This from Dennis McGuire, Jr.:
A friend of mine sent me this photo of what remains of the Hendrickson/Pierce squad of Chicago as of this year.He said it was up north in Minnesota somewherewhat a shame it couldn’t have been saved.
The remains of SS1, later assigned to Squad 5. radioman911.com photo
A few images from when the Snorkel was assigned to SS1 and Snorkel 4.
Hendrickson/Piece/Snorkel after some refurb as assigned to Snorkel 4. Larry Shapiro photo
SS1, with 1A seen behind it at a fire scene. Larry Shapiro photo
#1 by Brandan on January 27, 2015 - 12:11 PM
SS1 was in service until it was disbanded in 1980 the other 2 were disbanded in 1969
#2 by Brandan on January 27, 2015 - 11:08 AM
the reason why they were disbanded was because new technologies came around where the snorkels were longer these 3 were disbanded because they were getting too short and building were getting taller so they had no other choice then to disbanded them for new ones.
#3 by Brandan on January 27, 2015 - 11:04 AM
Um this truck was one unit SS1 this truck was in service until 1979 it was made of one truck which was this one SS1 SS1 means snorkel squad 1 there were 3 of them SS1 is the last one that was in service as the other 2 only lasted till 1969.
#4 by Jim Johnson on May 26, 2013 - 9:01 AM
I”m talking about the 1970s
#5 by Eric on May 25, 2013 - 2:24 AM
Jim, do you have a website where those are posted?
#6 by Dennis on May 24, 2013 - 9:20 PM
@Martin that picture is at a truck dealership in Minn.
@Jim I’m not sure what yard you’re talking about. SLD is in the newer building where the shops used to be. There are no fire apparatus repaired, or stored at SLD. SLD handles only cars and ambulances. The Fleet shop on North Ave. handles all fire apparatus repairs. There is a small yard across the street from fleet and next to Engine Co. 20’s old firehouse that houses all of the spare rigs. Its not a bone yard. When the fire department is done with a rig and it is deemed surplus it is stripped of any parts and sent to the auction lot at 103rd and Stony Island.
#7 by Jim Johnson on May 24, 2013 - 7:22 PM
ok so what would you call the yard full of spares and retired rigs next to the old shops I have pics of some stuff there.
#8 by Martin Nowak on May 23, 2013 - 9:33 PM
How long ago was the picture at the bone yard taken?
#9 by Fred Mc on May 23, 2013 - 7:19 PM
Mike Mc….your response brings back memories. You are absolutely right…he NEVER wore a mask. I was with him during his last night on duty with a Tribune reporter. Visited him in Schaumburg, I believe his son still works there.
#10 by Drew Smith on May 23, 2013 - 7:41 AM
If you ever go down to the IL Fire Service Institute in Champaign you will see Sutherland’s “tool,” an Estwing hammer mounted on a plaque and displayed in the lobby.
#11 by Mike Mc on May 23, 2013 - 12:14 AM
Bob Sutherland was greatly respected in the fire department. Of course, all of the officers assigned to SS-1 were: Red Windle, Ado Warren, Lou Galante, Ed Gavin, Frank Becka, Dave Welch, Ed Altman – forgive me if I am leaving anyone out!
A quick story on Sutherland: He had a bad habit of relieving the second platoon officer a little late – anything after 7:30 was considered late back then. Sutherland would eat breakfast on the second floor. The 2nd platoon officer would sit at the joker stand until he felt he had enough. He would then hand me the portable radio – SS-1 was the only company that had a portable radio back then – and tell me to give it to Lt. Sutherland, with “his compliments”. I was also told, “hold onto it with two hands and make sure you don’t drop it!”.
I would present the radio to Sutherland like a trooper out of a John Ford cavalry movie. Sutherland did not appreciate the fact that this 17 year old, three or four weeks out of high school, was telling him it was now his squad! He would always moan whenever he saw me round the corner from the stairs. Well, it left me with an enjoyable memory at least.
God rest his soul! He had one other bad habit, he never wore a mask. I was told that it may have caught up with him. He quit to be the chief of Schaumburg and had a sadly brief career there before passing on.
#12 by Dennis on May 22, 2013 - 11:27 PM
Jim there is no bone yard next to the old shops.
