New tower ladder for Schaumburg « chicagoareafire.com

New tower ladder for Schaumburg

The new Pierce Velocity tower ladder for Schaumburg Truck 53 appears complete.

Pierce Velocity aluminum tower ladder for Schaumburg Truck 53.

Tags: new tower ladder for Schaumburg, Pierce Velocity aluminum tower ladder, Schaumburg FD Truck 53, Schaumburg Fire Department

This entry was posted on October 3, 2016, 3:30 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, New Delivery. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

21 Comments

#1 by Bill Post on October 9, 2016 - 2:27 AM

Thanks Joe and Tyler. Aside from sometimes running with 2 man truck companies, Schaumburg was and still is one of most impressive and well equipped fire departments in the Chicago metropolitan area. I remember when they were one of two suburban fire departments (the other being Naperville) that had an Emergency One 135-foot aerial ladder. Another strong point of the Schaumburg FD is they have been running with impressive and well equipped squad rigs. Considering they still normally run with four men assigned to it apparently, the squad is well manned. I remember when they were running a C-Model Ford with a Supervac body in the late 1970’s/early 80’s. In my opinion that was one of the best looking squads in the Chicago area. They still are obviously very much into maintaining a fully manned and well equipped squad. I remember that before Station 4 was opened there were two engine companies in Station 2.
#2 by Tyler Tobolt on October 7, 2016 - 12:42 PM

In response to Bill & Joe.
The responses
Code 3 (residential and high rise) – 2 Engines, Squad, Truck, Ambulance, and Battalion 5.
Code 4: You get (2) additional ambulances, 1 engine, 1 truck (2nd Truck in town) so both Trucks will be going on the code 4 along with 501, 502 But normally the rest of the towns apparatus will be attached to the run.
AFA: 1 Engine, 1 Truck, Battalion 5. Unless it’s 55’s still it will be Squad, Truck, BC.
AFA Highrise- 1 Engine, 1 Truck, 1 Squad, Battalion
Code 3’s are different in 55’s district because they dispatch Squad 55 has an engine because they have the ability to use the pump. so You would get 1 engine, 1 truck, 1 ambulance, squad, and battalion 5 on a code 3.
#3 by Joe on October 7, 2016 - 11:36 AM

Bill,

Schaumburg’s responses are as follows:
Auto alarm: 1 engine, 1 truck, BC
Auto alarm high rise: 1 engine, 1 truck, 1 squad, BC
Code 3: 2 engines, 1 truck, 1 ambulance, BC
Code 3 highrise: 2 engines, 1 truck, 1 ambulance, 1 squad, BC
Code 4: Additional engine, squad, deputy chiefs
So a code 4 working fire will be: 3 engines, 1 truck, 1 squad, 1 ambulance, BC, deputy chiefs.

A code 4 is not automatically requested for a high rise. There are no recall for personnel in Schaumburg and the spare apparatus there are not stocked with equipment.

I’m assuming that part of the reason why Schaumburg does not have a truck change quarters for a working fire is because the 2nd truck isn’t due on a code 4 working fire, it will not respond until the box alarm level at which point there may be a change of quarters truck that will come into town. I’m not sure, I don’t work there and obviously don’t have access to their box cards. I do know that the ambulance will provide additional manpower to the truck company if they happen to be shorthanded that day, not the squad. The squad has its own assignment and responsibilities on the fireground and therefore cannot afford to give up a member.

Tyler is correct, Squad 55 has its own still district and can function as a pumper, although I understand that it’s relatively rare that it will happen that way. Squad 55 carries spreaders, cutters, winches, airbags, and any other rescue tool you might need. Tyler is also correct in saying that when the truck is only manned by 2 firefighters, the ambulance company that is due on the initial response will team up with the truck company to make it a 4 man company. I’m sure that it’s challenging only working with 2 firefighters on a company.
#4 by Bill Post on October 7, 2016 - 10:57 AM

Thanks for the reply Tyler. Since an ambulance usually supplies the additional truck crew when they are on scene how does the squad usually function? Does Schaumburg have a set response for a Code 3, Code 4, and a box alarm or does that vary with the exact location of the incident? If Schaumburg goes to a box alarm or above do they have an automatic recall of personnel to staff the reserve truck? I have noticed that very few suburbs actually have trucks change quarters into their towns. In most cases only engines and ambulances change quarters.
Since I am near Evanston and Skokie, both departments are comparable to Schaumburg’s. They are pretty close in terms of engines and trucks. Skokie is similar in terms apparatus with a tower ladder and a squad that has a pump. As a rule though, Evanston and Skokie run with three-man truck companies. Another difference is that Schaumburg has more land and the station districts are much larger.
Since Schaumburg has some significant high-rise buildings do they have a separate high-rise response or do they just automatically go to a Code 4 response if the alarm is in a High Rise?
Evanston actually has a specific box number response if the fire is reported for a high rise. Evanston also is one of the few suburbs that have mutual aid trucks scheduled to change quarters into town if the fire goes to a box alarm or above.
#5 by Tyler Tobolt on October 7, 2016 - 12:14 AM

