From Phil Stenholm:
Another chapter in the history of the Evanston Fire Department.
Happy Birthday, EFD! On May 1, 1975, the Evanston City Council approved bids for a brand-new 1,000/300 triple-combination pumper. This new rig was built to match the specifications of the two Howe pumpers purchased back in 1974 and 1975. It was meant to replace the aging 1952 Pirsch 1000/100 TCP, which had started its life as Squad 21 before being rebuilt as a TCP by General Body in 1966. Mack ended up winning the contract with a bid of $53,725, beating out FWD Seagrave, Pirsch, and others. As expected, Chief George Beattie insisted the new Mack be painted safety yellow, matching the two Howes delivered previously.
In addition to the new truck, Chief Beattie also received a fresh Plymouth sedan (fleet #301) in 1975, painted red instead of safety yellow. The previous chief's 1973 Plymouth station wagon was reassigned to the platoon commanders as the new F-2 after getting a permanent light bar installed. Meanwhile, the old F-2 (a 1971 Dodge station wagon) moved to the Fire Prevention Bureau to serve the newly-formed arson squad, which would have a trained investigator on duty every shift. Firefighters Bob Schwarz, Pat Lynn, and Jim Hayes were selected for this role. With Captain Joe Thill retiring, one of the two FPB captain positions was eliminated as part of the reorganization.
Following the firefighters' strike in February 1974, the average workweek was reduced from 56 to 54 hours. Two new positions were added in 1975, bringing total membership to 102. Now, one firefighter would be assigned per shift to cover for those taking short days, while three others covered vacations and sick leave. This meant the effective minimum staffing per shift dropped from 28 to 27, with six three-man companies (five engines and Truck 22), two four-man companies (Truck 21 and Squad 21), and the shift commander (F-2).
Eighteen new firefighters joined the ranks between 1974 and 1975, including Samuel Boddie, Art Miller, Bill Betke, Jim Potts, Dave Lopina, Bob Hayden, Mike Adam, Don Gschwind, Thomas Simpson, Joe Hayes, Bob Wagner, Keith Filipowski, Ken Dohm, Tom Kavanagh, Milton Dunbar, Ward Cook, Jim Keaty, and Donald Williams. Firefighter James "Guv" Whalen was promoted to captain, while Harry Harloff and Ken Perysian retired after 23 years of service. Several others resigned.
On May 28, 1975, the EFD responded to a fire at the Rust-Oleum Corporation's storage yard on Oakton Street. A second alarm was called upon arrival, followed by the first-ever MABAS box request from the EFD since the system launched in 1968. At its height, 19 2-1/2-inch handlines, two deluge nozzles, one multi-versal, one ladder pipe from Truck 22, one street jack, and one deck gun from Squad 21 were deployed. Exploding 55-gallon drums sent paint containers flying hundreds of feet into the air. Evanston police evacuated nearby homes to the east and north.
A 200,000-gallon water tank at the corner of Cleveland and Hartrey, fed by a 24-inch main from Church Street, provided water through a 1,000-GPM pump operated by Rust-Oleum's company brigade. Engines from Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Morton Grove, and Winnetka pumped water from hydrants to the east and north of the fire, including one at the end of Cleveland Street near the C&NW RR tracks.
Despite the efforts, the fire caused $775,000 in damage, ranking it the fourth costliest in Evanston's history. Only the American Hospital Supply fire in October 1963, Rolled Steel in January 1970, and Bramson's in October 1971 caused more damage. The Rust-Oleum blaze remains one of the most spectacular in Evanston's history!
The following day, May 29, 1975, marked the EFD's centennial. While the department was officially established on May 29, 1875, its origins trace back to January 7, 1873, when the 60-member Pioneer Fire Company began operations. The 1875 ordinance wasn't about creating a fire department but formalizing how new companies could join. By then, the C.J. Gilbert Hose Company was already forming. The ordinance ensured all companies worked together under the fire marshal's command.
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