From: Phil Stenholm
Date: [Current Date]
Subject: Another Chapter in the History of the Evanston Fire Department
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to share some updates on the history of the Evanston Fire Department. Things were moving fast in 1955 as they wrapped up the construction of the new fire stations. All three of them—Station #5 at 2830 Central Street, Station #2 at 702 Madison Street, and Station #3 at 1105 Central Street—were completed and put into service during the year. Station #5 opened its doors on January 25th, Station #2 followed on March 12th, and Station #3 finally came online on September 3rd.
In the interim, while Station #3 on Green Bay Road was being renovated, Engine Co. 23 and the reserve truck were temporarily stationed at the new Station #5 in northwest Evanston. This meant Station #3 officially closed on January 25th. Interestingly enough, the old apparatus floor at Station #3 was held up by temporary wooden beams installed in the basement, giving it a rather makeshift look in its final days as an operational firehouse. Meanwhile, Engine Co. 25 stayed put at Station #1 for much of 1955 since Engine Co. 23 couldn’t move until Station #3 was ready in September.
Chief Dorband, along with the Fire Prevention Bureau and Truck Co. 22, relocated to the new Station #2 on Madison Street on March 12th. Two assistant chiefs who previously served as platoon commanders at Station #1 were reassigned. Instead of commanding companies, they became akin to battalion chiefs in Chicago, driving around in a Chevrolet station wagon ("F-2") equipped with a driver. If Chief Dorband wasn’t on duty, his driver would pick him up from his home at 1424 Wesley Avenue and bring him to any fires that broke out.
The department expanded its workforce on April 1st, 1955, adding 12 new members: Peter Erpelding, David Henderson, Roger Lecey, Roger Schumacher, Joseph Burton, Patrick Morrison, Robert Pritza, Richard Ruske, Donald Searles, Frank Sherry Jr., and Richard Zrazik. Additionally, Edward Pettinger returned from a leave of absence. Firefighters James Wheeler and William Windelborn were promoted to captain roles, taking over as company officers in place of the former platoon commanders.
Squad 21 continued handling all inhalator calls and special rescues but began responding to every single fire call citywide starting April 1st, whether it was a working structure fire or not. With a four-man crew, they covered the entire city unless someone was absent, in which case there’d be a three-man response. Squad 21 didn’t have a company officer; instead, the platoon fire equipment mechanic usually led the team. By 1956, Squad 21 responded to over 400 calls—a quarter more than the busiest engine company, Engine Co. 24!
Although Squad 21 had a powerful 1000-GPM pump, a 100-gallon water tank, and a booster hose reel, it lacked a hose bed or standard hose load, meaning it couldn’t function as a regular engine company. Still, it could handle minor fires or provide initial firefighting efforts with its booster if no engine company arrived first.
Companies like Engine Co. 21, Truck Co. 21, Engine Co. 25, Squad 21, Engine Co. 22, and Truck Co. 22 were twelve-man operations, with six men per platoon. Engine Co. 23 and Engine Co. 24, however, were ten-man teams with five men per platoon. The drivers for the platoon commander (F-2) and the Chief Fire Marshal (F-1) were administratively assigned to Squad 21 and Engine Co. 22 respectively, reducing their effective manpower slightly compared to other twelve-man units.
Each shift included one man designated for a Kelly Day, bringing the actual staffing down to five men per shift for most companies, or four if someone was absent. For Engine Co. 23 and Engine Co. 24, it dropped to four men per shift, or three if short-handed. If a truck company was missing a member but the engine company at the same station was fully staffed, the extra man would come from the engine company.
There was always a platoon commander on each shift, plus a driver-radio operator for the platoon commander (F-2) and another driver-administrative assistant for the chief (F-1). Buggy drivers also doubled as photographers for the department. Additionally, one firefighter acted as a fire prevention inspector and administrative assistant to the FPB chief (F-3).
By April 1st, 1955, the maximum staffing across shifts reached 39 if all companies were at full capacity, while the absolute minimum dropped to 31 if every unit ran short by one person simultaneously. During peak seasons like November through March, when vacations weren’t allowed, companies generally operated at full strength. But come spring, summer, and early fall, when vacations were permitted, staffing often dipped due to accumulated overtime compensatory days from the colder months.
This 39-man max/31-man min setup brought shift staffing back to levels seen between 1933 and 1942, prior to the introduction of Kelly Days. Alongside acquiring new vehicles and building these new stations, restoring staffing to pre-WWII standards was one of Chief Dorband’s key objectives in modernizing the department.
Let me know what you think!
Best,
Phil
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