Bill Post. To answer your question about Squad 55. Squad 55 runs 1st due in it’s still for all incidents and if they get a Code 3 in their still they are first in engine, they have the ability to lead out and Squad 55A does not respond with Squad 55 unless its a TRT, Hazmat, Dive in town unless they decide to bring 55A along but that’s a very very rare case and 55A is the MABAS 1 TRT/Hazmat/Dive Apparatus so it will respond to another towns if needed. Squad 55 has all the tools you need, 55A has all MABAS equipment. As far as it goes with a 2 man truck on a fire scene normally one of the Ambulances will team up with the truck and squad on a fire scene.
#6 by Bill Post on October 6, 2016 - 9:23 PM

I have a question. Since the squad has a second piece, the heavy rescue, do they always run together or does the second piece only go on specific types of incidents? As the first piece is a pumper/squad, does it have a first-due still district since it runs by itself out of Station 5 with the battalion chief? Does the first piece run with any of the rescue gear such as spreaders and airbags or is that stuff all on the larger heavy rescue unit?
The squad is probably the company that supplies that 3rd and 4th men on the trucks when they respond to structure fires together.
#7 by Sebastian on October 6, 2016 - 7:50 PM

Hey ffpmtom. mike is probably another arm chair quarterback that knows it all. But hides when things get real. Like how the heck are you supposed to operater a ladder during a rescue in a fire and vent the roof at the same time with two people?? Or better yet make a safe rescue with just one guy on the main?? With no help. I am no professional by any means but it seems as common sense to me. Perhaps some of these chiefs and battalion chiefs that earn well over six figures should cut their pay so they could afford to hire more personnel. This is just my two cents as a taxpayer. And someone who hopes and prays that if someone is in need of help they won”t have to wait for help because there is not enough man power to help!!! Some people think they know it all when they actually don’t (admin edit)
- #8 by Mike on October 6, 2016 - 10:20 PM
  
  Sebastian, you and Tom can both go hide somewhere. He asked a question and yes I was sarcastic but that was my answer. How do you run a 2 man truck? You really don’t. You either go in and search or you go to the roof. You cannot do both. Schaumburg is not poor by any means and is just playing roulette with running a 2 man truck. FYI years ago they had 5 staffed engines and a heavy rescue for a squad that was staffed with 4 along with both staffed trucks being at least 3. Also engine 51 which was engine 4 ran with 4 because they were the only house without a truck or squad when the squad got moved to station 4 since it was blocks from the Highways. Schaumburg has been fighting with its Union over minimum staffing for years and if they some how were to win this you would see all 2 man companies.
  
  As far as hiding. You have no idea who I am, what I do or anything else about me. Let me just say I go to work and do my job with what the employer gives me staffing wise and that’s all that matters. I know what 2 man companies equates to on the fireground and I’m just happy we aren’t like some departments running 1 man trucks or squads just to get the vehicle there.
#9 by FFPMTom on October 6, 2016 - 5:22 PM

Hey Mike, Sebastian asked a legitimate question, you don’t need to be a dick about it.
#10 by sebastian on October 5, 2016 - 3:53 PM

how do you run a truck company with 2 people???
- #11 by Mike on October 5, 2016 - 10:22 PM
  
  1 guy drives and the other doesn’t.
#12 by Tyler Tobolt on October 4, 2016 - 8:59 PM

Jimmy, the 2 medics will normally jump on if the truck goes mutual aid to another town. If its an in town incident the truck only has 2 members and on some days with more manpower they will have a 3rd guy
#13 by Jim Kelly on October 4, 2016 - 5:10 PM

Only 2 guys on a Hook & Ladder? Do they ever jump the 2 medics on them?
#14 by Joe on October 4, 2016 - 3:45 PM

Schaumburg’s minimum manning is:
Engine: 3
Ambulance: 2
Truck: 2
Squad: 4

For the most part they end up with 3 on the trucks every day and when manning allows the trucks will have 4. It’s not often that they end up with only 2 on the trucks, especially not on truck 53. It gets the 3rd firefighter first when manning allows, then truck 52 will get their third, then truck 53 gets their 4th.
#15 by Tyler Tobolt on October 4, 2016 - 3:37 PM

Brian. Engines (3), Trucks (2), and Squad either 4 or 5.
#16 by Brian on October 4, 2016 - 1:00 PM

What is the Schaumburg manning on engines, trucks and the squad?
#17 by Tyler Tobolt on October 4, 2016 - 12:54 PM

Michael M. 2
#18 by CrabbyMilton on October 4, 2016 - 5:41 AM

I second all of that.
There are still quite a few departments that spec steel wheels.
#19 by michael M on October 3, 2016 - 11:50 PM

Very sharp looking tower ladder! Love the painted wheels! How many firefighters will be assigned to it 2 or 3?
#20 by Tyler Tobolt on October 3, 2016 - 11:20 PM

Where you get this photo from?
#21 by Rusty on October 3, 2016 - 6:35 PM

Now that thing is sweet. I love the painted wheels. Very traditional looking!