Classic Chicago Fire Department video

Edward Hastings- CFD 1960’s/70’s from Sean McDowell

thanks Steve

Tags: Chicago Fire Department history, Edward Hastings, historic video of Chicago fire trucks

This entry was posted on July 13, 2021, 4:00 PM and is filed under Fire Department History, Historic fire video. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 Comments

#1 by Bill Post on July 15, 2021 - 12:57 AM

That video was priceless. Not only were there many shots of Engine 77 in their 1967 Ford / Ward La France but there were also interesting shots of Truck 48’s last tillered aerial as well as their first Seagrave rear mounted.

Those shots were taken between 1967 and 1970 with most taken around 1969/70.

Truck 48’s tillered aerial was actually Truck 9s last TDA as well. It had a 1954 FWD trailer that originally had an 85-foot wooden aerial ladder however in 1963 a metal Seagrave 100-foot ladder was installed on the trailer and it was reassigned to Truck 9 which was in a small, one bay house at 10 E Hubbard with Engine 11. It was given to Truck 9 because it had a shorter rear overhang which made it easier to back into their narrow and tight quarters.

After Truck 9 was assigned a Seagrave rear mount in 1967, the TDA was given a new 1967 Mack M/B tractor and it was reassigned to Truck 48.

You will also notice that the firefighters were not wearing any SCBA as the CFD didn’t start giving the engines and trucks SCBA until the late 1970s. They were originally given to the downtown companies and it wasn’t until the early 80s that all the of the engines and trucks got SCBA.

The engines didn’t have deck guns either so that fires were attacked by a ground line. I am surprised that the video didn’t show any Snorkels in action which really were the CFD’s main source for elevated master streams at the time.
#2 by Mike hellmuth on July 14, 2021 - 7:53 PM

After you finish this video check this next one on YouTube type in vintage film 1969 Chicago fire dept fire trucks Cadillac ambulance fire boat. Many classic FWD engines and tillers Mack type 85 engines and newer Mack B models also newer Ford C models and newer Mack C models great video!
#3 by crabbymilton on July 14, 2021 - 6:02 AM

Very interesting with many rigs built on FORD and MACK chassis form that time frame. Probably best to mute the sound since not all of us are big music fans.
But it’s just me.