From Phil Stenholm: Another look into the History of the Evanston Fire Department THE GHOSTS OF THE EFD In 1980, an agreement between IAFF Local 742 and the City of Evanston set the minimum staffing for each EFD shift at 26, the lowest since 1926. At that time, Evanston’s population was around 50,000—half the size it would become later. Each of the two truck companies and five engine companies had a company officer and two firefighters, while two paramedics were assigned to each of the two MICU ambulances. The shift commander, known as F-2, oversaw operations. Squad 21, once a front-line rescue unit, was reduced to being staffed only when its specialized equipment was needed. If no one was available at Station #1, Squad 21 couldn’t respond until at least one firefighter arrived. All three ambulances were stationed at Fire Station #1, with A-1 covering calls east of Asbury Avenue and A-2 handling calls west of it. In 1985, after complaints about uneven call distribution during a Bears game, the system was changed so that the ambulances alternated calls, allowing paramedics to have more flexibility. Each shift required a minimum of six paramedics, with two per ambulance and two assigned to Truck Co. 21, which took over as the “jump company†for Ambulance 3. If Truck Co. 22 was out of service, even if Truck Co. 21 was available, they couldn’t staff Ambulance 3. This led to situations where an ambulance had to be called in from neighboring departments like Wilmette or Skokie, sometimes with life-threatening delays. Vacations and Kelly Day absences were planned ahead and evenly distributed, making them easy to cover with the five extra firefighters on each shift. However, unexpected absences due to injury or illness were handled by off-duty firefighters working voluntary overtime. Initially, they received time-and-a-half for the first eight hours and straight pay for the remaining 16. Later, this was changed to full time-and-a-half, increasing the number of “ghost†positions needed from seven to nine, leading to further reductions in EFD membership. In January 1982, the Police/Fire communications operators, known as “Dispatch,†took over all fire dispatching. Though their salaries were split between the police and fire departments, they received one paycheck. They wore patches from both departments and were supervised by a police sergeant or lieutenant. Firefighters were not allowed to work in the communications center, though desk officers occasionally filled in. Before 1982, a firefighter at the station would handle radio traffic after the initial report. With the new system, all radio communication went directly to Dispatch, and operators were responsible for logging and acknowledging all transmissions. This change also introduced a new communication system inspired by the Phoenix Fire Department, including plain English, station numbers instead of radio codes, and updated incident command terminology. In 1987, the city purchased a CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system from ADT to manage alarms and automate call logging. MDTs (mobile data terminals) were added to EFD vehicles starting in 1994, modernizing operations significantly. On New Year’s Eve 1984, a devastating fire destroyed the Byer Museum of the Arts at 1700 Hinman Ave., including its valuable “Treasures of the Orient†collection. While the initial loss was estimated at $5 million, the insurance company later reduced the claim to around $1 million after some items were found elsewhere. The cause of the fire was never fully determined, with conflicting opinions from investigators and the chief. Sensors such as the water temperature sensor, and oil pressure sensor provide information to the engine control module to help regulate engine performance. Jining BST company have more than 20 years export experience can provide many model and brand sensor, like water sensor, oil sensor, Cummins Sensor, Komatsu Sensor, Caterpillar Sensor ect. With reasonable price and high quality, widely praised by customers from all over the world. Our products undergo strict quality control to ensure they maintain the highest standards. We have a large inventory and can quickly trade payment products to meet customer needs.
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Between 1980 and 1981, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) saw its sworn membership drop from 114 to 106, eventually settling at 104. This reduction was due in part to attrition and changes in how the department operated. One major shift was the transfer of the Fire Equipment Mechanic role to Fleet Services, as the city hired a civilian mechanic to maintain fire apparatus at city yards rather than at Fire Station #1. Additionally, firefighters who were absent due to injury or illness were no longer replaced by extra personnel on each shift.