Highland Park Fire Department history

This from Derrick Warner:

Highland Park Ravinia Fire Station 1 and vintage Cadillac Ambulance

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Derrick Warner photo

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Derrick Warner photo

Tags: #TBT, chicagoareafire.com, classic Cadillac Ambulance, Derrick Warner, Highland Park Fire Department history, old Highland Park fire station, Ravinia Fire Station, throw back thursday, throwback thursday, vintage Cadillac ambulance

This entry was posted on February 27, 2025, 8:00 AM and is filed under Ambulance photos, Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Comments

#1 by Matt on February 28, 2025 - 3:53 PM

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Reason why Cadillac was used for ambulances and hearses is that they catalogued extended wheelbase chassis for commercial cars. That was not the case with other brands where everything would need to be cut, spliced and stretched.
#2 by ttguy on February 28, 2025 - 1:03 PM

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The majority of photos I’ve seen of these vintage Cadillac ambulances always seem to have the rear wheel skirts missing. Did these always rot away prematurely, fall off easily or were they just a PITA when cleaning the tire/wheels. When removed, they definitely took away from the curb appeal IMO. I recall how many people years ago often only washed half the tire on their own vehicles.
#3 by crabbymilton on February 28, 2025 - 6:26 AM

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I always found it interesting that such ambulances were always built on the CADILLAC platform same with hearses. Sure there were some built on CHRYSLER and FORD counterparts but most were GM/CADLLIAC. Ambulances certainly have come a long way since then and much better equipped now.
As an aside, since there aren’t any more full sized sedans CADILLAC’s product line, now hearses and funeral limousines are being built on
stretched versions of the CADILLAC XT5 or XT6 chassis. Some of the stalwarts frown and scorn. But most people who ride in a funeral or airport limo aren’t like to care who builds it.
#4 by Drew Smith on February 27, 2025 - 7:45 PM

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Thanks for sharing, Derrick. I remember using one of those MRL defibrillator-monitor units at the start of my career. Behemoth is a word that comes to mind.