Schiller Park (Division 20) received a new Impel engine from Pierce in March. From a distance, the Impel and the Velocity appear identical since they use the same cab, but the available features and trim are among items that represent the differences in cost between the two.

The new Pierce Impel 1,500/500/30A engine in Schiller Park. Larry Shapiro photo

Engine 455 features a low hose bed design which has become popular in recent years. This is similar to a design which has been used for many years in New York Cty. Larry Shapiro photo

The pump panel for Engine 455 shows a foam system and color coded gauges. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 455 spent time yesterday in Bensenville/Chicago while Schiller Park firefighters trained with Chicago and Bensenville firefighters in the buildings being torn down as part of the O’Hare Modernization Project. A large photo gallery plus a video segment of the training evolutions and the apparatus on-hand can be seen HERE.

The engine supplied hand lines for the training evolution. This was built in 2007 and used as a demonstrator for Pierce which explains the absence of chevron striping on the rear. Schiller Park received the unit in March of this year. Larry Shapiro photo

Schiller Park Engine 455 is a 2007 Pierce Impel, shown here training with firefighters from Chicago and Bensenville. Larry Shapiro photo