chicagoareafire.com

5 Comments

• #1 by Drew Smith on April 22, 2021 - 12:42 PM

  

  Sebastian, your question is one that harkens to hundreds of opinions. My answer to “what’s a squad (or rescue)?” is “whatever you want it to be.” NFPA does not have a definition of a squad or rescue in its 1901 standard.

  Some squads have pumps. Some don’t. How much pump, hose, water?
  Some are big, commercial or custom chassis with single or tandem axles, others on pickup or medium-duty chassis.
  Some are all-purpose apparatus (engine and truck stuff) while others are specialized (HM, TRT, dive, etc.).
  Some squads are called rescues.

  FDNY calls theirs RESCUES and their squads are beefed up engines with extra gear.
  Chicago calls theirs SQUADS, no pumps but a snorkel and the companies are two-piece.
  LA County and Arlington Heights calls theirs SQUADS, no pump, on pickup chassis and staff with two firefighters.
  Skokie has a Rescue Truck and a Squad, both with pump, tank and hose while Evanston has a custom chassis squad without a pump. Schaumburg’s latest squad is tandem axle with pump and tank while up until the previous pumper squad they ran squads without pumps.
  Prince George’s County MD has Rescue Engines and Rescue Squads.
  The combinations are endless. Staffing varies widely from a few members, to several, to cross-staffing.

  Some FDs call their ambulances “rescues” while others seem to be using the term “rescue” for pickup or SUV.

  Some areas, regions, MABAS divisions define squad versus rescue versus engines and trucks. I see merit in this because what FD X calls a squad may not be what FD Y calls a squad. When you ask for a mutual aid company do you know what you are getting? I have asked officers to request the needed capability versus company type. For example, “RED (Center) send us an extrication company” (not ask for a squad) because a closer truck or engine may have tools. Of course, if you want a specific company because you now of their specific capabilities I’m fine with that but we should avoid calling our friends (like some east coasters like to do) when other capabilities are closer (think risk management and get the job done ASAP).

  That’s enough for now.

• #2 by Drew Smith on April 22, 2021 - 12:37 PM

  

  The plan was to replace Engine 39, the 2001 Alexis on an ALF chassis. As delivery neared discussion focused on how this new vehicle would carry all of the standard engine equipment (plus all our rigs carry truck equipment and ladders meeting ISO service truck requirements) and the current Squad 9’s gear. Also, there was some concern about this new rig navigating our eastside apartment complexes. With all that said, the decision was made to rename it Squad 9 and place it at Station 9.

  The current Engine 9, the 2008 Alexis on a Spartan chassis, will become Engine 39. The current Engine 39 will become the reserve engine. The 2014 Squad 9 was traded in to Alexis. It was seen a month or so ago as a loaner for Fox River and Countryside. We traded it in because it wasn’t a good fit for us: Only 700 feet of large diameter hose, only a 1000 GPM pump and only carried 500 gallons of water.

  I have plans to have the 2008 Alexis repainted at some point as it has a lot of corrosion after 13 years’ service but is mechanically sound. At that point it will be labeled Engine 9. For now, we are just removing the “9s”. The 2001 Alexis will also not be lettered 9 or 39 as it will be a reserve.

  To sum it up:
  New Squad 9 at Station 9
  Old Engine 9 to Station 39 as Engine 39
  Old Engine 39 to be reserve
  Old Squad 9 traded in

• #3 by Sebastian on April 22, 2021 - 6:50 AM

  

  I’m curious.. what difference is there between a pumper squad and an engine?? Or a rescue and a squad?? What makes up a squad? Or why some engine companies are called squads?

• #4 by Bill Post on April 21, 2021 - 6:08 PM

  

  Drew I just read in a previous post that the squad will be taking the place of the engine due to reductions in funding because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea of converting a straight engine company into a squad/pumper has occurred in recent years in several eastern big city departments.

  In 1998, New York City converted six engine companies into squads which still respond as first, second, and third-due engines within their first, second, or third-due districts. Within the last two years they added an 8th squad/pumper. There wasn’t one assigned to Staten Island. Only Squads 1 and the new Squad 8 have squad numbers while the other six kept their old engine company numbers.

  Philadelphia created two squad companies retaining the former engine company numbers on the squads. The Baltimore City Fire Department replaced four of their engine companies with pumper/squads. Baltimore is in such poor financial shape that they recently took one of them out of service.

  Skokie is one of the lucky fire departments in the Chicago area. They run two squad/pumpers and they didn’t have to take any engines out of service. Technically speaking, Rescue 17 replaced a ladder truck when they were put in service over 30 years ago in the early 1980s.

• #5 by Bill Post on April 21, 2021 - 5:33 PM

  

  That’s a very nice looking squad/pumper Chief Smith. I wasn’t aware that it was going to be Squad 9. Are engines 39 and 9 going to be keeping what they currently have assigned? What will you be doing with the current Squad 9, the Freightliner? It doesn’t seem to be that old. Was it wearing down or is it that you had some funds available so you could get a custom chassis and cab as the Freightliner is a commercial chassis.

Comments are closed.