This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT-This was the Robbins Fire Dept.’s Engine 2943, a 1973 Seagrave 1250/500 (X York Center)Mike Summa

Mike Summa photo
and from our files

Bill Friedrich photo

Larry Shapiro photo
Apr 28
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 4 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT-This was the Robbins Fire Dept.’s Engine 2943, a 1973 Seagrave 1250/500 (X York Center)Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
and from our files
Bill Friedrich photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, 1973 Seagrave fire engine, Bill Friedrich, chicagoareafire.com, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, Mike Summa, Robbins FD Engine 2943, Robbins Fire Department history, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage Seagrave fire engine, York Center FPD Engine 75, York Center FPD history
Jan 20
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 6 Comments
This from Jeff Rudolph:
Greeting from sunny, warm Florida. In my travels around I located the remains of an old Calumet City, IL American LaFrance engine on some property near Ruskin, FL. Engine 304 has clearly seen better days. Yes there are 2 trees growing up through it. The owner of the property was from East Troy, WI, and moved several vehicles down here years ago.
The photo of 304 as it used to look is a Bill Friedrich photo.
Jeff Rudolph
Jeff Rudolph photo
Tags: Bill Friedrich, Calumet City FD Engine 304, Calumet City Fire Department history, classic American LaFrance fire engine, Jeff Rudolph, old fire engine rusting in a field
Oct 14
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 5 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT- Crestwood Engine 2, later 2313, a 1966 Seagrave 1000/600.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
And from our files:
CRESTWOOD FD E2313 1966 SEAGRAVE 1000-500. Karl Klotz photo
Bill Friedrich photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, 1966 Seagrave fire engine, Bill Friedrich, Crestwood FD Engine 2, Crestwood FD Engine 2313, Crestwood Fire Department history, Karl Klotz, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Mike Summa, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage Seagrave fire engine
Found on SAFX Facebook Page, in service photo by Bill Friedrich
Bill Friedrich photo
Tags: Bill Friedrich, new home for Oak Park FD battalion buggy, New home for Oak Park FD command van, Oak Park Department of Public Health Mobile Team van
May 11
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 3 Comments
This from Danny Nelms:
Was posted on Facebook by Sam Guners
“Saw this in central pa south of roaring spring on rt 36 @ 868Nobody around to ask about it – Painted over name looks like Waukegan”
Sam Guners photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Bill Friedrich photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, Bill Friedrich, former Waukegan fire Turks in Pennsylvania, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, old Ward LaFrance LTI aerial found in PA, shapirophotography.net, vintage Ward LaFrance / LTI aerial, Waukegan Fire Department history
Apr 15
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 1 Comment
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT- Palos FPD Engine 6323, a 1985 Pierce Dash 1250/750.Mike Summa
Mike Summa photo
And from our archives:
Bill Friedrich photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, 1985 Pierce Dash pumper, Bill Friedrich, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Mike Summa, Palos Fire Protection District history, Palos FPD Engine 6323, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday
Dec 23
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus | 1 Comment
From Phil Stenholm:
HISTORY OF EVANSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SQUAD 21:
Prior to 1952, the Evanston Fire Department had no squad. EFD Chief Albert Hofstetter wanted to place a squad into service back in the 1930’s, but budget cuts stemming from the Great Depression put that on hold. And so the EFD’s specialized fire-ground support and rescue equipment (including inhalator since 1913) were stored at Fire Station #1 and would be loaded onto an engine and transported to the scene of an incident only when needed.
