Images from the files of Steve Redick:
Chicago Engine 54. Steve Redick photo
Chicago Truck 9. Steve Redick photo
… and some trivia:
What is wrong with this photo … and where was it taken?
What’s wrong with this picture? Steve Redick photo
Chicago FD history
#1 by JD on July 30, 2014 - 7:03 PM
So on the new Truck orders for CFD, is it the end of side stacked ladders? Are the older Pierces the last “new” trucks we are going to see with them? Sad day indeed if that is the case.
#2 by danny on July 30, 2014 - 5:55 PM
what a waste of a barely used rig but least its helpful
#3 by Dennis on July 30, 2014 - 3:35 PM
Danny, I was just at North Ave. the other day and the cab inside is torn apart and the they have been using the doors at stuff for parts so I highly doubt it will be turned into the new lumber truck as was said before.
#4 by danny on July 30, 2014 - 3:28 PM
also anyone know whats to become of tower 34s old rig? the pierce. been sitting with out its main for years at fleet
#5 by danny on July 30, 2014 - 3:25 PM
when i was at 79s house this was the late 90s …. that time it was 79 and the salvation army RV canteen recently repainted with yellow warning lights
still want a pic of that rig
#6 by danny on July 30, 2014 - 3:23 PM
i went to 42s house downtown once and the had an unmarked ford mccoy miller ambo and a ford eone engine sitting in quarters with 271 42 truck 3 and the chief and the squad
#7 by spoung45 on July 30, 2014 - 11:11 AM
talking about putting stuff into houses to make them look full. I remember back in the 90’s Eng 112 had a dry chem unit in the back and some kind of spare engine sitting behind the 272.
#8 by Bill Post on July 30, 2014 - 4:49 AM
Yes Bill C , I also meant the Light Wagons 913 and 915. I had a typo in my reply and in my list of the special operations companies I had inadvertently typed 925 instead of 915.
Thanks for catching it.
Have you noticed that over the last few years the CFD has reduced both the Light Wagons and the Deluge or Turret Wagons by one each. 911 (the large light wagon) had been taken out of service and 915 was relocated to Engine 28 instead and of course 671 (large deluge Wagon was taken out of service). It is ironic that they had to press it into service at least twice since they were officially taken out of service from Engine 23’s quarters. They were used at an extra alarm fire in late 2012 near Western and 20th street and the were used at that big warehouse fire near 38th and Ashland in January 2013.
I hope that they still have it in storage and I really hope that they remount it on a new Chassis and put it back in service like they did with 673 and 676 instead of getting rid of it.
Even though it was usually not used too often when they need to use it comes in handy and it really doesn’t cost that much to have it in service as it was not a manned company but was usually cross manned by Engine 23 or another nearby Engine. As you know the majority of the special operation units are cross/manned by other companies so it really doesn’t cost that much (in terms of manpower) to have them in service. The special ops units come in handy on the occasions when they are needed however.
#9 by Bill C. on July 30, 2014 - 12:13 AM
I think Bill Post meant Light Wagon 915 & also 913 .
#10 by Bill Post on July 29, 2014 - 10:26 PM
Danny, Engine 79 has BLS ambulance 92 with them as well as Paramedic field supervisor 453. They were probably out of the house when you were there.
For years during the most of the 70’s and part of the 80’s Dry Chemical 4 (624) was located at Engine 79.
While some of the more unique rigs are at special ops, there many out in the field ,like the like the Rehab units 571,572 and 573. The Smoke Ejectors and the Smoke Fan 921,922 and 923 are out in the field as well as the Light Wagon 925. The mini deluge units 673 and 676. Dry Chemicals 624 and 625 as well as Bulk Foam Carrier 632 and High Expansion Foam unit 631 are out in the field.
The two High Volume Hose Wagons 611 and 612 are out in the field. The Collapse Rescue Rig 521 and the Special Operations Battalion Chief 515 are located at Engine 5’s station just west of the Loop. Engine 14 has 522 the Collapse Rescue (Lumber Wagon) with them. Engine 22 has the Hazardous Materials Decontamination (shower ) unit with them. Engine 16’s house which is the newest station in the city is also the Hazardous Materials Headquarters where 511, 511A and 5111 are located.
