chicagoareafire.com

New engine for Wheeling (more)

From the Pierce Flickr page:

Pierce, Wheeling Fire Department, IL, 40845-1

Pierce composite

Tags: chicagoareafire.com, new engine for Wheeling FD, Pierce Enforcer pumper, Wheeling FD Engine 44, Wheeling Fire Department

This entry was posted on September 5, 2025, 2:00 PM and is filed under Fire Department News, Fire Truck photos, New Delivery. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

17 Comments

• #1 by Steve K on September 11, 2025 - 4:14 PM

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  They also have crash truck 43 as prospect heights dumped their part of the shared crash truck duties back on wheeling. Not surprising.

• #2 by Tyler Tobolt on September 11, 2025 - 11:46 AM

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  Michael,

  MVU 1 is located at Elk Grove Village Station 8 on Fargo. It’s still called MVU 1. The MVU moved to Elk Grove a couple years ago.

• #3 by Bill Post on September 11, 2025 - 11:26 AM

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  Michael M, the Mobile Ventilation Unit for MABAS Division 1 was located at the new Wheeling Station 42 at 175 Mc Henry road.

  I don’t know if this information is still accurate however.

• #4 by Michael m on September 11, 2025 - 7:01 AM

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  Does Wheeling have MVU 1? If they do, which station is it at? If they don’t have MVU 1 who has it?

• #5 by Localguy on September 10, 2025 - 7:34 AM

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  John, I agree with you. The ladder rack is slow AF. As for the little cab ext compartments, those are the short ones. They do not impede into the seating area. They are under the seats. My engine has those and thats where we keep the pump can. If they were full height, yes they squeez you into the center just like you said.

• #6 by Bill Post on September 10, 2025 - 2:27 AM

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  Thanks for bringing those what seems to be ignored points up John. I recall seeing that last Wheeling Sutphen Engine which most recently was a reserve Engine and the one of first things I notice was the height of the rear hose bed. I was hoping that by now they would have ordered their new Engines with a somewhat lower hose bed so as to make the rigs more user friendly in addition be being safer and more efficient.
  The bottom line really should be how quickly and safely you can deployed a hose line and how can you efficiently reloadit after the fire. Now since they didn’t show a rear view photograph of the new rig , it sounds like from your description , that the hose bed height is still too high and that side ladder also seem to be a little to high for a quick and efficient deployment if needed.

  I wonder if they ever tried designing a lower hose bed just so the lead out can be performed quicker and more efficiently.
  When hose bed is head shoulder height or above you wonder what the point is.

• #7 by John on September 9, 2025 - 7:50 PM

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  One last thing, the ladder rack screams “we’re making this NFPA compliant” with no real intention of using them in a hurry. They take on average 30 seconds to lower let alone reflex time to target window.

• #8 by John on September 9, 2025 - 7:47 PM

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  We certainly live in a day and age where looks are more appealing than function. I didn’t have to look up the plans to confirm this, but the hose bed is pushed up high like they all are. Departments are designing engines to use compartments, not for hose deployment. Let’s not forget those “convenient” side cab compartments and how they impede into the cab seating area. The plans also confirm both seats are side by side in the middle. Been there, done that, terrible experience. It’s a coffin.

• #9 by crabbymilton on September 8, 2025 - 6:09 AM

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  Nice sharp traditional squared off looking pumper.

• #10 by Andy on September 7, 2025 - 4:44 PM

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  They don’t have 3 Pierce engines, only 2 E42 and E44. The next newest engine would be the Rosenbauer.

• #11 by Mike on September 7, 2025 - 3:24 PM

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  They need 3 new ones so that when one breaks down they have a semi reliable spare. Or maybe in the future they’re planning on adding another engine company. Who knows

• #12 by harry on September 7, 2025 - 3:09 PM

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  mike yes i saw what bill said but why do the need 3 new to newer pierce engines to have a new pierce in reserve

• #13 by Mike on September 7, 2025 - 2:21 PM

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  Harry bill literally just wrote that the tower is at 43 and the tower is a quint. It has water, a tank and hose. They don’t need an engine there.

• #14 by harry on September 7, 2025 - 1:58 PM

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  if station 44 only has a truck as a fire suppression rig and they have 3 new to newer pierce engines i wonder if 44 gets an engine

• #15 by Bill Post on September 7, 2025 - 12:26 AM

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  Michael my understanding is that when the New Station 42 was opened at 175 Mc Hemry Road the 2nd Ambulance from what is now Station 44 at 499 Milwaukee was relocated there as well. Former Tower Ladder or Truck 24 was relocated to what is now Station 43 at 780 Wheeling road and the Engine (former Engine 23) was moved to Station 44 at 499 Milwaukee.
  In other words Engine 43 and Truck 44 exchanged places.
  This should simplify it.
  Station 42
  175 Mc Henry road Engine 42 and Ambulance 42
  Station 43
  780 Wheeling Road Battalion 43 Tower Ladder 43, Ambulance 43, Crash 43
  Station 44
  499 Milwaukee Ave Engine 44, Ambulance 44, Squad/Pumper (Foam) 44,
  Dive Squad 44, Chief and Deputy Chief and the Fire Investigation bureau.
  When Truck 24 was located there they used to be a Jump company for Squad 24 which was used at the Airport however I don’t know if Squad 44 is still a jump company or not and if it is if Engine 44 or Ambulance 44 act as the Jump company with the Squad.
  I am sure that there must be someone on this site who knows more than I do as I am not really from the Wheeling area.

• #16 by harry on September 6, 2025 - 3:22 PM

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  it is really something how they get all these new rigs i know wheeling has an airport a chevy dealer but what other bsiness are there the few times i have been in wheeling i dont remember seeing much

  also that means frontline rigs once this is in service should be all pierce engines a roserbauer truck 4 or 5 ambulances a battalion cheif van and a buch of cars and 2 plow pus

  so i assume the reserve engines once this pierce goes in service will be a 2015 rosenbauer and a 2002 ish spartan

• #17 by Michael m on September 6, 2025 - 10:49 AM

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  Ok what is happening to the Tower? Is it going to be a jump company? Is the Rosenbauer Panther still housed at that station? Or was it moved? Does that station still have 2 Ambulances or was 1