Fire Engines Photos

Engine 13 Ladder 6 is my local station, just around the corner from where I live. It also includes Batallion 1, the SCUBA dive team, and provides crews for the two CFD fireboats moored nearby.

It was built when this "new east side" area of Chicago was redeveloped. Although next to the lake and the Chicago river, this part of the city was docks and railyards not long ago. But it has now been redeveloped to include luxury hotels, hi-rise apartment and office buildings and two parks.

Much of central Chicago has a two-level road system, with the lower level configured for deliveries, etc. But we have three, so the new fire station was built directly across from ramps which can take you down either one or two levels. Good thinking!

Engine 13 is quite busy - I'm told it handles about 4, 000 runs a year. Almost all are EMS, because the station does not have an ambuulance. E 13 is a paramedic unit, so it is dispatched along wirh an ambulance from a more distant station, on the theory that it can normally respond sooner. Ladder 6 is a lot less busy.

The CFD members I have met are great guys, very professional and really "on the ball".

Added by Rob Johnson on 09 May 2013.

Hi Rob. Very interesting information. All the Chicago firefighters I met when I visited in November 2012 were really helpful. I visited a couple of stations whilst there and the guys were very hospitable. I also visited some fire departments outside the City too. Great City can't wait to visit again.

Added by Paul Warnock on 09 May 2013.

Somehow this picture got listed under Spartan. Engine 13 is a Luverne and Ladder 6 is a Pierce. Although CFD has other brands, these two are actually the most typical of the commonest manufacturers in the fleet right now.

Added by Rob Johnson on 11 June 2013.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.