Skokie companies responded Wednesday (5/17/17) for fire behind the building in the 7600 block of South Austin Avenue near Lehigh.
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
Steve Redick photo
#1 by Bill Post on May 19, 2017 - 5:56 PM
I don’t know if they asked for bids yet but Skokie is supposed to be ordering a new rescue/pumper to replace Rescue 17 which is currently using a 1999 Pierce. It is interesting that Skokie runs with two rescue/pumpers, one at Squad 18 and one at Rescue 17 which runs as a second engine out of Station 17. The current Rescue 17 has an elongated body. I believe they may have an enclosed ladder rack inside the body as well as the booster tank. I wonder if when they order Rescue 17’s replacement it will also be feature a longer then average body. The current Squad 18 runs with a shorter body than the Spartan/Luverne it replaced.
Rescue 17 has an interesting story. It replaced a third truck company around 1980 with a short wheelbase Ford/E-One pumper designated as Rescue/Truck 2. It was an ALS company. When MABAS Division 3 went to a unified station numbering system it was designated as Rescue/Truck 17. When their new station was opened in September 2003 they changed the designation to Rescue 17 and dropped the ALS status when they put Ambulance 17 in service. When Ambulance 17 went in service both Rescue 17 and Squad 18 lost one man per shift becomimg three-man companies to maintain the same staffing. Rescue 17 is really just an engine company with some extra truck tools.
#2 by Michael M on May 19, 2017 - 5:07 PM
That’s true about Des Plaines, the 2nd tower in Des Plaines was the old Lake Zurich tower. Nice shots of Squad 18! The Squad looks sharp with it’s new paint job!
#3 by Bill Post on May 19, 2017 - 3:16 PM
So was it Skokie’s original intention to put a second tower ladder in service or was the aerial ladder already modified before Skokie decided to buy it? I thought Skokie just wanted to have one ladder and one tower to even things out. There is one department in the north suburbs that does run two towers and that’s DesPlaines.
#4 by Sebastian on May 19, 2017 - 3:06 PM
Truck 18 was never a tower.. always been a straight stick!
Truck 16 is their tower
#5 by Mike L on May 19, 2017 - 2:24 PM
Was supposed to be a tower but basket was kept off for “cost savings”.
#6 by Rich on May 19, 2017 - 7:40 AM
It looks like t18 has large ladder? Was tower then took the basket off????