The Bolingbrook Fire Department has two new pieces of apparatus coming:
Nov 19
The Hometown Fire Department received a new Type I ambulance from Wheeled Coach.
Hometown Ambulance 471 is a 2011 Ford F350 built by Wheeled Coach. Fire Service Inc., photo
Aug 18
The Oak Park Fire Department has three stations and is a member of MABAS Division 11. Oak Park runs three ambulances, all of which run out of Station 1. They staff an engine in Stations 2 & 3 with a 104′ tower ladder quint running out of Station 1. Oak Park also houses several MABAS assets. They have the Division 11 Air Unit, the Division 11 TRT Squad, and a MABAS supply trailer.
Several images are missing from the station pages and will be forthcoming.
Oak Park Fire Department headquarters Station 1. Larry Shapiro photo
Jul 11
The Gurnee Fire Department in MABAS Division 4 has recently received a new ambulance which was donated by one of their fire districts. Ambulance 1343 is a 2010 IHC 4300 Type I built by Wheeled Coach. The unit previously numbered as 1343, a 1998 IHC 4700 with a Road Rescue body, has been traded in.
Gurnee put this new Wheeled Coach ambulance into service at their Station 2. Larry Shapiro photo
In MABAS Division 4, the Barrington Fire Department and the Barrington & Countryside Fire Protection District cover areas in Lake, Cook, and McHenry counties, plus their district borders areas of DuPage and Kane counties. This district includes the town of Barrington, plus portions of Barrington Hills, South Barrington, Inverness, and Lake Barrington. They are also responsible for some unincorporated areas of Lake, Cook, and McHenry counties. The fire district responds from three stations, one of which is located in Barrington, one is in Barrington Hills, and the third is in Lake Barrington. All stations have at least one engine or quint plus an ambulance, and the district has two tankers to bring water to the many areas that they cover which do not have a system of hydrants.
Their apparatus is a mixture of E-ONE, Pierce, US Tanker, and Wheeled Coach.
An interesting and somewhat complex explanation of fire district coverage throughout the ‘Barrington’ area is addressed in the FAQ section of the Barrington & Countryside FPD website, which states in part that “… there are actually nine fire departments covering the Barrington mailing addresses.”
Who provides my fire and paramedic services?
The Barrington Fire Department provides services to all of the Village of Barrington and the Barrington countryside Fire Protection District. The B.C.F.P.D. covers much of the surrounding Barrington Area. However, there are actually nine fire departments covering the Barrington mailing addresses.
If you are outside of the limits of the Village of Barrington, you can tell who provides your fire and paramedic services by looking at your property tax bill. The bill will identify the fire district you are covered by.
In general, the Barrington Area is covered as follows:Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District:
- All of Barrington Hills with the exception of:
- The N. Side of Plum Tree Rd., W. of Ridge Rd. (Fox River Grove F.P.D.)
- The S. side of Plum Tree Rd., W. of Rock Ridge Rd. (Fox River Grove F.P.D.)
- Areas N. of Spring Creek Rd. and W. of Meadow Hill (Fox River Grove F.P.D.)
- Areas S. in Kane County (Algonquin F.P.D.)
- All of South Barrington with the exception of:
- The S. end of Pentwater (East Dundee F.P.D.)
- All of Windemere (Hoffman Estates Fire Dept.)
- Star Ln. up to Saucer Circle & Saucer Circle in Magnolia Pointe (East Dundee F.P.D.)
- Areas S. of the entrance to the South Barrington Club (Hoffman Estates Fire Dept.)
- Lake Barrington with the exception of:
- Areas N. or E. of Kelsey and River roads (Wauconda F.P.D.)
- Areas in McHenry County (Fox River Grove F.P.D.)
- Inverness:
- Areas E. of Ela Rd. & N. of Palatine /Rd. (Palatine Rural F.P.D.)
- Braymore
- Harrowgate
- The far W. end of Abbotsford in Chevoit Hills
- Shetland Hills
- Whispering Pines
- The Sanctuary
- Inverness West
- Inverlake
- The W. end of Glencrest
- Hillshire Estates
- Cedar Knoll
- Unicorporated Cook County:
- Areas E. of Barrington and W. of Deerpath
- The “College Streets” N. of Cornell
- Hillcrest Acres
- Fielding Place
- Barrington Trails
- Unincorporated Lake County:
- Areas near Rt. 59 S. of Scott Rd.
