Chicago: Still Alarm- 5917 s. Prairie

[cfd123]

12/19/08

Eng. 84, 47
Trk. 51, 30
Batt. 17

Engine 84 is on scene 5917 s. Prairie with a fire.
Working fire response: Squad 5, C.V. 2-7-3, R.I.T. T.L. 37 and batt 18.

00:09- batt 17: 1 story, ordinary, 50x75. trk 51 ladder to roof, 1 line on the fire, primary search underway.

00:15- batt 17: ground ladders to sector 1, roof is being opened, 2 lines in the fire. corrected address is 5917- 23 s. Prairie.

00:24- C.V. 2-7-3: request O.F.I. (office of fire investigation). 3 lines on fire, roof is opened, primary almost complete. good progress.
O.F.I 4-6-8 responding

00:34- 2-7-3: primary and secondary search complete, final in progress. R.I.T. is returning. washing down and overhauling. con-ed requested.

as of 00:45 con-ed had 20 min ETA

00:48- Batt. 17: batt 17 resuming communications, 2-7-3 returning.

5921 s. prairie was original fire building, all other buildings were damaged by smoke.

00:51 batt. 17: eng 47 and truck 30 are picking up. eng 84 and trk 51 will be a few minutes washing down. fire is out

 

[turk132]

Just wondering how you can have 3 lines stretched with only 2 engines on the scene

 

[YFDFireBuff.]

2and2 ?  Seriously but CHICAGO FD is Horribly confusing 

 

[BigRedBox]

This is just a common sense opinion and is no way indicative of
CFD tactics -----  :

a 2nd line could be laid from 1st engine or the 2nd engine
the 3rd line could then be pulled from either company
( also gives the squad something to do after the still engines
and trucks have everything pretty much under control - lol  --  )

Unlike NYC (Manhattan in particular) the streets in Chicago
are wide enough for 2 engines in most cases to share same
hydrant if in close proximity to the fire

So dragging a line off one those engines is a tad faster
(more work of course) than waiting for additional companies
to come in to the fire ----- 

Rather than having 3-4 engines with each having a line led out
there is also a reduction in companies out of service - 4 lines / 4 engines
vs. 3-4 lines with 2 engines ----- 

There was also a study decades ago that bemoaned the fact that additional
alarms were pulled so each engine could/would lead out their own line rather
than pulling a line off of companies already OTS -----  :-[

 

[turk132]

I understand that more than one line can come off a single apparatus. Obviously if 2 engines are assigned and 3 lines are stretched, than a truck or squad company has the 3rd line or a single engine co is manning 2 lines.

 

[cfd123]

i know this area and bigredbox is in correct about the street sizes. some of these street are so small tower ladders have trouble moving in between parked cars. it is common for 2 lines to be stretched or even 3 lines being stretched from 1 engine epecially in cold weather which was the case last night with the murcury sitting in the low 20's and a risk of hydrants freezing quickly. for Chicago most engines depending on amount of fire and length of hose needed will stretch their 1 3/4in attack line from thier crosslays. the second engine can take a 2 1/2in line from the back.

also Chicago hydrants can be so bad and shut down on u it is very unusual that 2 engines run off the same hydrant. if that hydrant is to crap out during the fire both engines will run out of water pretty quick and be in trouble.

 

[BigRedBox]

<<<< i know this area and bigredbox is in correct about the street sizes. >>>

No offense intended but I know a little about the area too - I ran in the 5th
Division in the 50's, in the 1st & 4th Divisions in 60's, the 2nd 4th & 6th  Divisions
in 70's and 80's


<<<< very unusual that 2 engines run off the same hydrant >>>>

Hopefully you can view attachment - then probably should tell these guys that
not allowed ----- 

 

[cfd123]

how old is the photo???? things change but MOST of the time companies will work off separate hydrants. Truck companies do have a hard time getting down some of these streets and it a big hassle when u have to position the trucks different ways so that u can get the jacks out and ladders up

 

[jeepcj85]

Arent the engines in Chicago staffed with 1+4??  It only takes 2 men to stretch an 1 3/4 line. That means one company could easily take in 2 small lines.

 

[cfd123]

Engines in chicago have 1 officer, 1 engineer who stay with the rig, they dont even put gear on. usually the first line is takin off by the guy on the nozzle and he enters the building with the officer. another guy makes the hydrant and the third guy (2nd up) flanks out the pipe guy's line, then if need be can stretch another. I have seen instances where 1 guy will stretch and have a 2 1/2 in line by himself. its tough but they usually dont move around much anyway lol. BigRedBox knows this too when years ago many times engines might only have 3 guys on them.