Out and About..Windy City Style!

[JBE 328]

So, last week, there was a little Code 3 Collectors thing in a suburb of Chicago, so I decided to take a little ride. Actually, 11 hours, 800 plus miles and an extra hour and a half finding the darn hotel. It's out and about time!!!

First stop, O'Hare Airport, home of Engine 9, Squad 7 and Ambulance 59. Squad 7 is this huge Pierce Rescue, unfortunately, it was running a spare so I didn't take shot of it.

Here's Engine 9, and this thing is big, at least for Chicago standards.

Ambulance 59

Next stop, the next day, Engine 23/TL-5 and 6-7-1.

6-7-1 is a deluge wagon, Lil Mo. The Engine and Truck are the only LaFrance rigs aside from the Hazmat rigs.

Next Stop is a rather famous place.

Edited October 11, 2007 by JBE

[JBE 328]

Just before I went to that famous place, I shot this little beauty out in front of 23.

Here we go...

I kinda got a funky feeling when I took this picture. Like the theme song was going on in my head.

[JBE 328]

Gotta love home improvements...

Next stop, South Side...

[JBE 328]

Engine 116, Squad 5. I do have to say, these guys have it good when they get turned out. Computerized voice tells them where to go. It's neat, but it really lacks that human touch I think.

Unfortunately, the guy who drove the snorkel wasn't feeling too hot, so I didn't shoot it the way I wanted to. I kinda picked a bad day to do this, considering the Chicago Marathon was that day, and soon after the Rock Box crapped out on me. But I did make one more stop before I had to pour a ton of money into my car, and tow trucks and head on home.

[JBE 328]

Last stop before my trip went to poop. It's a good thing the Cubs lost Saturday night, this place woulda been jammed if I had gotten there if they had won.

Unfortunately, no position shots, and no more pictures, since the car crapped out.

A big thank you to all the members of CFD who helped out, along with the tow truck drivers.

A big FU to Pep Boys for not figuring out what the problem was with my car before I had to bring it to them like three times before they figured out what was wrong. Enjoy!!

Edited October 11, 2007 by JBE

[hawkbase 21]

Awesom Photos!!

[JetPhoto 626]

Great shots! Thanks for sharing.

[Guest]

Wait a sec....is that house (E65/L56) the house in backdraft? This Theme Song u mean? lol

Nice Pics

Edited October 11, 2007 by NRFDTL11Buff

[JBE 328]

Why, yes it is....Hence the theme song in my head. Ever notice how these guys NEVER close the apparatus doors when they leave?? Check Emergency! They also do that too.

Edited October 11, 2007 by JBE

[RescueKujo 130]

Great shots, Jimmy. Thanks for sharing.

[DOC22 1]

Great Shots!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!!

[Guest]

Next time, check out the downtown/east Loop firehouse at 259 N. Columbus (just east of Wacker and Michigan): Engine 13, Truck 6, Battalion 1, and the Scuba Team (687). That place is fantastic, always hopping with action--you'd be hard pressed to get beauty shots like you did.

I like your idea of a road trip....

[JBE 328]

Believe me, I had at least three or four other houses planned, but since the marathon was gumming up the works, and my car died I kinda got side tracked.

[Guest]

The marathon was kind of a fiasco--and it is a mess anyway under the best of circumstances. You know it was hot here that day, people were dousing with water meant for hydrating. EMS was busy.

[JBE 328]

It was ridiculous how bad it got. I was listening to Main and Engelwood and there was at least one request for mutual aid ambulances, a couple of cooling buses and at least one unit opened up a hydrant and people were flocking to it like "an oasis".

[Guest]

You had all the novices who had never run a race decide to participate--a P.O. from Midland, Mich. died (of a heart attack--not heat related, he had mitral valve prolapse) running his first marathon. The marathon organizers had planned on the heat factor, but most of the sprinklered hydrants were after about mile 18, so all of the runners who were slower didn't get that far--they shut down the race at 3 1/2 hours.

Your trip reminds me of another of my favorite subjects--restaurants in old firehouses. Next time you could eat at the Chicago Firehouse at 14th and Michigan, a favorite of "Da Mare" (i.e., "Little Richie", a/k/a Richard "J." Daley). It's just down the street from Grant Park, where Richard M. Daley had a nice tune up for some anti-war protesters....just up the street from the (now torn-down) Lexington Hotel, where Alphonse Capone had a hideaway....

Ah, gotta love this place!