One of our readers found a link to an NBC article on the filming of Chicago Fire that includes a gallery of images from the Columbus Avenue scene this week. Looking at the photos will answer several reader questions that have been posed about the apparatus being used as Squad 3 with an unconventional … unique color scheme. Also there is a large blue stripe that has been added to the ambulance.
Tim Olk submitted images of the three suppression rigs being used for the show. Squad 3 is obviously the spare haz mat (G-492, 1989 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury) but the shop numbers have been removed from the engine (1995 Spartan/Luverne) and the truck 1995 or 1996 Seagrave). The Ambulance carries shop #C055 which is a 200 Ford/MedicMaster (American LaFrance) that had been assigned to Ambulance 47.
The CFD spare haz mat unit has acquired a unique paint scheme for inclusion in the TV show Chicago Fire. Shop # G-492, a 1989 Spartan/Saulsbury. Tim Olk photo
When Chicago received the Haz Mat unit in 1989, this is what it looked like. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 51 on the tv show is using this 1995 Spartan/Luverne. Tim Olk photo
Truck 81 for the tv show is using this 1995 or 1996 Seagrave aerial. Tim Olk photo
Check it out the NBC5 article HERE.
Thanks Danny
This image of the filming that happened on Wednesday shows that the ambulance being used is shop #C055. This is a 2004 Ford/MedicMaster that was previously assigned to Ambulance 47. Tim Olk photo
A view of the filming on Columbus Drive showing the very unique Chicago Squad 3. NBC5 photo
#1 by DMc77 on March 15, 2015 - 4:49 PM
I don’t think that is a CFD firehouse. Certainly not an in service house.
#2 by Richard Y on March 15, 2015 - 7:55 AM
I meant to ask – what station is that in the commercial?
#3 by Richard Y on March 14, 2015 - 5:54 PM
Here is the commercial
http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7_9f/clear-choice-firefighter
D530 was E51 the first two seasons but now (season 3) E51 is D548.
#4 by Dana T on March 13, 2015 - 4:04 PM
Isn’t the engine with shop number D530 that is used as Engine 51 in Chicago Fire the same engine seen in the Clear Choice Dental commercial.?
#5 by RY on June 30, 2014 - 11:47 AM
The blue line on CO55 was on the rig when the production company received it and used it for the pilot. They maintained that stripe on CO50.
#6 by RY on June 30, 2014 - 11:42 AM
Although FDE269 was strictly “Truck 81” in the series its sister rig, also a 1993 Seagrave aerial, FDE 268, was used as a second truck at the scene of large incidents (Truck 94 in a couple of episodes) and a backup to E269 for filming when E269 was out of service.
Additionally The bullet ridden compartment door was removed from E268/9 and put on E274. However the paint job from the old bullet ridden door doesn’t match the paint on this new truck. The other difference in the new truck is E274 has a white Mars light under the front windshield.
#7 by Fartin' Fred on June 30, 2014 - 11:40 AM
I still do NOT understand the point of the BLUE STRIPES added to the rigs. Isn’t the point to be as realistic as possible? What “real” CFD rig has a blue line on it??
#8 by Jason on June 30, 2014 - 9:25 AM
The apparatus used for the TV show ‘Chicago Fire’ are:
Engine 51: D530
Truck 81:E269 (Season 1 and 1/2 of 2),E274(Half way through season 2)
Squad 3: G492 and G510(Swapped back and fourth season 1and 1/2 of 2) Then non Chicago Rig (1/2 of season 2)
Ambulance 61: C055 for episode 101 and CO50 for 102 and up.
Battalion Chief 25: Newer Explorer on episode 101 then older explorer 102 and up
#9 by NJ on March 9, 2014 - 10:17 AM
I know CFD does’t have extra spares. The show just bought a squad, because CFD’s spare has been in constant use.
The show could however, purchase a couple of older rigs for relatively cheap and use those. This is a high priced production, and it would make for a more realistic experience.
#10 by fmddc1 on March 8, 2014 - 4:45 AM
NJ, CFD’s spare fleet is still very active. They really don’t have rig’s just sitting around to be used on the show. look at allot of the post’s and you will see some of the spares including trk 81 and sqd 3 in them. Where as CPD has cars o’plenty to use. Would be nice to see “a full still” on a “full still”.
