Chicago Fire Department

[Guest]

photog999- Dennis, I couldn't agree with you more. Chicago's apparatus is in better shape today that at any other time in at least the last 40 years.



There were periods where the CFD did not regularly replace its apparatus fleet. For example, the CFD did not buy a single pumper between 1956 and 1966. I remember when Duane Troxel and I shot the entire department in 1971, some of the apparatus was in deplorable shape. There were no reserves- I mean none! It was so bad that if your rig broke down you never knew what you were going to get back. Basically the next rig turned in for repair got the rig that was just finished being repaired. The rigs were all mixed up, many companies using other companies apparatus.



I remember visiting Engine 60 in 1971. When the Captain of Engine 60 learned that Duane and I were going to see all the CFD stations, he asked it we'd keep a look out for Engine 60's 1956 Mack- which had gone into the shops many months before for some minor repair work. Sure enough, a few days later we discovered their rig operating as Engine 32. We let the Captain know, but whether he was ever able to get his assigned rig back I don't know.