Have you been to Engine 91’s station on the northwest side (2827 N Pulaski. Not only is Squad 2 located there but so is Tunnel Rescue Unit 526.
The reserve Snorkel is also technically speaking assigned to Special Operations and they are locate with Engine 35, Truck 28 and Ambulance 81 at 1901 N Damen in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. There are quite a few special operations units out in the field.
#11 by danny on July 29, 2014 - 7:19 PM
crazy some of the special ops rigs arent scattered out some houses have the space like e 79. last time i was there it was just them
#12 by tom sullivan on July 29, 2014 - 8:00 AM
another example of “padding ” a large house to make it look full. one night an old broken and completely out of service snorkel was towed to e-22 and pushed in to make it seem like there was more than one company there. that may have been before salvage 3 arrived and definitely before a-11.
#13 by Bill Post on July 28, 2014 - 7:39 PM
Speaking of Engine 105’s old house , when Engine 105 was in service there were 3 Engine companies all within a mile of Engine 105’s quarters which is one of the reasons that they were taken out of service. Engine 57 was less then a mile north at 2412 W Haddon, Engine 24 was less then a mile south at 2447 W Warren and Engine 26 and Truck 7 were less then a mile east of there at 457 N Wolcott. I had bought my first VHF radio (with the CFD on it) at the old Allied Radio Store and Warehouse which was on the northwest corner of Western and Washington in the 1960’s and all of those 4 stations and Engine companies were still in service at the time. Allied Radio was eventually acquired by Radio Shack and that first radio that I owned was a VHF (Very High Frequency) dial type table model radio.
#14 by Bill Post on July 28, 2014 - 6:59 PM
Mike Mc, I had heard that there were some “break’in’s” or burglaries at SS- 3’s original house (Eng 66’s) at 2858 W Fillmore which is why that they had moved SS 3 to Engine 105’s old house. Whether that was true or not , I don’t know, but it was quite possible that there may have been a breakin problem as a number Chicago fire stations have been burglarized over the years.
Yes you are absolutely correct that some of the Flying Squads were moved into their stations for what could be called “political reasons”.
Flying Squad 1 had been recommended to be put into Engine 46’s quarters in the 1968 consultant study that had recommended creating the Flying Manpower Squad. The 1968 “Maatman report” however recommended that Engine 46 be taken out of service and that Engine 87 stay in service so both of those stations would have still been in service.
As to Flying Squad 5 at Engine 114’s old station , that move had really surprised me at the 1968 consultant study had recommended that Flying Squad 5 be put in service at Engine 7 and Truck 58’s quarters to better cover the northwest side of Chicago. I don’t know whether that was a purely political move or whether they weren’t able to fit Flying Squad 5 into Engine 7’s quarters. Because the far north west side was so poorly covered by Flying Squads ,in 1971 the consultant had recommended that Flying Squad 7 be created at Engine 108’s house. There is no question that Engine 7 ‘s quarters is more strategically located to cover the northwest side then Engine 114’s quarters was.
Flying Squad 6 was recommended to be put into Engine 110’s quarters however they were originally put in service at Engine 128’s house after they were taken out of service.
When Flying Squad 6 was put in service in September 1969 they couldn’t put them in service at Engine 110 because Truck 43 was still in service there. Truck 43 wasn’t taken out of service until November 16th of 1971 which is the same day that Snorkel 6 moved into Engine 110’s quarters. Finally on June 30th 1972 Flying Squad 6 moved in with them.
Flying Squad 3 was recommended to go in service at Truck 41’s old house when they were in service at 6041 S Western. They were put in service at Engine 116’s old house instead on May 15, 1969 , however Engine 116 was still in service there. On March 9th 1970 they were put in service at Truck 31’s new house which was located on the far southwest end of Flying Squad 3’s still district. Flying Squad 3 remained at Truck 31’s house until March 1st 1973 when Engine 64 was finally relocated there. On that date Flying Squad 3 was relocated to Engine 101’s and Truck 41’s present house at 2236 W 69th street. Flying Squad 3 was put into Truck 31’s new house for 3 years to until they had finally put Engine 64 there even though it was recommended that an Engine be relocated into the station when it was first opened.