#11 by RY on March 7, 2014 - 9:08 AM
Ambulances 96 and 77 have both appeared on Chicago Fire.
#12 by NJ on March 7, 2014 - 8:27 AM
Yes 661 sits in quarters 99% of the time, however it is occasionally needed. Last time IIRC was the 4-11 ont he far north side at Peterson and Lincoln, when it broke down in quarters. That boom needs a remount badly. The old (well new really) TL-34 sitting at fleet rusting would seem to be an ideal candidate.
BTW, I do get the available spares issue, however, interestingly enough on the sister show Chicago PD, they have had two other ambo’s, IIRC numbered 96 and 77. If they have spares for Chicago PD, why not Chicago Fire.
#13 by Bill Post on March 7, 2014 - 4:36 AM
Speaking of Snorkels, perhaps now the American La France is out of business another company that is really interested in building fire apparatus can acquire the rights and the official blue prints and designs from them to start building the “Snorkel”once again. We have the Rosenbauer Snorkel Squad copies on order so it would be interesting to see how they look and if they operate well as they are supposedly Rosenbauer’s first venture in attempting to manufacture a “snorkel type of apparatus”.
The Bronto Skylift Platforms that are sold by Pierce in the USA and the Telstar articulated Platforms which are sold by Spartan Erv in the USA are very similar to Snorkels except that they are taller then a standard 85 foot Snorkel and the both the Bronto and the Telstar are built as high as 136 feet for the American market. I personally would like to see Chicago eventually buy a couple of them (in the future of course) and put them in service at “Aerial Tower 1” and possibly put one at Truck 3 making them into “Aerial Tower 3” once again like in the late 1980s and early 1990’s.
I realize that that city probably can’t afford them now but perhaps they might be worth considering for a few years down the road. Those high elevating platforms would be appropriate replacements for the current 1982 Seagrave Reserve Snorkel 1 when they finally retire it. Considering that the Reserve Snorkel only goes out when they request it they could probably still get more good use from it.
#14 by T. Cameron on March 6, 2014 - 11:06 PM
Argh my numbering is off, and will get worse as others post. >.< by "#6" I meant @NJ, by "#13" I meant @cmk420. Can you tell that was my first post here?
#15 by T. Cameron on March 6, 2014 - 11:01 PM
@ #6 – back in the days of Emergency, LACoFD had enough rigs to spare that they could afford to take a few out of service for a few hours of “training”.
@ #13 – CFD frankly seems to be having trouble keeping the existing snorkel squads (and spare(s)) in service as is, sooner or later the booms won’t be able to be rebuilt any more. US mfr’s just aren’t making FF-spec booms with hard pipe for master stream, it’s all power utility buckets. Or for FD’s, bucket-less “squirts”, because most departments are still trying to reduce their manpower.
That said, it would be nice if they had a proper Squad 3A.
For the real world, I can see the utility of (and need to maintain) both short-wheelbase snorkel squads and full-boom snorkel trucks (like the sole survivor, 661). Yeah, 661 sits in a garage 350+ days/year, but when you need it, nothing else will do.
Snorkels are exclusively for water tower operations; yes, a TL can do that AND upper-floor FF evac AND rescue of ambulatory victims…but the mechanics of boom movement are different between the two. With the elbow, a snorkel boom can maneuver in much tighter quarters, up/over/around/inside obstacles (wires, poles, trees, etc.) that a straight-stick ladder can’t. (although as Youtube shows, SS’s are not immune to snagging streetlight wires…) SS is also intended for direct extraction of non-ambulatory victims, not something you see often, but it is a designed purpose. Anticipate the unanticipated, because sooner or later, it will happen!
#16 by RY on January 25, 2014 - 3:46 PM
The new (if you can call it new) Squad 3 is indeed the former Antioch Ill Res9cue. It is a 1990 3D Fire Apparatus of Shawano, WI on a Spartan chassis.
#17 by Martin Nowak on December 30, 2013 - 10:16 PM
Besides Roberts Park, Indianapolis has a 2009 Pierce that was used on Rescue me.