- Fairhaven
- Cuba Rd. E. of 59 to Sylvander
- Cuba Rd. W. of 59
- Harbor Rd.
- Hart Rd.
- Old Barrington Rd. to Country Estates Rd.
- Country Estates Rd.
- Countryside Ln.
- Flynn Creek Rd.
- Prestwick
- 18th St. through 24th St., Highland Rd., & Taylor St.
- Brandt Rd., Merton, and Scott Ave.
- Unincorporated McHenry County:
- Hill & Dale Farm
Lake Zurich Fire Protection District:
- Biltmore
- North Barrington
- Deer Park
- Areas N. of Scott Rd. & E. of 59
Wauconda Fire Protection District:
- Lake Barrington Shores
- Lake Barrington not covered by the B.C.F.P.D
- Timber Lakes
- Tower Lakes
- Wynstone
- Fox River Valley Gardens
- Areas N. of Miller Rd.
Fox River Grove Fire Protection District:
- Barrington Hills N. of Spring Creek Rd. not covered by the B.C.F.P.D.
- Lake Barrington in McHenry County
Algonquin Fire Protection District:
- Barrington Hills in Kane County
Carpentersville Fire Protection District:
- Barrington Hills near the corner of 68 & Bateman.
East Dundee Fire Protection District:
- The South end of Pentwater in South Barrington.
- Star Ln. to Saucer Ct. in Magnolia Pointe (South Barrington)
- Rt. 59 S. of Penny Rd.
Hoffman Estates Fire Protection District:
- Windemere in South Barrington.
- Barrington Rd. S of the entrance to the South Barrington Club.
Palatine Rural Fire Protection District:
- All of Inverness not covered by the B.C.F.P.D.
Apr 19
Dennis McGuire, Jr found two area rigs in production at Ferrara which can be seen HERE.
He tells us that one of them is for the Calumet Park FD in MABAS 22. They’re buying a 100′ tower ladder on an HME chassis (a first for them) which will replace a ladder truck and a engine. Both are already gone as trade-ins.
The 100-foot tower at Ferrara on an HME chassis being built for Calumet Park. Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
The second is a pumper for the Huntley FD which is in both MABAS 2 & 5. They’ve ordered a top-mount pumper on a Ferrara Ember chassis with a 1,500-GPM pump and 750 gallons of water.
The new engine for Huntley undergoing pump tests at Ferrara. Ferrara Fire Apparatus photo
Fire Service, Inc., the local dealer representing Wheeled Coach Ambulances has photos of the following recent deliveries.
Two new ambulances in Berwyn. Fire Service, Inc. photo
Ambulance 701 in Melrose Park has a new unit. Fire Service, Inc. photo
Summit has a new Type I ambulance that was recently delivered. Fire Service, Inc. photo
Oak Lawn took delivery of a new unit for Ambulance 1 last year and recently took delivery of another for Ambulance 2. Fire Service, Inc. photo
Thanks to Martin Nowak for spotting the new Wheeled Coach units.
Taking advantage of a sunny day last week, Larry Shapiro stopped by Evanston Station 23 and was able to get some images for the website that were missing. The apparatus shots that were added to Station 23 include Engine 23, the 2010 Pierce Arrow XT; Ambulance 23, a 1999 Freightliner/Wheeled Coach Type I; and R-21, the 1990/1998 Pierce Arrow 105-foot rear mount aerial which is Evanston’s spare truck. The truck was reportedly purchased by the local and donated to the department for use as a spare. Bill Friedrich tells us that it was formerly owned by San Antonio, TX.
Mar 26
An overview of the stadium exhibits. Many of the apparatus exhibitors moved into the new convention center this year. Larry Shapiro photo
The 2011 Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) just ended. The convention center was filled with exhibitors who displayed everything from fire apparatus and gear to shirts and trinkets. There were two local area rigs on display this year. A Medtec Type III ambulance for Algonquin-Lake in the Hills was in the Pierce booth and a Cyclone II 95-foot rear mount tower ladder for University Park was in the E-ONE booth.
