Karl Klotz visited the University Park Fire Department this week to photograph their new tower ladder.
University Park Tower Ladder 85 is a 2011 E-ONE Cyclone II. Karl Klotz photo
The new University Park tower ladder was on display this year at the FDIC in Indianapolis. Larry Shapiro photo
The fifth new Spartan/Crimson 103′ rear mount aerial in Chicago will be assigned to Truck 59. That makes Truck Companies 9, 31, 51, 56, & 59 the recipients of the five aerials that have been delivered to date. Each of these companies currently runs with a 1996 Seagrave except Truck 51, which has a 1995 Seagrave, the oldest ladder in front line service in Chicago. After these new rigs go into service, there will be two remaining 1996 Seagrave trucks that are assigned to Trucks 61 and 62.
As a side note, there are three 1996 HME 1871/Simon-LTI 100′ tower ladders currently assigned to Tower 21, Tower 37, and Tower 39. Due to an accident with their 2002 Pierce Dash Tower Ladder, Tower 34 is running again with their 1988 E-ONE Hurricane 95′ tower ladder.
Chicago Truck 59 and Truck 31 at the Quinn Fire Academy yesterday. All three shifts of the five companies receiving the new Spartan/Crimson aerials are rotating through the academy to receive training on the new apparatus before getting the rigs. Steve Redick photo
The rear of Truck 31 shows that all ground ladder storage is within the center of the truck. A first for Chicago is full compartmentation on both sides of the rigs. Steve Redick photo
Jan 12
Cicero companies pulled up to a fire at 5318 west 30 Place on Monday night and found a fully involved Chicago bungalow. They upgraded to a MABAS Box Alarm which brought mutual aid companies from throughout MABAS Division 11. Tim Olk took in the alarm and arrived after the fire was knocked down. He submitted the following images of the scene.
Cicero firefighters working off of Tower 1's basket access the roof of the bungalow to check for extension around the chimney. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters perform overhaul and hit hot spots in the rear. The exposure house was protected and suffered only minor heat damage. Tim Olk photo
Chicago Heights responded to a fire yesterday in a vacant two-story building. On arrival, the first companies had a 35×40 building with heavy smoke conditions. The fire, which is considered to be of a suspicious origin, destroyed the building which consisted of apartments over a vacant store front. Several fire departments including Matteson, Park Forest, South Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, Steger, Crete, and Homewood assisted Chicago Heights. The fire, which was reported around 11AM was in the 200 block of US Route 30.
Tim Olk was on the scene and submitted these images. Tim has a complete gallery which can be seen HERE.
A brief article from CBS Chicago is HERE.
Elevated master streams from Matteson's ladder and Chicago Heights' tower ladder work to extinguish the blaze in a vacant two-story building on Christmas Eve. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters deploy a hand line through the front door of the vacant storefront as heavy smoke escapes. Tim Olk photo
Heavy fire and smoke escapes from the 'B' side of the building as firefighters ventilate the windows. Tim Olk photo
Chicago Heights Truck 673, an HME/Smeal 100' tower ladder, operates in the 'A' sector directly in front of the building. Tim Olk photo
Fire is visible from both floors in the rear of this vacant building in Chicago Heights. Tim Olk photo
A Chicago Heights firefighter directs the master stream from the bucket of Tower 673 high above the fire building. Tim Olk photo
Dec 5
Tim Olk arrived at the 3-11 on Friday before Steve Redick, and Tim provided several images depicting operations which took place prior to the images that were posted HERE.
Firefighters direct a hand line into the front of the carpet store after companies were pulled out of the building. Behind these firefighters, the foam transmission system can be seen as high-expansion foam is being directed into the building. Tim Olk photo
A shot of sector 1 after the fire broke through the roof shows several hand lines in use as well as elevated master streams from Squad 1 and Tower Ladder 21. Tim Olk photo
Firefighters work to position the baskets in order to find a spot that will allow them to direct their master streams for maximum impact. Before they can begin flowing water again, they use hand tools to gain access behind the mansard facia. Tim Olk photo
Foam unit 6-3-1 is aligned with the front door of the store to provide access for applying the foam. Water is added to the foam concentrate and the fans blow the foam through a large tube, forcing it into the building to extinguish the basement fire. The foam is very light and a percentage of it blows out along the street as well. Tim Olk photo
This shot beautifully illustrates the foam delivery procedure and the obvious overflow that is inherent with this application. The 4-foot diameter tubing allows the fire department to send a tremendous volume of foam into the building. Tim Olk photo
Another view from sector 1 shows Squad 1 directing their master stream through the mansard facia into a hole created when the large sign fell away. The elevated position and proximity of the firefighter in the bucket provides for much greater accuracy in the placement of the stream than can be achieved by hand lines or master streams directed from street level. Tim Olk photo
Tim has posted almost 600 photos from this fire in a gallery which can be seen HERE.