#18 by Bill Post on December 30, 2013 - 9:55 PM
Tom that is an interesting point that you had brought up about the Roberts Park Truck I had heard something that Pierce had in effect either donated the Pierce Truck to the television production company as a way of putting their product in the “limelight” as it is known that manufacturers like having their products on TV shows and on movies. I don’t know if Pierce was ultimately leasing the Truck to the production company or whether it as an out and out donation to the show.
The issue that I want to get at is that Seagrave is getting some exposure by having their Ladder Truck being used for the Chicago Fire TV show.
I really don’t think that it was done intentionally however and I just think that is what the CFD had available for the production company to use.
In a way it is a good thing to have a Seagrave product getting that exposure as while Seagrave is an old company and makes a good vehicle they have lost alot of business to other companies over the last 20 to 30 years and while some fire departments still buy Seagraves it is not in the same numbers that they used to buy them. There are only a few larger fire departments that still buy Seagraves in significant quantities. New York City is the largest of them and even they recently signed a 3 year contract with KME for new Engines and the last few years they have been purchasing their new rear mounted Aerial Ladder Trucks from Ferrara. They have been still selling their Tillered Aerials and Aerialscopes (Tower Ladders) to New York and they have delivered some Pumper/Squads New York city recently. Outside of New York ,Washington DC and I believe the Louisville Kentucky still buys most of its rigs from Seagrave. A recent development has been that Albuquerque New Mexico has started buying from Seagrave over the last year which was buying most of their rigs from Pierce until recently. Other then that however you know that now Chicago is only using Seagraves as spare and reserve apparatus if you consider the Reserve Snorkel and the Collapse Rescue Lumber Truck 522 which is using a Seagrave Truck with the Ladder removed and rebuilt as a Special Operations unit. It seems that Seagrave had priced it self out of the market in several places as Seagrave had lost much of it market share in the Los Angeles City area to KME and to American La France/LTI and some other companies as well. For quite a while Seagrave was the major supplier of Aerial Ladders to New York ,Chicago and Los Angeles as well as other cities and now with few exceptions you are seeing less and less of them being sold.
So while I doubt that it was planned that way having a Seagrave Ladder Truck on the Chicago Fire TV show is giving some good publicity to the Seagrave company.
#19 by Tom Foley on December 30, 2013 - 4:56 PM
Since “Rescue Me” was referenced in a comment, it’s worth pointing out Roberts Park purchased and is using the truck from that show a few years back. Some good local FD trivia…
#20 by Chuck on December 30, 2013 - 4:53 PM
Richard, that 1996 ER photo is looking south at Engine 5’s house. The street just to the south is Van Buren, and in the distance you can make out the I-290 structure leaving the Loop.
#21 by NJ on December 30, 2013 - 3:38 PM
The main realism problem is they never have any other units, fire or ambo responding, even to major incidents. It’s always one ambo, one truck, one engine, one squad. Even Emergency back a few decades ago knew enough to have extra rigs at major fires, accidents etc.
Of course realism is meant to be a distant second to the soap opera aspects…..
#22 by DMc77 on December 30, 2013 - 2:04 PM
Another issue with realism is that on the show they don’t ever hold the squad like they do in real life…..
Sorry couldn’t help myself. Happy New Year all!!
#23 by J.C. on December 30, 2013 - 1:32 PM
The show purchased Antioch Fires old squad for a permanent squad 3
#24 by John H on December 30, 2013 - 12:41 PM
…and of course, the biggest reason why the producers don’t use more current/up-to-date fire vehicles is because the only people who actually notice and care are the ones who frequent fire buff boards like this one–whose numbers aren’t even a rounding error in terms of the show’s overall viewership. At the end of the day, making those suggested changes would not impact viewership (and associated advertising dollars)…and is therefore not a priority of the show’s producers.
#25 by NJ on December 30, 2013 - 12:03 PM
It’s also worth noting that all those 20 year old rigs run as active spares with CFD. It’s not unusual to see the rig with Truck 81 lettering in an actual station. At least a couple of the frontline CFD truck co’s run with older similar looking rigs (Truck 40 is one example). Considering how often CFD companies are running spares these days, the rigs on the show look quite realistic.
