Jack Connors - Jack is a 38 year veteren of the Chicago Fire Department (CFD). When he retired with the rank of Deputy District Chief, he was Assistant Director of Apparatus Maintanence and Supply with the radio signature of 7-1-0 . Prior to his joining the CFD, he was with the Civil Defense for three years. Jack comes from a long line of firefighters; his father had 32 years with the CFD and four uncles who were also with the CFD had a combined time on the job of roughly 80 years. Jack has three sons: one has been with the Chicago Police Department for 12 years and was a part-time firefighter with the Central Stickney Fire Department; another was a contract paramedic before joining the Calumet City Fire Department and he is now a CFD paramedic; and his youngest son is currently with the Chicago Fire Department. Jack is a founding member of the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago and is a member of the Fire Buffs of Illinois.

Bill Friedrich - Bill has been in the fire service for 36 years, working in the military and Westchester, IL before serving for 32 years in Downers Grove where he recently retired with the rank of Battalion Chief. Bill has been photographing and documenting apparatus in Chicago, throughout Illinois and neighboring states for the past 3 decades. Along with Mark Mitchell, Bill co-authored Chicago Engines and Hokk & Ladders taking up where Ken Little left off detailing the apparatus of the Chicago Fire Department. Bill has a website where his photography can be seen depicting apparatus throughout the entire state of Illinois as well as large portions of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri.

Karl Klotz - Karl has been a full-time dispatcher for RED Center in Division 3 for the past 7 years. He also is a part-time firefighter in Highwood, IL. He lives in Division 24 and serves as the department photographer for the Tinley Park Fire Department. He photographs fire scenes, apparatus and fire stations as a hobby. He considers photos depicting Illinois, Florida, Maryland and Nevada as his specialy niche. He comes from a family of firefighters and one ... police officer. His grandfather was a detective in Chicago dating back to the 1920s. Karl has a smugmug site showing a full array of his photography from all over the country.

Dennis McGuire, Jr. - Dennis is a Chicago Firefighter currently assigned to Engine 60. He is a member of the Fire Buffs of Illinois and the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago.

Steve Redick - Steve is presently a senior fire alarm operator for the Chicago Fire Department where he has worked for 29 years. He became a fire fan as a youngster in the 1960s. He also comes from a family of firefighters as his father retired from the Chicago Fire Department as a Battalion Chief and his grandfather was the Skokie Fire Department Chief. Steve photographs apparatus and fire scenes in the Chicago area as well as venturing to Michigan documentng the Detroit Fire Department. When he's not photographing aspects of the fire service, he can be found photographing airshows, lighthouses, and his German Shepard Leine. Steve has produced 2 books combining his apparatus and fire scene photography. Both are offered on his smugmug site.

Hank Sajovic - Hank is another southsider who spent his career on the job in Skokie for 27. Hank has been photograhing the fire service for much of his career and has spent quite a bit of time documenting the Chicago Fire Department.

Larry Shapiro - Larry is the only one in the group that is not in the fire service, but still shares the passion ever since he was young. He is a photographer by trade and spends much of his time photographing apparatus and fire scenes. He has the good fortune to travel fairly extensively which allows him access to fire departments throughout the country.

This site is the compilation of images, research, and historical preservation on the part of several individuals who maintain a common interest, fascination, and near fanaticism with the fire service.

For the better part of 30 years, a dedicated group of fire service historians has been criss crossing the greater Chicago area and some have gone so far as to visit the entire state of Illinois meticulously documenting each and every fire department.

In years past, it has been difficult and expensive to share all of this history beyond a core group of interested people. Today, the internet provides the means to put all of this information together on display in one place for everyone to view, learn from, and enjoy.