Skokie Historical Society

Year:  1800s
Type:  Horse-Drawn Hose Cart

Year:  1800s
Make:  Unknown, may have been a Pirsch
Type:  Hand or Horse Drawn Ladder Truck
Ladder Equipment:  Believed to have carried one Bangor Ladder, two Straight Ladders, at least one Roofer and at least two Pike Poles

Year: Circa 1860s
Make:  Rumsey of Seneca Falls, N.Y.
Type:  Hand Drawn, Hand Powered Pumper
Pump Capacity:  Two 4" Cylinders, 60 GPM
Tank:  Approx. 40 Gallon Tank for bucket supply operations, 16' Suction Hose for drafting from wells or cisterns
Hose Equipment:  16' of 2" Hard Suction for drafting from wells or cisterns

Year:  1914
Make:  Howe, Indianapolis, Ind.
Type:  Horse-Drawn Gasoline Powered Pumper
Pump Capacity:  250 GPM 3 Piston
Hose Equipment:  Reel with unknown length of hose
Other:  Howe units were often sold with hose reels attached to the rear.

Year:  1917
Make:  US Motor Truck, Cincinnati, Ohio
Type:  Truck Chassis with Howe Pump remounted on the rear
Pump Capacity:  250 GPM 3 Piston Howe Pump
Ladder Equipment:  Ground ladder carried on right side, unknown length
Hose Equipment:  unknown

Year:  1923
Make:  Ford / Pirsch
Type:  Chemical Engine
Pump Capacity:  Chemical Pressure
Tank:  Two 45-Gallon Tanks with Four Acid Tanks
Ladder Equipment:  12' Roof, 24' Extension
Hose Equipment:  150' of 3/4" Chemical Hose
Other:  This was Sharp Corner's first motorized pumper.

Year:  1926
Make:  Ahrens Fox
Type:  Pumper N-S-4 Piston Pump and Hose Car with Booster Tank
Pump Capacity:  1000 GPM
Tank:  60 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  20' Extension, 12" Roof
Hose Equipment:  200' of 1" Booster

Year:  1937
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Ladder Truck with Pump, Tank and Hose
Pump Capacity:  750 GPM Rotary Gear
Tank:  100 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  60' Electric Main Aerial
Hose Equipment:  Booster Reel
Other:  This truck had one of the first electrically powered ladders made by Pirsch. The truck was originally painted white to distinguish it from non-powered aerial ladder trucks.

Year:  1948
Make:  American La France
Type:  Pumper 710-PJO
Pump Capacity:  1000 GPM
Tank:  150 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  24' Extension, 14'Roof
Hose Equipment:  Booster Reel in rear
Other:  This engine was surplus World War II equipment. It is still on the Fire Department roster and is a parade vehicle.

Year:  1954
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1000 GPM
Tank:  300 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  24' Extension, 12' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Two Booster Lines
Other:  The Floral Avenue Station doors were enlarged to fit this engine.

Year:  1955
Make:  Ward La France
Type:  Ladder Truck, Midship Mount
Ladder Equipment:  85' Main Aerial, miscellaneous ground ladders
Other:  Ladder was made of steel. It may have been made by a separate company, possibly Seagrave.

Year:  1958
Make:  Ford / General Body
Type:  Squad Body/Ex-Chicago Fire Patrol
Ladder Equipment:  Miscellaneous ground
Other:  This vehicle was originally owned by the Chicago Fire Patrol.

Year:  1960
Make:  Mack, B-Model
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1000 GPM
Tank:  300 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  24' Extension, 14' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Two Booster Reels, each 1" diameter and 200' length
Other:  Skokie had two 1960 Mack B-Model engines.

Year:  1961
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Ladder Truck Midship Mount
Ladder Equipment:  85' Main Aerial, Miscellaneous ground.

Year:  1965
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Engine / Squad
Pump Capacity:  1000 GPM Hale
Tank:  300 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8'-10' Folding, 20' Extension, 10' Stripping, 12' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Booster Reel 1" diameter and 200' length
Other:  This engine carried a large 250# dry chemical extinguisher.

Year:  1969
Make:  Pirsch / Pitman
Type:  65' Snorkel Truck
Ladder Equipment:  65' Snorkel, 210' Miscellaneous Ground

Year:  1973
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1250 GPM Hale
Tank:  300 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8' Folding, 24' Extension, 12' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Two Booster Lines 1" diameter and 200' length each
Other:  This pumper was the first diesel powered fire apparatus in Skokie.

Year:  1977
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Ladder Truck
Ladder Equipment:  100' Aluminum Main Aerial, 258' Miscellaneous ground. Ground
Other:  Many firefighters called this ladder the Twist-O-Flex, because the main aerial would twist if it was not leaning against a building.

Year:  1978
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1250 GPM Hale
Tank:  300 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8' Folding, 24' Extension, 14' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Two Booster Lines 1" diameter and 200' length each
Other:  Skokie had two 1978 Pirsch Pumpers.

Year:  1980
Make:  Pirsch
Type:  Engine / Squad
Pump Capacity:  1250 GPM Hale
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8' Folding, 24' Extension, 35' Extension,
14' Roof
Hose Equipment:  Booster Reel 1" diameter and 200' length
Other:  This engine carried a 150# Chemical Extinguisher.

Year:  1988
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1,500 GPM HALE
Tank:  500 gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8' Folding, 14' Roof, 24' Extension
Other:  Skokie had two 1988 Pierce Pumpers.

Year:  1988
Make:  Pierce / Smeal
Type:  Ladder Truck
Ladder Equipment:  105' Smeal Aerial Ladder, miscellaneous ground, pre-piped waterway, remote control gun

Year:  1993
Make:  Spartan / Lavergne
Type:  Engine / Squad
Pump Capacity:  1,500 GPM HALE
Tank:  500 Gallons / 30 Gallon Foam Tank
Ladder Equipment:  10' Folding, 14' Roof, 24' Extension
Hose Equipment:  Preconnect on front bumper with foam

Year:  1995
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Ladder Truck / Elevated Platform
Pump Capacity:  1500 GPM Waterous
Tank:  200 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  100' Ladder Platform with Pre-Piped Water Way and Remote Control Gun. Miscellaneous ground
Other:  First tower ladder in Niles Township.

Year:  1997
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1,500 GPM Waterous
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  8' Folding, 14' Roof, 24' Extension

Year:  1999
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Paramedic/ Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1,500 GPM Waterous
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  14' Roof, 24' Extension, 35' Extension, 10' Folding
Other:  Carries a second rescue tool identical to 1993 Spartan.

Year:  2001
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Aerial Ladder
Ladder Equipment:  100' Heavy Duty

Year:  2003
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1500 GPM
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  14' Roof, 24' Extension, 35' Extension

Year:  2004
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Pumper
Pump Capacity:  1500 GPM
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  14' Roof, 24' Extension, 35' Extension

Year:  2005
Make:  Sterling / Marion
Type:  Utility
Other:  This Utility vehicle carrys only heavy rescue equipment.

Year:  2007
Make:  Pierce
Type:  Pumper / Squad
Pump Capacity:  1500 GPM
Tank:  500 Gallons
Ladder Equipment:  14' Roof, 24' Extension, 35' Extension