From Phil Stenholm: Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department. Five out of the seven EFD lieutenants—Leonard Bach, Herb Claussen, George “Bud†Hofstetter, George Jasper, and Willard Thiel—were immediately promoted to Captain II. However, Lt. Harry Schaeffer Jr. and Lt. Richard Schumacher were not eligible until January 1, 1955, since they had only been appointed to lieutenant on January 1, 1954. This made them the last lieutenants ever in the EFD. From this point on, promotions would go directly from fireman I to Captain II. The EFD faced two major fires in the downtown area during 1953–1954, both occurring in storefronts. The first took place on March 2, 1953, at the Suburban Surgical Supply Company located at 604 Davis Street. Due to the fire being in the high-value downtown 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. Although firefighters managed to contain the fire to the original structure, the store was completely gutted, resulting in an estimated $100,000 in damages. This fire ranked among the top five most expensive fires in Evanston’s history at the time, tying with the Tapecoat fire of 1951 and the Evanston Country Club fire of 1922. The second notable incident occurred 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 building. While searching for the source, the ceiling partially collapsed. All personnel escaped safely, but Captains Ron Ford and Herb Claussen, along with firefighters Arnold Windle, Dave Tesnow, and Ted Bierchen, were injured and taken to the hospital. A second alarm was called, and off-duty personnel were recalled to replace the injured. Though the fire wasn’t dramatic, the A & P suffered around $70,000 in damage from fire, smoke, and water, marking it as another close call for the department. In October 1954, the EFD appeared in an educational short film titled “The Fireman,†produced by Encyclopedia Britannica under the guidance of Dr. Ernest Horn from the University of Iowa. The film, which is now in the public domain, resembled the 1903 silent film “The Life of an American Fireman.†It featured real Evanston firefighters and the new Pirsch rigs in action. While it didn’t win an Academy Award, it was widely shown in schools across the country. Synopsis (Spoiler Alert!): A rookie firefighter named “Tom Briggs†(likely based on Tom Kostopoulos, a real rookie at the time) arrives at Station #1 for morning inspection. Chief “Jim†Dorband (actually EFD Chief Henry Dorband) oversees the drill and dismisses the crew. Tom is assigned as tillerman on an aerial ladder truck by “Captain Drake†(probably Engine 25 Captain Ed Fahrbach). During training, Tom and others climb the aerial ladder, demonstrate the hose roller, and perform rescue drills. After the session, the men relax briefly before an alarm rings: “Alarm! – Third & Main.†The crews respond quickly, sliding down the pole and heading out in their Pirsch rigs. They eventually arrive at 2160 Isabella Street, where smoke is visible from a house on the Evanston-Wilmette border. Firefighters work swiftly to extinguish the blaze, rescue a kitten, and return to the station. The film appears to have been shot at a house soon to be demolished, which later became part of a grocery store parking lot. Encyclopedia Britannica also released a similar film titled “The Policeman†in November 1954. Shot partly in the Evanston police station and Highland Park, the film followed Officer Barnes and his partner as they performed routine duties, including recovering a stolen bike, issuing a ticket, and locating a missing child. The film portrayed the officer as a regular family man, showing him eating breakfast with his wife and kids before and after his shift. Wall Spike,Wall Spikes,Retaining Wall Spike,Anti Climb Wall Spike ANPING COUNTY JINNUO HARDWARE &WIRE MESH PRODUCTCO.,LTD , https://www.jnwiremesh.com
In 1954, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) made a significant change to its rank structure by eliminating the position of lieutenant. The role was reclassified as "Captain II," while the former "Captain" became "Captain I." This shift meant that Captain II had a slightly higher salary than the previous lieutenant position, and to move up from lieutenant to captain II, a firefighter had to serve at least one year in the lower rank. After a year, a Captain II would automatically be promoted to Captain I.
THE FIREMAN