Algonquin-Lake in the Hills had a Medtec ambulance in the Pierce booth at the FDIC in Indianapolis. Larry Shapiro photo
This new tower ladder for University Park was in the E-ONE booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Other interesting apparatus displayed included four pieces for the FDNY including a Wheeled Coach ambulance on a four-door Ford chassis, an engine in the Seagrave booth, plus Rescue 4 and Ladder 137 in the Ferrara booth.
Seagrave displayed FDNY Engine 222. Larry Shapiro
Ferrara had FDNY Rescue 4 from Queens in their booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Ferrara also had FDNY Ladder 137 on dispkay. Larry Shapiro photo
Crimson had a tandem axle rescue for Elizabeth, NJ, KME had a tiller for Norwalk, CT, American LaFrance had a tiller for Ventura County, CA and HME had a Type III wildland pumper for CALFIRE.
This tandem axle heavy rescue for Elizabeth, NJ Rescue 1 was in the Crimson booth. Larry Shapiro photo
A tiller for Norwalk, CT was shown by KME. Larry Shapiro photo
This LTI tiller for Ventura County, CA by American LaFrance was in the Lucas Oil Stadium. Larry Shapiro photo
HME brought a Type III engine from CALFIRE. Larry Shapiro photo
As regards new introductions:
Pierce showed the new Dash CF chassis under a PUC rescue pumper;
One of two Pierce Dash CF units that were unveiled at the show. Larry Shapiro photo
Pierce also showed this mini pumper on rubber tracks BP. Larry Shapiro photo
Rosenbauer introduced their Smart Cab enclosure for adding a crew area to units built on a commercial chassis;
Rosenbauer introduced the 'Smart Cab' enclosure for three firefighters on a commercial chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
The Smart Cab has a two-step unit which swings out with the door for easy egress and entrance to the crew enclosure along with an option for a full-lenght glass covered door. Larry Shapiro photo
KME brought out the Predator Pro Series (Pumper Rescue Operations) integrated pumper and a new 79-foot ladder;
The KME Predator PRO is a rescue pumper on the new Predator chassis and features a short wheelbase and compact operator's panel. Larry Shapiro photo
The new 76-foor Aerial Cat quint on a new Predator chassis was in the KME booth. Larry Shapiro photo
Crimson highlighted their new acquisition of Classic Fire and showed their ‘Transformer’ on a commercial chassis;
Crimson had a min pumper in their new Classic Series which originates from their recent purchase of Classic Fire in Ocala, FL. Larry Shapiro photo
American LaFrance announced that they are now offering their Eagle custom chassis to other manufacturers and that the LTI aerials can also be purchased by others;
A 2010 emissions compliant Eagle cab and chassis was on display by American LaFrance. Larry Shapiro photo
E-ONE showed the eMAX pumper series with a narrow operator’s panel.
The E-ONE eMAX was shown on a Typhoon chassis. Larry Shapiro photo
Feb 21
An article in the Trib Local for Gurnee describes the new 2011 IHC 4300/Wheeled Coach Type I ambulance for Gurnee. Funds for the new ambulance were donated by one of the Fire Protection Districts that contracts with the Gurnee Fire Department for service.
Thanks to the Warren-Waukegan Fire Protection District, which works closely with the Gurnee department to cover 32 square miles of incorporated and unincorporated land from Waukegan to Route 45, the Gurnee department will replace an old ambulance with a brand new, high-tech one, said Chief Fred Friedl.
Warren-Waukegan FPD President Phillip DeRuntz will present keys to the new vehicle to the department at 10 a.m. on Friday as part of a ceremony at Gurnee Fire Station No. 2, 6581 Dada Drive.
The entire article along with a photo of the new unit can be seen HERE.
Thanks to Bill Friedrich for finding the article.
The second department in MABAS Division 27 has been added. South Chicago Heights, a single station department that covers 1.5 square miles operates two ambulances and two engines. Ambulances are from Wheeled Coach and Osage. Engines are from Crimson and American LaFrance (before it was bought by Freightliner). This is one of the few departments in the area operating a Type II style ambulance. Images were provided by Jack Connors.
The South Chicago Heights station at 2729 Jackson Avenue. Jack Connors photo
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