#26 by Bill Post on December 30, 2013 - 10:24 AM
Chicago Fire is lucky to be using any Chicago rigs at all let alone an interior recreation of a Chicago Fire Station. As of Christmas Day Squad 2 was using the HME/Saulsbury numbered as Squad 3 as a spare rig. They were involved in an accident at 7535 N Western on their way to a working fire at 2009 w Howard. Even though a civilian driver of a car was taken to St Francis hospital I don’t think that it was too serious as both rigs that Squad 2 was using were drivable and aside from what may have been a bent fender I didn’t notice that much damage.
#27 by Mike Mc on December 30, 2013 - 9:33 AM
If the show becomes a long term hit, maybe the producers will purchase rigs that are more current. “Emergency” started out with an old Crown open cab and then purchased a WLF that duplicted the rigs then in use. A Squad 3A would be a nice realistic touch but it would require another driver and they would have to write it into the script – four guys on one rig, two on another. Unforutnately, we are not dealing with the late, great, Jack Webb, who would have purchased rigs identical to what Chicago uses.
When the city receives delivery of the two new squad rigs, perhaps they offer an old set to the show, assuming it is still on.
“Rescue Me” used rigs that, with the exception of the paint job, did not even remotely resemble FDNY rigs then in use. So, I am sure no one associated with the show looses any sleep over the type of rigs used.
#28 by cmk420 on December 29, 2013 - 9:54 PM
I love the show, and I really like how they stuck to the finance lady in the winter finale.
There is something that has been bugging me for a while, and that’s the apparatus they’re using. It’s 2013 (almost 2014), and they are using nearly 20-plus year old rigs (truck, squad & engine) for their first-out vehicles. I know I’m being very picky, but doesn’t Chicago have some better reserve equipment they could have used for the show? It was kind of weird to see the really nice looking Training Academy rigs pull up to the station. And why are they not following true to the Chicago running plan of the dual squad company (ie. “Squad 3” & “Squad 3A”)? And why do they keep switching which version of the squad they use in the show? I think G492 has been used more than G510. Again, these are just my thoughts.
#29 by spoung45 on December 13, 2013 - 10:01 AM
@FFPM571 I think it was how they wanted to shut down the station in the show and how that is going on in some area of the country.
Any one got and good recipes? (lets see how many time we can change the topic)
#30 by Mike Mc on December 13, 2013 - 9:35 AM
Again, thanks for the info Bill. The LA County Battalion 1 situation is something that you really have to see to believe. County rigs and the battalion chief racing through the city of Los Angeles to fires that are several miles away, (and I do mean several) in small sections of unincorporated Los Angeles that fall within the city’s outer borders.
Drew Smith: Thanks for the clarification on the manpower. I thought it was all of the engines. That means roughly 40% of the engines that are three men, correct? Quick question: if the county still uses the squads for firefighting, who provides the RIT? A second squad?
#31 by FFPM571 on December 13, 2013 - 8:54 AM
How did we go from CFD TV prop rigs to LA Co FD staffing?
#32 by Bill Post on December 13, 2013 - 1:54 AM
Mike Mc that was a great example that you cited about the LA County Fire Department and it’s relationship to the LA City Fire deparment. You are basically talking about LA County Battalion 1 which whose stations are all situated on islands of County property that are situated in the middle of the city or are vitually surrounded by the city. West LA is just a strip of land that is only about a half mile wide and a few miles long at the most and yet it is not part of City it self. There are two County fire stations located there and south of them are Los Angeles City fire station 61 and north of there is Los Angeles City Stations 41 and 27. I believe that when there is an emergency in Station 61’s district that second companies come from the north from Station 41 and pass though West LA even though LA County stations 8 and 7 are generally closer. That had got be one of the most ridiculous geographical anomalies that I have ever seen. That relatively small strip of land should be officially part of the city and Stations 7 and 8 should be part of the Los Angeles CIty fire department. Short of that Stations 7 and 8 should have their running districts based on who is the closest station and fire and ems companies and not whose political jurisdiction the emergency is. That is the way it is done in the Phoenix Arizona area and even though there are several different fire departments involved they run and respond together automatically based on the nearest stations and companies as opposed to the jurisdictions that they are located in.
