Evanston Fire Department history Part 77

Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department

THE GHOSTS OF THE EFD

Between 1980 and 1981, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) saw its sworn membership drop from 114 to 106, eventually reaching 104. One significant change was the transfer of the Fire Equipment Mechanic position to Fleet Services. The city hired a civilian mechanic to maintain EFD equipment at the city yard instead of in the shop bay at Fire Station #1. Additionally, firefighters who were absent due to injury or illness were no longer replaced by extra personnel on each shift.

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 when Evanston had a population of 50,000 and long before the EFD took over ambulance services. 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 (F-2) oversaw operations.

Squad 21, which had previously been a front-line unit, was taken out of active service and only deployed when specialized rescue equipment was needed. A single firefighter from Station #1, usually from Truck Co. 21, would respond if the equipment was required. If no one was at Station #1, Squad 21 couldn’t go out until at least one firefighter arrived.

All three ambulances were stationed at Fire Station #1. A-1 was first due for calls east of Asbury Avenue, while A-2 served west of the street. In 1985, after complaints that A-1 got multiple calls during a Bears game while A-2 got none, a communications operator suggested eliminating the Asbury Avenue boundary and alternating calls between the two ambulances. This change allowed paramedics not on duty to have more flexibility, like shopping or showering, knowing the other ambulance would handle the next call.

Each shift had at least six paramedics: two per ambulance and two for Truck Co. 21, which now acted as the “jump company” for the unmanned MICU Ambulance 3. If Truck Co. 21 wasn’t in quarters, Ambulance 3 couldn’t be staffed. Even if Truck Co. 21 was available, it couldn’t staff Ambulance 3 if Truck Co. 22 was out, as both would then be unavailable.

There were times when Truck Co. 21 was ready to respond, but because Truck Co. 22 was out, an ambulance had to be called from Wilmette or Skokie—sometimes with deadly consequences. This was before all units had paramedics and ALS gear, making delays dangerous.

Vacations and Kelly Day absences were planned in advance and spread evenly throughout the year, allowing the five extra firefighters on each shift to cover them. However, unexpected absences due to injury or illness were handled by off-duty firefighters working voluntary overtime. They received time-and-a-half for the first eight hours and straight pay for the remaining 16. Since about two firefighters were typically absent daily, seven “ghost” positions remained in the budget to cover these shifts.

In the 1980s, IAFF Local 742 negotiated a change so that all overtime was paid at time-and-a-half for the full 24-hour shift. This increased the number of “ghost” positions to nine, leading to a reduction in EFD membership from 106 to 104. These positions didn’t exist, but their salaries were pooled into an overtime fund used to compensate firefighters covering absences.

In January 1982, the City of Evanston Police/Fire Communications operators (known as “Dispatch”) took over all fire dispatching. Though half their salary came from the police department and half from the fire department, they received one paycheck. Operators wore an Evanston P.D. patch on the left sleeve and an Evanston F.D. patch on the right.

A few months later, the number of operators increased from seven to nine, as two were now on duty at all times. This change followed a tragic incident where two children died in a house fire. An analysis revealed that the single operator on duty was overwhelmed with radio traffic and phone calls, leading to errors. A police sergeant or lieutenant supervised the operators, though the fire department had limited input on staffing.

Previously, operators would “tone out” reports of fires or emergencies and then a firefighter at Station #1 (called “KSC 732”) would handle further radio traffic. Company officers kept their own logs, stating the time after every transmission. Under the new system, radio traffic from field units went directly to Dispatch, which handled logging and acknowledgment, making it unnecessary to state the time after each transmission.

At this time, the EFD adopted a version of the Phoenix Fire Department’s Dispatch & Incident Command System, developed by Chief Alan Brunacini in the 1970s. EFD radio procedures changed significantly, including the use of plain English instead of 10-codes, calling stations by number rather than FCC-assigned call signs, and introducing new terminology for incident command and fireground operations.

In 1987, ADT, a private alarm company, provided a CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system to help monitor hundreds of fire and burglar alarms connected to the Communications Center. It also automated call logging, replacing manual records. MDTs (Mobile Data Terminals) were installed in EFD apparatus starting in 1994.

On New Year’s Eve 1984, a fire destroyed the Byer Museum of the Arts at 1700 Hinman Ave. The building, once home to the University Club, housed priceless artifacts, including the “Treasures of the Orient” collection. Despite efforts by Evanston and Skokie truck companies, the loss was estimated at $5 million. Later, the insurance company reduced the claim to about $1 million after some items were found elsewhere, and the dispute continued for years in court.

The cause of the fire was never definitively determined. EFD lead investigator FF/PM Dave Pettinger believed it was suspicious, citing a disabled fire alarm and no identifiable point of origin. However, EFD Chief Sam Hicks attributed it to an electrical issue.