Salvage Squad 3 was also relocated from Engine 83’s new quarters to Engine 22’s new quarters even though Engine 83 was in the center of Salvage Squad 3’s district and Engine 22 was on the south end of it’s district. That was probably done to make Engine 22’s house to look full as when Engine 22’s new house was originally opened on March 11 1971 Engine 22 was the only active company assigned to the station, so on July 25th 1971 , Salvage Squad 3 was relocated there as Engine 22 was in a large station so just having the lone Engine in there made the house still look pretty empty. The Ambulance didn’t move into Engine 22’s house until the fall of 1973 and the Salvage Squad had been taken out of service in January of 1973.
When the Ambulance was first put in service at Engine 22’s house it was Ambulance 11 and was still using one of Chicago’s famous black over red Cadillac ambulances. They were previously located with Engine 4 and Truck 10 exactly a mile south of Engine 22. Ambulance 11 became Ambulance 43 on September 27 1974 when they were given their first “modular” Van style Paramedic ambulance.
#15 by Dennis on July 28, 2014 - 5:47 PM
Engine 105’s house and the ward yard are all gone.
#16 by Mike Mc on July 28, 2014 - 3:10 PM
(Continued, sorry) Quinn was not concerned what the people that lived near Engine 66/SS-3 thought.
This is an old trick, still used by fire departments today. It was the same reason why Quinn had Flying Manpower Squads 1, 5, and 6 located at the former quarters of Engines 87, 114, and 128.
The only reason why the FDNY’s famous Squad 1 came about is because the neighborhood complained when the engine was take out of service. Instead of just keeping an engine, they got the idea of making it a squad. Over time, the late, great, then captain Ray Downy built into a special unit and a rival to Rescue 2.
#17 by Mike Mc on July 28, 2014 - 2:59 PM
Don’t want to disagree, but the the last time I saw 105 it looked like it was going to collapse on the building next to it. Perhaps I drove by while it was in the early process of demoltion.
Commissioner Quinn moved SS-3 to Engine 105’s house because the engine wast taken out of service and he didn’t want the community to complain about it by seeing a closed firehouse. The area was a largely Italian neighborhood and the alderman, Vito Marzullo, was exremely powerful. Quinn made the mistake of closing two or three firehouses in Marzullo’s ward without his permission. Conversely, Quinn could care less what the people who lived near Filmore and Sacramento (Enging 66 and later S
#18 by DMc77 on July 28, 2014 - 1:23 PM
Engine 105’s old house has been torn down. I never heard why, last time I was by there a couple years ago it looked like it was in good shape. Another forgotten relic now consigned to our memories…..
#19 by Bill Post on July 28, 2014 - 1:21 PM
Both of those shot’s of Engine 54 and Truck 9 are great.
That shot of Truck 9 with the Ladder Pipe out and ready to be mounted if necessary is also interesting. If the CFD continues with their new policy of not equipping their new Trucks with Ladder Pipe’s, photos like that may eventually become ancient history. It would be interesting to see if the CFD keeps the new policy in place.
#20 by Bill Post on July 28, 2014 - 1:12 PM
Mike Mc, I like your comment about “playing an SS-3 angle here”. It’s ironic how that “SS-3” had never run with a Snorkel when they were at Engine 105’s old house. By the time they were transferred to Engine 105’s old house their 1958 GMC/Pitman 50 foot Snorkel was out of service about 9 months. It’s also ironic that they were located at Engine 105’s old house for about 15 months before they decided to officially change it’s designation to Rescue 3 and that only last about 6 months before being taken out of service.
#21 by Dennis on July 28, 2014 - 12:23 PM
Department is not spelled wrong. the contract who built Engine 44’s house was French who spoke little English. he spelled it based no his language.
#22 by Eric Haak on July 28, 2014 - 8:57 AM
Engine 44 would be correct.
#23 by Mike L on July 28, 2014 - 8:18 AM
Engine 44’s old house on Lake St…
#24 by Mike Mc on July 28, 2014 - 8:10 AM
Department is mispelled. Looks like it might be Engine 105 but I’m guessing. I’m also playing an SS-3 angle here.