Jul 29
In MABAS Division 21, the Summit Fire Department covers 2.5 square miles plus a four-mile stretch of nearby highways. They operate out of one station with a full-time chief and deputy chief plus 48 part-time firefighters. Summit has three Pierce engines (one is an X-Bedford Park piece), they have two Medtec ambulances, a command car, a boat, and the MABAS Division 21 Fire Investigation Unit (an X-North Palos Osage ambulance).
Jul 12
Drew Gresik took in a MABAS 2nd Alarm this evening in Brookfield and submitted the following images and description.
Fire was reported showing from the garage of a 2-story ordinary home in the 3500 block of Rosemear. The fire soon demolished the garage and spread quickly to the home upgrading the fire to a 2-alarm fire. It was upgraded to a full MABAS Division 10 response, and even became inter-divisional with departments from MABAS Division 11, 20, and 21 responding. There were 4 lines stretched and almost all crews were working.
Fire burns through the what's left of the roof at a house fire on Rosmear in Brookfiled. Drew Gresik photo
The garage where the fire originated was gutted as the fire spread into the two-story home. Drew Gresik photo
Brookfield Engine 412 was on a hydrant down the street. Drew Gresik photo
Lagrange Park Engine 1211 (an HME/Smeal) was staged down the block. Drew Gresik photo
Riverside Truck 1629, a low-profile Seagrave quint was also staged down the block. Drew Gresik photo
Tri-State Tower 529, a 2010 Spartan/Smeal was among the many companies that responded to assist Brookfield. Drew Gresik photo
Several more pieces of apparatus lined the street for more than a block. Drew Gresik photo
The Western Springs Fire Department photo history has been added to their page. Located in MABAS Division 10, Western Springs has a rich history featuring Ward LaFrance, FWD, Seagrave, E-ONE, American LaFrance, and Pierce apparatus. Originally white, their rigs transitioned to white over red beginning with an American LaFrance Ladder Chief Quint in 1977. Three of their units were repainted to accommodate the change. These were the 1977 E-ONE, 1975 Seagrave, and the 1982 Pierce.
Another department in MABAS Division 10 has been added to the site. The Western Springs Fire Department currently has one station at 4353 Wolf Road. Station 2 is under construction at 5501 Grand Avenue. The apparatus consists of two Medtec ambulances, three engines, a truck, and a command car. Staffing is a combination of full-time, contract, part-time, and POC personnel. Currently the apparatus is painted white over red although past vehicles, which will be displayed in the historic photo gallery, were all white. Images of the current fleet were supplied by Bill Friedrich.
The Western Springs Fire station was photographed prior to the department replacing their white fleet with red and white apparatus. Bill Friedrich photo
This 1978 E-ONE pumper/squad on a Ford C-600 chassis depicts how earlier Western Springs apparatus looked. The two-tone blue shading behind the gold lettering dressed these units up. Larry Shapiro photo
Construction is well underway on Western Springs Fire Station #2. Bill Friedrich photo
Another view of the new fire station which faces west. Bill Friedrich photo
The Tri-State FPD, in MABAS Division 10 received a new 100′ tower ladder this year which was built by Smeal. It has a Spartan Chassis with a Gladiator Evolution cab which has trim offered exclusively to Smeal which is called their Sirius cab.
Tri-State Tower 529 is a 2010 Spartan/Smeal with a 2,000-GPM pump and a 300-gallon water tank. The ladder is 100'. Bill Friedrich photo
The Tri-State FPD fleet includes two Pierce engines, the Smeal tower ladder and a Pierce engine with a Sky-Boom aerial device. Bill Friedrich photo
In MABAS Division 10, the Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District has three stations. This is an E-ONE department dating back many years. They currently have an E-ONE quint, three E-ONE engines, and two E-ONE ambulances. This department used to have lime green apparatus with white roofs and has transitioned to replace the green with red over the past several years. There are two vehicles left with the original color scheme.
Their district includes parts of Darien and Woodridge as well as the unincorporated areas of Downers Grove and some of unincorporated Westmont. They are staffed with both full-time and part-time personnel, and in 2009, they ran 2,450 total runs.
Darien-Woodridge Station 1 is also home to the Southwest United FIre Districts Fire Training Academy which has three rigs of their own.
Darien-Woodridge FPD Station 1 houses fire department headquarters and the Southwest United Fire Districts Fire Training Academy. Larry Shapiro photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
