad. Also, Squad 21’s manpower was reassigned to the two MICU ambulances that were placed into service 1976-77, so Squad 21 became an unmanned “jump rig” that was staffed by manpower from Station #1 only when needed at a working fire, HazMat incident, specialized rescue, dive team call, etc. Thus Squad 21 was no longer the SS-1 of the EFD. It was later reassigned as the Dive Team support truck.
Larry Shapiro photo
4. The Gladiator : A 2006 Spartan Gladiator / Marion “walk-in” heavy-rescue squad. Like the Chevrolet / Penn van that came before it, this newer version of Squad 21 is a “jump rig” at Station #1 and is staffed only when needed, but the 2006 version of Squad 21 can carry much more equipment than could the Chevy. Besides an air cascade, heavy-duty winch, portable power & lights, and lots of room for specialized equipment and gear, the 2006 Squad 21 also features rehab facilities for extended incidents.
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, Bill Friedrich, Evanston FD Squad 21, Evanston Fire Chief Albert Hofstetter, Evanston Fire Department history, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Phil Stenholm, shapirophotography.net, vintage fire truck photos
May 14
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 7 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For T BT-The Markham Fire Dept.’s E53, a 1964 IHC/? 750/800. It was replaced in 1984 with a Ford C/E-One 750/500 as E1531.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
Mike Summa photo
Tags: #TBT, 196 IHC fire engine, Markham Fire Department history, Mike Summa, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, Vintage 1984 Ford C/E-One fire engine from Markham IL, vintage fire truck photos
Aug 29
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 13 Comments
This from Wayne Stuart for #TBT:
Mabas Division 27 departments operated a few Snorkels over the years. The South Chicago Heights rig is the X- Louisville Kentucky Truck Co.2.
wayne stuart
Wayne Stuart photo
Wayne Stuart photo
Wayne Stuart photo
Wayne Stuart photo
Wayne Stuart photo
Tags: #TBT, Chicago Heights Fire Department history, classic Snorkel fire trucks, Matteson Fire Department history, Sauk Village Fire Department, South Chicago Heights Fire Department history, Steger Fire Department history, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos, vintage Snorkel fire trucks, Wayne Stuart
Aug 15
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 6 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT- Two fire departments side by side who have/had the same type of equipment. Oak Forest Engine 94, a 1971 FWD/Pierce 1250/500 w/54′ Squrt. Midlothian Engine 2, a 1973 Seagrave 1250/300 w/ 54′ Squrt. The Oak Forest engine is gone, but Midlothian had Pierce rehab their unit in 1994 with a Pierce Arrow cab and upgrade its engine into 1500/500. Are there any more Squrts out there?Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
Mike Summa photo
Mike Summa photo
Mike Summa photo
Tags: #TBT, 54' Squrt, historic fire truck photos, Midlothian Fire Department history, Mike Summa, Oak Forest Fire Department history, Seagrave 54' Squrt, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos
Jul 25
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 11 Comments
This from Wayne Stuart for #TBT:
Mabas Division 24 at one time or another over the years had the following Snorkels in service, the only one I do not have a photo of is Tinley Park. If anyone has a shot of it feel free to add it in. The Gary rig is the X-South Holland.
wayne stuart collection and photos
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Wayne Stuart collection
Tags: #TBT, Calumet City Fire Department, Calumet City Fire Department history, Gary Fire Department history, Gary Fire Department Snorkel, Harvey FD Snorkel, Harvey Fire Department history, Homewood FD Snorkel, Homewood Fire Department history, Mabas Division 24 Snorkel history, Oak Forest FD history, Oak Forest FD Snorkel, Riverdale FD Snorkel, Riverdale Fire Department history, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos, vintage Snorkel, Wayne Stuart
May 2
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 6 Comments
For #TBT from Steve Redick, some vintage photos of apparatus at O’Hare Airport
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Tags: #TBT, Chicago FD ARFF 6511 at O'Hare Airport, Chicago FD ARFF 655 at O'Hare Airport, Chicago FD Engine 12, Chicago FD Squad 7A, Chicago FD Truck 3, Chicago Fire Department history, Chicago O'Hare Airport ARFF, Chicago O'Hare Airport Fire Department, FMC Bean Snorkel, Steve Redick, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos
Mar 21
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 8 Comments
This from Ron Wolkoff for #TBT:
From my collection. Sorry I don’t have any further info.
Ron Wolkoff photos
Tags: #TBT, Glenbrook FD Snorkel, Glenview FD Engine 8R, Northbrook FD Engine 10, Ron Wolkoff, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck photos, yellow fire trucks
Feb 23
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 5 Comments
Photos taken by Warren Redick that were housed at Engine 53’s house in the Stockyards.
Warren Redick photo
Warren Redick photo
Tags: 1954 Mack L Engine 53, Chicago FD Engine 53, Chicago Fire Department history, chicagoareafire.com, vintage Chicago FD IHC hi-pressure wagon, vintage Chicago FD Mack L-Model pumper Engine 53, vintage fire truck photos, Warren Redick
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