In regard to closing any fire stations in Los Angeles City. The Los Angeles City fire department simply can’t afford to close any fire stations. All of the fire companies that were taken out of service were located in multi company stations. I’m sure that they are hoping to eventually put those fire companies back in service but even if the don’t put them back in service Los Angeles City still can’t afford to take any fire stations out of service.
For one thing the stations in Los Angeles all cover larger areas and are more spread out then the Chicago FIre Department’s.
I’ll give you the best example Chicago runs 97 land based fire stations and Los Angeles City had 104 land based fire stations however Chicago is 227 square miles and Los Angeles is 469 Square Miles. A seven fire station difference is really not that much when you consider that the City of Los Angeles is more then twice the size (in area) of Chicago. It’s true that several of those fire stations in both cities are Airport fire stations that consist basically of crash vehicles that are generally confined to the airport but over all both cities have a similar number of fire stations except that Los Angeles has more then twice as much land area and over a million more people then Chicago. While Los Angeles has built or rebuilt about 21 new stations with about 2 more being built. Three of those stations are for new companies that are in areas where there previously wasn’t a fire station located in the vicinity of.
Before the cutbacks Los Angeles ran with 101 Engine companies and 49 Truck companies of which one was a stand alone Truck and 48 were light forces ( Trucks with a chase Engine that is attached to and runs with the Truck). Before the cuts two of the Light Forces ran in stations by themselves (without a full service Engine company assigned to the house.
Today Los Angeles City runs with only 91 Full service Engine companies and only 42 Light Forces and 10 of those Light Forces run by themselves with out a full service Engine company assigned to the station.
Mike there were originally supposed to be 11 Engine companies taken out of service but Engine 105 was restored about a year and half ago when a man was seriously burned in a house fire in Light Forces 105 district and since the Light Force was out on a run they had to send an Engine from further away as the first due company. Station 105 had the Engine eliminated during the previous year due to the cutbacks and it was brought out that had Engine 105 not been eliminated then they would have been on the scene sooner even though the Light Force was already out on an EMS run. Station 105 was 2 miles from the fire while the next due station (106) was over 3 and a half miles from the fire.
#33 by Drew Smith on December 12, 2013 - 9:38 PM
LACo only operates three-man engines in those stations that also have a two-man squad. I’m not saying that is a good thing, just the way it is. They also have some POC stations in the far out areas. Some of these are a second engine in a paid house but most appear to be a single engine in a metal building that appears to not have any living quarters. You can see them here at http://fire.lacounty.gov/HometownFireStations/HometownFireStations.asp As you go down the list of battalions the stations with “CFF” have the call FFs.
#34 by Mike Mc on December 12, 2013 - 11:32 AM
LACityFD was very skillful in making sure that no fire stations were closed. Since the light forces operate with an engine, even an observant passer by would not notice anything amiss. Perhaps they did not close fire statiions because they hope the cuts are only temporary and the companies will come back. But I doubt it.
If LACityFd and LACountyFD were to operate as one department within the LA City limits (there are about a half a dozen LA County firehouses in unincorporated LA that fall within what one would normally accept as the city limits) both departments could eliminate some duplicate assets. They provide mutal aide, but in normally consists of LA County providing a third engine and LA City provindg a second truck. Unless things have changed in the last couple of years, LA County Truck 8, for example, only responds to fires in the county, even thought they are in the middle of the city. That is a luxury that the taxpayers should not longer have to pay for.
Tradition, rivalry, and staffing differences (LA County operates three men engines) have been obstacles for too long. They need to get over it.
#35 by Bill Post on December 11, 2013 - 6:12 PM
The Spartan Saulsbury squad is also using a somewhat oddball paint scheme with the yellow striping, but that paint scheme is close enough. I really like last night’s show (December 10 2013) as it was getting political and they were able put a bureaucrat down and keep her from closing Eng 51’s station. That was pretty good and while not being totally realistic it was realistic enough when you consider the threats (both in Chicago and other cities and towns) to close fire stations and eliminate fire and ems companies. That is something that has been happening too often as of late so it does in a way reflect what is going on in the country.