1. The First Squad was a 1952 Pirsch 1000-GPM / 100-gallon pumper-squad. One of five rigs purchased by Evanston from Pirsch 1951-52, this was the original Squad 21 from 1952-65, and while it had a 1000-GPM pump, it had no hose bed but there was a “red-line” booster hose reel and 100 gallons of water on board that could be used to extinguish a minor fire. This rig was initially staffed by two firefighters and responded to about 100 inhalator calls city-wide per year from 1952-1959 and to working fires and specialized rescue calls when requested. Inhalators were placed into service with all five engine companies in 1959, so Squad 21 was staffed by just one firefighter (usually the shift mechanic) and responded only to working structure fires and specialized rescue calls when requested 1959-62. It was placed back into front-line service in January 1963 as a four-man company when Truck Co. 23 was taken out of service. It ran as a manpower & rescue company from that point onward, responding to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide. It was also the primary inhalator company for Station #1 (keeping Engine 21 available for alarms in the downtown high-value district). Without a hose bed, the 1000-GPM pump was essentially wasted. The original squad body was removed and replaced with a new pumper body in 1966, after-which it ran as Engine 22 from 1966-70 and then as Engine 25 from 1970-76. It was retired and gutted for spare parts in 1980 (there were two other 1952 Pirsch pumpers still in reserve through 1983) and then it became playground equipment at Kamen Park at Asbury & South Blvd.
Bill Friedrich photo
2. The SS-1 of the Evanston Fire Department was a 1965 International / General Body pumper-squad. This rig replaced the 1952 Pirsch pumper-squad so that the Pirsch could be converted into a triple-combination pumper (see above). The work-horse of the Evanston Fire Department between 1966-76, this “Frankenstein” rig was constructed by General Body Co. at their Chicago factory using an International cab & chassis like the ones used by City of Evanston garbage trucks back at that time. General Body (makers of the legendary CFD Autocar squads, the Oscar Mayer “Wienermobile,” bookmobiles, and other specialty vehicles) fabricated the body and put it all together. Included on this rig was a split hose-bed with two leads of pre-connected 1-1/2 hose-lines designed for rapid fire-attack, a heavy-duty front bumper-mounted winch (used mainly to haul vehicles out of Lake Michigan and fire trucks out of snow drifts), extendable quartz lights, and a high-pressure deck gun master-stream nozzle. This version of Squad 21 was staffed by four firefighters and responded to all fire calls (not just working fires) and specialized rescue calls city-wide, as well as to inhalator calls and minor fires (vehicle, trash, prairie, etc) in Station #1’s district. It was, by far, the busiest company in the EFD the years it was in service, and so new firefighters were often assigned to Squad 21 so they could gain a lot of experience as quickly as possible.
Bill Friedrich photo
3. The Pie Truck – a 1977 Chevrolet / Penn Versatile Van. Known by Evanston firefighters as the “pie truck,” this third version of Squad 21 replaced the 1965 International / General Body squad, mainly because the amount of specialized HazMat, rescue equipment, and dive-team gear added by the EFD in the 1970s exceeded what could be carried on a pumper-squad. Also, Squad 21’s manpower was reassigned to the two MICU ambulances that were placed into service 1976-77, so Squad 21 became an unmanned “jump rig” that was staffed by manpower from Station #1 only when needed at a working fire, HazMat incident, specialized rescue, dive team call, etc. Thus Squad 21 was no longer the SS-1 of the EFD. It was later reassigned as the Dive Team support truck.
Larry Shapiro photo
4. The Gladiator : A 2006 Spartan Gladiator / Marion “walk-in” heavy-rescue squad. Like the Chevrolet / Penn van that came before it, this newer version of Squad 21 is a “jump rig” at Station #1 and is staffed only when needed, but the 2006 version of Squad 21 can carry much more equipment than could the Chevy. Besides an air cascade, heavy-duty winch, portable power & lights, and lots of room for specialized equipment and gear, the 2006 Squad 21 also features rehab facilities for extended incidents.
