From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department.
The civil service rank of lieutenant was removed from the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) in 1954. The position was reclassified as "Captain II," while the former "Captain" became "Captain I." Captain II had a slightly higher salary than the previous lieutenant role, and to be promoted to Captain II, a firefighter had to serve at least one year in the lieutenant position. After one year, a Captain II would automatically advance to Captain I.
Out of the seven EFD lieutenants, five—Leonard Bach, Herb Claussen, George “Bud†Hofstetter, George Jasper, and Willard Thiel—were immediately promoted to Captain II. However, because they were promoted to lieutenant on January 1, 1954, and had less than a year of experience, Lt. Harry Schaeffer Jr. and Lt. Richard Schumacher had to wait until January 1, 1955, for their promotions. This made them the last EFD lieutenants, as future promotions would go directly from Fireman I to Captain II.
In 1953–1954, the EFD faced two major "storefront" fires. The first occurred at the Suburban Surgical Supply Company at 604 Davis Street on March 2, 1953. Due to its location in the downtown high-value district, the initial response included three engine companies and one truck company. A second alarm brought in additional units, including a fourth engine, a second truck, and Squad 21. Though the fire was contained to the original structure, the store was completely gutted, with damages estimated at $100,000. This placed it among the top five most costly fires in Evanston’s history up to that point, tying with the Tapecoat fire of 1951 and the Evanston Country Club fire of 1922.
The second significant fire took place in September 1954 at the A & P supermarket on Central Street in North Evanston. Engine Co. 23 arrived first and found only a light haze of smoke inside. When the second engine and truck company joined, they followed into the store. As they searched for the source, the ceiling partially collapsed. Fortunately, no one was killed, but several firefighters, including Captains Ron Ford and Herb Claussen, along with Firemen Arnold Windle, Dave Tesnow, and Ted Bierchen, were injured and taken to local hospitals. A second alarm and a call-back of the off-duty platoon were ordered, primarily to replace the injured men. Although not dramatic, the A & P suffered an estimated $70,000 in damage from fire, smoke, and water.
In October 1954, the EFD appeared in an educational short film titled The Fireman, produced by Encyclopedia Britannica under Dr. Ernest Horn of the University of Iowa. The film, now in the public domain, bore some resemblance to the 1903 silent film The Life of an American Fireman. It featured real Evanston firefighters and new Pirsch apparatus in action. While it didn’t win an Academy Award, it was shown in schools across the country.
Synopsis (Spoiler Alert!):
The film follows a rookie firefighter named “Tom Briggs,†likely based on Tom Kostopoulos, who is just completing his first year on the job. He stands morning inspection at Station #1 with his fellow firefighters. Chief Jim Dorband, actually EFD Chief Henry Dorband, is satisfied and dismisses the crew. Tom is assigned as tillerman on an aerial ladder truck by duty officer “Captain Drake,†believed to be Engine 25 Captain Ed Fahrbach.
Under the supervision of Captain Drake and Chief Dorband, Tom and others participate in a training drill. They climb the aerial ladder to the roof of the station, demonstrate how the hose roller works, another firefighter pretends to be overcome by smoke and is carried down, and someone jumps into a life net from the drill tower. After training, the men relax briefly before an alarm sounds: “Alarm! – Third & Main.â€
Firefighters slide down the pole, and the Pirsch rigs roll out of Station #1, heading west on Lake Street. Eventually, Truck 21 ends up at 2160 Isabella Street, near the Evanston-Wilmette border. Smoke rises from the house, and the crews quickly respond. Engines and trucks move in, hydrants are connected, and the roof is accessed. Fireman Tom and Captain Drake, wearing SCBA, enter the house, rescue a kitten, and put out the fire. The crews then return to the station.
The film was shot at a house soon to be demolished, which would later become part of a grocery store parking lot. The EFD often used such locations for drills, making this film a realistic portrayal of their training.
Encyclopedia Britannica released another educational short film called The Policeman in November 1954. Shot inside the Evanston Police Department and on location in Highland Park, the film followed Officer Barnes and his partner as they handled various tasks, including recovering a stolen bicycle, issuing a traffic ticket, and finding a missing child. Officer Barnes was portrayed as a regular person, seen eating breakfast with his family and returning home after his shift, giving the film a human touch.
Jiangsu Kaihuida New Material Technology CO.,Ltd was founded in 2010.We produce Pharmaceutical Intermediate,Chemical Intermediate,Intermediate,etc.
Our main products:Pharmaceutical intermediates,Food Additive,Flavor,Organic intermediate,Cosmetic materials,Chemical Raw Materials,Daily chemicals,Dye intermediate,Disinfectant,and other products.
Our main sales market:the United States,Canada,Mexico, Australia,the United Kingdom,France,Germany,Italy,South Korea, the Netherlands,Sweden,Spain,Switzerland,Colombia and other countries and regions.
Pharmaceutical Intermediate,Api Pharma Intermediates,Bmk Powde,Chemical Intermediate
Jiangsu Kaihuida New Material Technology Co., Ltd , https://www.khdchemical.com