I'm going to leave off here and tomorrow I'll continue with StLFD apparatus from 1947. We'll get into a lot more color from here on out as many of the rigs from 1950 on were still in the department when Duane visited in 1976. Oh how I wish I could have shot the 1965 photos in color, but as I explained earlier we were just out of high school and could not afford anything more that B&W which we processed in our own dark rooms at the time.
Here is some more miscellaneous info from our 1965 trip:
When Paige Van Vorst and I visted in 1965, the StLFD had 41 Engine companies and 23 Hook & Ladder trucks. The radio call letters back then were “KAG 632” and they were operating on 154.130 MHz. We arrived in St. Louis on Thursday, September 10, 1965 and left St. Louis on Tuesday, September 14, 1965.
Paige and I recorded all the StLFD fire calls we heard in a notebook, logging company assignments, address, box number, what was burning, and time dispatched. We got to a number of StLFD incidents, including a number of working fires and also a 2nd Alarm. I owned a 117-volt Motorola (gray box) tube radio back then that we powered with a 12-volt DC/117-volt AC car inverter that plugged into the cigarette lighter.
My dad let me drive his car to St. Louis in 1965 (he got to drive my 1957 Chevrolet that vapor-locked whenever it got hot). We drove down through the City of Chicago, arriving on Tuesday, September 8th. We stayed in Chicago the first night at the Downtown YMCA Hotel on Wabash Avenue. Paige and I were awoken by a 12:07AM CFD alarm on September 9th, which turned into a 2-11 Alarm at 14th & Blue Island for a fire in a large vacant produce warehouse. Paige and I took a taxicab to the fire in a pounding rainstorm.
We arrived to find seven CFD snorkels surrounding the huge warehouse, all shooting heavy streams, trying to control a very stubborn fire. The snorkels were being supplied by 20 lines pumped by eight different CFD engine companies. Paige and I soon became water logged, but it was well worth it to see such a heavy attack by CFD companies. Paige shot a few B&W photos using his 35mm camera. It was quite a show!
Here is some more miscellaneous info from our 1965 trip:
When Paige Van Vorst and I visted in 1965, the StLFD had 41 Engine companies and 23 Hook & Ladder trucks. The radio call letters back then were “KAG 632” and they were operating on 154.130 MHz. We arrived in St. Louis on Thursday, September 10, 1965 and left St. Louis on Tuesday, September 14, 1965.
Paige and I recorded all the StLFD fire calls we heard in a notebook, logging company assignments, address, box number, what was burning, and time dispatched. We got to a number of StLFD incidents, including a number of working fires and also a 2nd Alarm. I owned a 117-volt Motorola (gray box) tube radio back then that we powered with a 12-volt DC/117-volt AC car inverter that plugged into the cigarette lighter.
My dad let me drive his car to St. Louis in 1965 (he got to drive my 1957 Chevrolet that vapor-locked whenever it got hot). We drove down through the City of Chicago, arriving on Tuesday, September 8th. We stayed in Chicago the first night at the Downtown YMCA Hotel on Wabash Avenue. Paige and I were awoken by a 12:07AM CFD alarm on September 9th, which turned into a 2-11 Alarm at 14th & Blue Island for a fire in a large vacant produce warehouse. Paige and I took a taxicab to the fire in a pounding rainstorm.
We arrived to find seven CFD snorkels surrounding the huge warehouse, all shooting heavy streams, trying to control a very stubborn fire. The snorkels were being supplied by 20 lines pumped by eight different CFD engine companies. Paige and I soon became water logged, but it was well worth it to see such a heavy attack by CFD companies. Paige shot a few B&W photos using his 35mm camera. It was quite a show!
Facebook
Google
Reddit
Twitter