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, Bill Friedrich, Evanston FD Squad 21, Evanston Fire Chief Albert Hofstetter, Evanston Fire Department history, Larry Shapiro, larryshapiro.tumblr.com, larryshapiroblog.com, Phil Stenholm, shapirophotography.net, vintage fire truck photos
Dec 18
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Fire Truck photos, Historic fire apparatus | 4 Comments
More Evanston Fire Department history and apparatus details from Phil Stenholm:
1924 Seagrave 85-ft TDA (Truck 1) at Fire Station #1 on Lake Street circa 1950 :
Bill Friedrich collection
The five new Pirsch rigs (Truck 21, Truck 22, Engine 21, Squad 21, and Engine 25) lined-up L-R at Fire Station #1 on Lake Street circa 1952:
Bill Friedrich collection
1951 Pirsch 85′ TDA (Truck 21 1951-68 and then Reserve Truck 23 1969-79) at Fire Station #3 on Central Street when it was the reserve truck in the 1970’s:
Bill Friedrich photo
1952 Pirsch 85-ft TDA (Truck 22 1952-79) after it was refurbished in 1969:
Bill Friedrich photo
1968 Pirsch Senior 100-ft TDA as Truck 22 in the 1980’s (was Truck 21 1969-79)
Bill Friedrich photo
1968 GMC / Pirsch tractor (ex-Aurora,CO) pulling refurbished 1952 Pirsch 85-ft ladder & trailer (Reserve Truck 23 in the 1980’s)
Bill Friedrich photo
1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM pumper (was Engine 21 1949-1952, then Engine 22 1952-66, then Reserve Engine 26 at Station #5 1966-70) It was sold to a private individual (Stuart Trock) for use as a party & parade vehicle in 1970 (it was only 21 years old when it was sold). It was was kept in very good condition by Trock and it was in the Evanston 4th of July Parade every year back in the 1970’s and 80’s.
Warren Redick photo
1937 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper (one of two identical pumpers purchased by Evanston at that time after voters passed a bond issue). It was Engine 3 (later Engine 23) 1938-57 and then it was Reserve Engine 27 at Station #3 1958-70.
Warren Redick photo
1937 Seagrave Service 65-ft aerial-ladder truck that was a front-line rig (Truck 2) at Station #1 1937-1952, and then it became Truck 23 at Station #3 1955-62 (in front-line service), before finally going into reserve (still known as “Truck 23”) 1963-69.
Warren Redick photo
Tags: 1924 Seagrave 85-ft TDA, 1937 Seagrave 750 GPM pumper, 1937 Seagrave Service 65-ft aerial-ladder truck, 1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM pumper, 1951 Pirsch 85' TDA, 1968 GMC / Pirsch tractor (ex-Aurora, 1968 Pirsch Senior 100-ft TDA, Alton gets ISO Class 3, Bill Friedrich, classic fire apparatus, CO) pulling refurbished 1952 Pirsch 85-ft ladder & trailer, Evanston Fire Department history, historic fire apparatus, Phil Stenholm
Aug 18
Posted by Admin in Fire Department News, Fire Truck photos | 7 Comments
Bill Freidrich found former Elk Grove FD Tower 7 which is now Lena FPD Tower 3951
Bill Freidrich photo
Tags: Bill Friedrich, Lena Fire Protection District Tower 51, new home for Elk Grove Village FD Tower 7
Jul 4
Posted by Admin in Fire Department History, Historic fire apparatus, throwbackthursday | 4 Comments
This from Mike Summa for #TBT:
For TBT- Here is Sauk Village’s Snorkel #507, a 1980 Hendrikson/3-D 1250/0/65′.Mike Summa
Sauk Village’s Snorkel #507, a 1980 Hendrikson/3-D 1250/0/65′.
Mike Summa photo
and from our archives:
Larry Shapiro photo
Bill Friedrich photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Tags: #larryshapiro, #TBT, 1980 Hendrickson Snorkel, Bill Friedrich, Larry Shapiro, Mike Summa, Sauk Village Fire Department, Sauk Village Fire Department history, shapirophotography.net, throw back thursday, throwbackthursday, vintage fire truck
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