Over the last few years on an almost yearly basis there have been threats to take as many as 20 fire companies out of service in New York City. So far those 20 companies have been saved at the last minute, but only within a few years of 911 a few fire stations were closed down in New York City and few engines were eliminated.
The Los Angeles City Fire Department lost 10 engine companies, 7 trucks (known as a Light Force nits), 1 division, and 2 battalions. No fire stations were closed down there but they lost quite a few fire companies.
So you get the picture and it was nice to see someone trying to close Engine 51 told where to go.
#36 by spoung45 on December 11, 2013 - 4:57 PM
I am guessing they chose a different color scheme because it looks better on screen. Also all that white can mess with camera exposure, and reflects too much light, and is too distracting.
#37 by CFD 1979 on December 11, 2013 - 4:42 PM
I saw two engines in the background with CFD markings.
#38 by NJ on December 11, 2013 - 4:25 PM
Anyone know why they chose the oddball color scheme for ambo 61, while all the other rigs are in standard CFD colors and lettering?
#39 by danny on December 11, 2013 - 4:00 PM
durring last ngihts episode it looked like at the academy there was a spartan pumper in the background that was all red with cfd markings ? anyone else see that?
#40 by Greg Weyers on December 11, 2013 - 8:53 AM
My dad sold this truck to Chicago back in 1989. My father has pictures of this truck sitting in our driveway the day before they delivered it. I particularly remember this truck because the CEO Alan Saulsbury spent the night at our house. Pretty cool to know that this is the truck used in the show.
#41 by Admin on December 11, 2013 - 9:40 AM
how about sharing the photo?
#42 by RY on February 15, 2013 - 7:08 PM
WOW!! They have made some improvements in the area since that episode was filmed. Thanks Matthew.
#43 by Matthew G on February 15, 2013 - 4:59 PM
@RY: that is Engine 5’s house at 324 S. Des Plaines. You can see the Eisenhower a bit in the back and the pumping station in the background at the corner of Van Buren and Des Plaines.
#44 by RY on February 15, 2013 - 1:21 PM
I am trying to locate a particular fire house (photo link below) of the CFD. This was from a 1996 episode of ER which filmed extensively in the Chicago area. I do not know if this an active or inactive house. Any assistance is most appreciated, thanks
-Hope the links work- may have to cut and paste and if so, I apologize
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZ-Rdr2IAHI/URNK-oWY5kI/AAAAAAAAckg/jawig4CNZho/s1600/Firehouse+1.jpg
Across the street from the house
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yuXpvpzIno4/URNK-6YC-CI/AAAAAAAAcko/_PfnZcSxeUY/s1600/Firehouse+2.jpg
Thanks, Richard
#45 by RY on January 25, 2013 - 7:01 AM
Squad 3 was G492 up to episode 7 and G510 since then
Ambulance 61 was shop number C055 in the pilot only and CO50 from episode 2 on.
#46 by Doug Castle on January 24, 2013 - 8:03 PM
1/24/2013 Chicago Fire is filming around S Columbus Dr and E Monroe St – E Roosevelt Rd in Chicago. (Signs all around this area).
#47 by Doug Castle on January 24, 2013 - 8:00 PM
The apparatus used for the TV show ‘Chicago Fire’ are:
Engine 51 is shop number D530
Truck 81 is shop number E269
Squad 3 is both G492 and G510
Ambulance 61 is shop number C055
Battalion Chief 25 uses two different Ford Explorers.
Jen, can find out where they are filming at http://onlocationvacations.com
#48 by danny on November 20, 2012 - 10:47 PM
in a recent episode the shop numbers were on the back of both rigs the truck was 57’s when first delivered and 51’s was engine 75 when delivered
#49 by Axe on November 20, 2012 - 4:57 PM
I’m pretty sure 81 is the same as spare rig E268, a Seagrave that fits the bill in every aspect.
#50 by ron wolkoff on March 30, 2012 - 4:19 PM
Here is a video of them shooting a fire at a bldg fire
http://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/?s=dick+wolf&x=0&y=0
#51 by jen on March 30, 2012 - 1:35 PM
do you know where they’re filming this weekend?