Engine 61 Museum tour « chicagoareafire.com

Engine 61 Museum tour

thanks Drew

This entry was posted on September 14, 2015, 8:00 PM and is filed under Fire Department History. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

10 Comments

#1 by Brian Kazmierzak on September 17, 2015 - 6:14 PM

You are correct on the inaccuracy of the 16th Battalion – Al used to fan in the 16th Battalion but really LOVED E-61 so he combined all the loves together in the museum and was close both the Gallapo Family and Bill Foran, as well as Emmett Durkin who was at Lt. at Engine 61 before the legendary Lt. Pat Durkin whom I fanned with in the early 90s before he retired.

I know Al through the University of Notre Dame FD and keep in touch with him quite often.

If anyone has any other questions about the museum I can get you in contact with Al direct.
#2 by Drew Smith on September 16, 2015 - 4:47 PM

I keep a pair of those white Sally wagon gloves and a pair of orange Fireball gloves in my gear bag. When I started those were the standard.

I did notice the names too. Another piece of trivia: That photo of the late Lt. Scheidt carrying the deceased boy was taken by Steve Lasker who was a local newspaper photographer at the time. Steve is the father of Scott Lasker who does a lot of fire scene video work for television news.
#3 by mike mc on September 16, 2015 - 10:06 AM

Webmasters: Chief Fox’s father was Eddie, would you please correct my error? Thanks.
#4 by mike mc on September 16, 2015 - 10:02 AM

Mr. Kirchner used to fan in Chicago when he attended the University of Notre Dame. Presumably, this was after Squad 3 went out of service. I don’t know if he fanned just at Engine 61 or in the 16th Battalion. He was close friends with the late Jack Gallapo, who was a relief officer in the 4th Division at the time and he was also close friends with the late Chief Bill Foran, who was a lieutent on Truck 15 before being promoted, so my guess would be that he fanned the battalion and not just the house.

I’m sure he checks this web site from time to time. Perhaps he can provide clarification himself. Only met him once, but he struck me as a very classy gentleman.

A couple of other fans from that battalion and era worthy of mention were Bob Hoff, the retired commissioner, (his brother Ray was on Truck 15 and Gallapo was his future father-in-law) and Eddie Fox, Chief of SOC, whose father was Captain of Engine 45.

Bill Post: Sometimes we bore the heck out of the young people with too much detail but glad to see back on the web site!
#5 by Keith Grzadziel on September 16, 2015 - 8:38 AM

What an amazing amount of replicated detail placed into this incredible display all the way down to the white cotton Salvation Army gloves that the Canteen Units used to give away decades ago! What such history, memories and experience came with this coveted house that fans and south suburban fireman alike came to ride at because of it’s heavy fire load.

I am truly surprised that none of the blog readers noticed or commented on the names on the gear lockers. Gallapo a very well known and respected South Side firefighter family. And Lt. Scheidt???? Lt. Richard “Dick” Scheidt, whose photograph as a Squad fireman carrying a deceased 10 year old boy in the well known Our Lady of The Angels School fire was publicized everywhere. Also for you younger readers, Dick left behind the famous quote “Always leave the job a little better for the next guy!” Lt. Richard Scheidt retired as a decorated Captain and passed away in 2009.
#6 by Bill Post on September 16, 2015 - 3:32 AM

This is a typo correction and that Ambulance 36 went in service at Engine 61 on July 7th 1970 and of course not 1070.
#7 by Bill Post on September 16, 2015 - 3:28 AM

That life size model of Engine 61’s old quarters is nice however there happens to be a major inaccuracy and that is that Battalion 16 was not normally quartered there. Battalion 16 headquarters was at Engine 45 and Truck 15 was at 4600 south Cottage Grove. Squad 3 was located with Engine 61 from March 16 1949 until April 17 1967 when they were totalled in an accident. Before March 16th 1949 Ambulance 4 was quarted at Engine 61’s house at 5349 S Wabash avenue. Fog Pressure 10 was located with Engine 61 from May 4th 1967 until Feb 10 1969 but they were officially taken out of service on March 16 fo that year.
Another in accuracy is that Engine 61 was not normally assigned an American La France rig either. They did run with Ford/Ward La France and Ford E/One rigs before they were running with several Spartan Luverne rigs. Those black and white photos of the 1953 FWD (Four Wheel Drive) Engine was accurate however. Ambulance 36 did go in service at Engine 61 on July 7th 1070.
#8 by Drew Smith on September 15, 2015 - 12:31 PM

The museum is the personal collection of Al Kirchner, former National Fire Academy Superintendent and retired Fire Chief, US Marine Corps Fire Service. It is located in Annapolis, MD.

I am impressed by the level of detail (donut box, Joker stand, marshal line, box card file, magazines and posters of the era, etc. etc. etc.)
#9 by Turk_WLF on September 15, 2015 - 10:18 AM

Slightly off of topic…but does anyone know the story of Engine 22 (the Ward LaFrance) shown about 7:37 in the video. I really do like the video too, thanks Drew!
#10 by David on September 15, 2015 - 7:33 AM

Hats off to anybody who is responsible for this, looks just stunning, have to say I didn’t even realize it’s not a real house:)) Incredible stuff!