#13 by Fred McCahey on May 22, 2013 - 3:32 PM
Mike Mac – I spent a full day riding in 1A’s enclosed jump seats. We had Reserve SS1 cause the Hendrickson was in the shop and I got stuck in 1A. That was an awful experience. It made me appreciate working and training off of the main rig for two years….Hoff and LT Sutherland – what an experience to learn from them
#14 by Mike Mc on May 21, 2013 - 9:24 PM
To my knowldge, this was the first CFD rig to have a cab roof mounted, rotating green light. When first delivered, the two Mars dome lights were tri-colored: red, white, and green. When they broke or wore out, they were replaced by standard red lights or red and white lights.
The enclosed crew cab was modeled after the 1967 Mack Snorkel Squad rig. All Snorkel Squads, including SS-3 with the 1958 GMC snorkel and the International Harvester converted high pressure wagons, had enclosed crew cabs. They were installed by the shops on the original rigs. The purpose was so that the men could don scuba gear while in route. I doubt if this happend very often. If memory serves, the scuba gear was stored in one of the compartments and they did not have access to the gear while the rig was in motion. The scuba gear was an excuse that Lou Galante, then a lieutenant on SS-1, came up with to justify installing the crew cabs. They did not want to have to ride on the backstep from one end of the city to the other.
My guess is the jump seats on the Hendrickson were for three possible reasons: they did not want the snorkel boom to overhang on the front, the cab came that way, or they wanted space for fire fans to ride the rig. I am serious about that. This was probably the most fanned rig in the country. A lot of out of town firefighters, firefighters sons, and teenage want to be’s like me.
I would not be surprised if Bill Quinn, the civilian head of community relations/public affairs, who basically ran the snorkel squad for Commissioner Quinn (He had more influence than either Captain Red Windle or Captain Ed Altman on who would be assigned there, what there still district would be, who would be detailed, etc.) had the jump seats added for that very purpose. It was a good thing the jump seats were there because the second rig, SS-1A, had enclosed jump seats so small and poorly designed that the men never rode in them. They were considered unsafe.
Thanks for all the responses on the Memorial day parades.
#15 by Jim Johnson on May 21, 2013 - 4:59 PM
the one next to the old shops,
#16 by Dennis on May 21, 2013 - 4:17 PM
This is a Dave Weaver photo. Check out his site Radioman911
#17 by Danny on May 21, 2013 - 1:58 AM
This is at Ericsson trucks-n-parts in Jackson, mn
http://www.ericksontrucks.com/
#18 by Dennis Metzger on May 21, 2013 - 12:17 AM
Dennis, Those rigs should be at Larson’s Salvage Yard in Jackson, MN. He had bought up quite a few x-Chicago rigs over the years. Jackson is in Southern MN right off of I-90.
#19 by Dennis on May 20, 2013 - 11:42 PM
@Jim….what Chicago Boneyard?
@Drew that is Engine Co. 118s Ford/Ward LaFrance that was later converted to 6-3-8 and was kept at Engine Co. 80s house. I wish I could find out where this picture was taken I want that ford.
#20 by ccollat on May 20, 2013 - 10:14 PM
The River Forest parade goes South on Ashland and starts at either Greenfield or Divison st. Goes down Ashland to Lake St where it heads west to Keystone park. Normally at least 15 apparatus from neighboring communities.
#21 by Josh B on May 20, 2013 - 6:29 PM
Berwyn/Stickney have a nice yearly parade on OaK Park Ave every Memorial day. It starts at Windsor and Oak Park and goes south into stickney and ends at the Cemetary on 41st and Oak Park
#22 by Drew G on May 20, 2013 - 3:50 PM
River Forest has a parade every year that has a decent amount of emergency vehicles
#23 by Drew Smith on May 20, 2013 - 3:08 PM
I’m curious about the rig to the left in the photo. It has the CFD monogram and appears to be a Ford C-8000 chassis with pump but no jump seats. Any ideas on its former life? As for the snorkel it is interesting that the cab has open jump seats (common during that era) but also has an enclosed crew area.
#24 by Jim Johnson on May 20, 2013 - 2:08 PM
are there more photos from the junk yard of other rigs
Does anyone pics from the bone yard in Chicago.
#25 by Mike Mc on May 20, 2013 - 1:21 PM
Thanks for the photos Dennis. A sad end to a great rig. I believe it went in servie in 1976 – a long time ago now. FIre Commissioners Altman and Hoff were among the many men that rode that rig.
A quick off topic question: Are there any Memorial Day parades in the area that have good lights and sirens, apparatus, or vintage police cars participation? Looking for suggestions. Thank you in advance for any replies.