Dec 4
Steve Redick submitted several images from the 3-11 yesterday on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago which was mentioned HERE. The fire included a response 6-3-1, one of Chicago’s foam units which deployed high-expansion foam into the building in an effort to extinguish the fire. Steve arrived on-scene later than he would have liked, but still captured many images while the suppression effort was active.
The deck gun from Engine 35 went to work in the rear of the building as fire vented through the roof. Steve Redick photo
Tower 10 was in the alley with Engine 35 and was able to safely deploy the tower among the utility wires to provide an elevated master stream. Steve Redick photo
Engine 56 was on a hydrant at Lincoln and Southport. Steve Redick photo
Engine 112 was supplying several hand lines and with the help of the water department made an effort to keep the water in the street flowing to the sewers. Steve Redick photo
Firefighters use a hand line from the roof of an exposure building to fight the fire. Steve Redick photo
Trucks 28 and 44 are located on Lincoln Avenue near the fire building with Foam unit 6-3-1. Steve Redick photo
Firefighters from Squad 1 use their 55-Snorkel, 1A, in sector 1 with an elevated master stream. The curb lane and sidewalk as well as most of everything else, is covered with foam. In the background, the chute used to send the foam into the building is visible. Steve Redick photo
Engine 55 is located in sector 1 on a hydrant and is supplying water to Tower 21. Steve Redick photo
An overview shot looking down Lincoln Avenue shows a huge column of smoke coming from the carpet store down the block. In the foreground, Engine 106 is pumping to companies further down the street. On the left side of the photo beyond the two buggies is the spare command van. Steve Redick photo
A complete gallery of Steve’s images and a video from this fire can be seen HERE.
Dec 3
Steve Redick and Tim Olk took in the 3-11 on Lincoln Avenue today and will submit photos tomorrow. Here’s a quick shot that Steve sent in. Full coverage with photos will follow.
Tower 10 operates in the alley during the 3-11 alarm fire at 3028 N. Lincoln Avenue. Steve Redick photo
Click HERE for the Tribune story and HERE for their gallery.
Nov 17
updated with more photos at 11:45PM
Oak Lawn pulled a 2-11 late this afternoon for fire in a strip mall on 95th Street. Hank Sajovic was on the scene within minutes and submitted several terrific images of the buildings before companies got water to the front. The shots depict firefighters in the rear where the fire was discovered at Eva’s Bridal Shop and then the progression of heavy smoke and fire out the front on 95th Street as the fire spread to the Radio Shack next door.
Firefighters advance lines in the rear of Eva's Bridal Shop in Oak Lawn as heavy smoke pushes out of the windows. Hank Sajovic photo
Another view from the rear of the strip mall shows the wide spread of the fire. Hank Sajovic photo
The view down a barren 95th Street as smoke escapes from the front of the building. Hank Sajovic photo
Smoke and fire are now visible along 95th Street prior to fire companies going to work. Hank Sajovic photo
Chief officers communicate with fire companies in preparation of a defensive attack. Hank Sajovic photo
Fire companies can be seen preparing to put a Chicago Ridge tower ladder to work as the fire intensifies and takes hold of the neighboring Radio Shack as well. Hank Sajovic photo
Roberts Park firefighters ready another aerial for master stream operations. Hank Sajovic photo
Firefighters stretch hose lines to attack the fire from 95th Street. Hank Sajovic photo
Two elevated master streams plus several handlines darken the fire stopping the spread to additional units. Hank Sajovic photo
There is more coverage of the fire plus videos HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
The Oak Lawn Fire Department stations and apparatus can be seen HERE.
Heavy fire can be seen now in the Radio Shack store to the east of the bridal shop. Hank Sajovic photo
The Roberts Park FD Pierce aerial is seen deployed on the east end of the 'A' sector. Hank Sajovic photo
The facade has caved in on the original fire unit. Chicago Ridge firefighters sweep their master stream into the single story structure from a low angle just above the street. Hank Sajovic photo
A closeup of the Chicago Ridge E-ONE tower ladder working in front of the building. Hank Sajovic photo
Chicago Ridge Fire Department Tower 6504 is setup on 95th Street in Sector 'A' directly in front of the fire building. Hank Sajovic photo
Roberts Park purchased this 2008 Pierce 100' aluminum aerial that was used on the show 'Rescue Me'. Hank Sajovic 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
Nov 13
Steve Redick submitted several images from a fire in Schiller Park which occurred at 25th and Lawrence during the last week of October.
Schiller Park's newest engine is this Pierce Impel unit that was built in 2007. Steve Redick photo
Schiller Park's Pierce tower ladder is at work in sector one. Steve Redick photo
Franklin Park's Seagrave truck was also in sector one. This truck was designed with a booster reel and a 300-gallon booster tank, similar to the design of trucks for the Detroit Fire Department. Steve Redick photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
