Evanston Fire Department history Part 61

From Phil Stenholm: Another chapter on the History of the Evanston Fire Department: NBFU '59 Back in 1959, the National Board of Fire Underwriters (NBFU) conducted an inspection of the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) for the first time since 1935. They awarded the EFD a "Class 3" rating, identical to what it had received in 1935. Among Chicago-area fire departments, only the Chicago Fire Department managed a better "Class 2" rating. By 1959, the Evanston FD and the Oak Park FD were the sole suburban Chicago fire departments rated "Class 3" by the NBFU. However, by 1971, both the Skokie FD and Winnetka FD had improved their ratings. The NBFU recommended several changes to the EFD in their 1959 inspection report. These included adding another engine company at Station #1 to replace Engine 25, which had been relocated, restoring pre-1957 staffing levels so that five men would be assigned per shift at Station #1 and four men per shift at the other stations, mandatory annual physical exams for all firefighters over 55, mandatory retirement at age 62, and making the chief fire marshal a civil service position instead of a political appointment. The only recommendation adopted by the EFD was the annual physical exams for firefighters over 55. In 1963, Squad 21 was returned to active service at Station #1, but it still wasn't considered an engine company since it lacked a proper hose bed. The iconic Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph boxes around Evanston were replaced in 1959 with 80 Western Electric police/fire emergency phones directly linked to the city's communication center. The Gamewell system had been in place since 1895, but these new phones allowed callers to specify the nature of emergencies, enabling quicker response times. Captain Jim Wheeler and Captain Willard Thiel were promoted to assistant chiefs, while Firemen Dan Lorden and Ed Pettinger became captains in 1959. Assistant Chief Jim Mersch retired after 23 years of service, and Captain Joe Schumer resigned. The four new firefighters hired in 1958-59 were Edward "Ted" Riley, LeRoy "Charlie" Rohrer, Leonard Conrad, and Ken Hatfield. Conrad was promoted to captain in 1964 and later became the EFD's first medical officer in 1978. In 1959, inhalators were assigned to all five EFD engine companies, ending Squad 21's role as the city-wide inhalator unit. It now responded to special rescue calls and fires as requested by chiefs. The EFD handled roughly 100 inhalator calls annually in the 1950s, rising to about one per day by 1965, and two or three per day when paramedic services began in 1976. Both Chief Geishecker's F-1 (1957 Ford station wagon) and the platoon commander's F-2 (1956 Chevy station wagon) carried stretchers and first aid kits in 1959, serving as backup ambulances. F-1 was replaced by a new Ford wagon in 1962, and F-2 by a Plymouth wagon in 1963. George and Effie Dye perished in a house fire at 1803 Hartrey Avenue in 1959. Fire companies from Stations #1 and #5 arrived within four minutes but couldn't save them. This marked the first time more than one person died in a single Evanston fire since 1905. Their house on Hartrey was farthest from any station, though still within NBFU standards. In November 1959, a fire gutted the Davis Furniture store at 721 Main Street causing $155,000 in damages. Three engine companies, two truck companies, Squad 21, and cross-trained police officers responded quickly. Engine 25 and Truck 23 moved to Station #1, followed by Engine 25 and Squad 22 responding defensively. Off-duty firefighters manned reserve engines, while others were transported to the scene via pickup trucks. Fire Prevention Bureau Captain George Croll passed away after a long illness in January 1960, and Fireman Art Windelborn retired in 1961 after 33 years. Fireman William Lapworth was promoted to captain, and Bob Schwarz, Richard Beucus, and William Lemieux joined the ranks. Schwarz became a founding member of the EFD's elite arson squad in 1975. A mysterious explosion severely damaged the North Shore Overall uniform store at 1818 Dempster Street in May 1961. While there were no injuries since it occurred after hours, repairs cost $107,000. The Fire Prevention Bureau lacked the expertise to investigate, so the Illinois State Fire Marshal took over.

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