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Evanston Fire Department history Part 49
From Phil Stenholm:
Another chapter in the story of the **History of Evanston Fire Department**
### THE MODERNIZATION PLAN
When Chief Hofstetter stepped down, Henry Dorband took over. At 52 years old, Dorband had spent 31 years with the EFD, previously leading Truck Company 1 and serving as a platoon commander since his promotion to assistant chief fire marshal in 1948. Michael Garrity was promoted to assistant chief fire marshal upon Dorband's appointment as chief, alongside Jim Geishecker, who already held the role of one of the department’s two platoon commanders.
Assistant Chief J.E. Mersch, who had passed away in 1950, was initially succeeded by Captain John Schmidt in 1951. When Schmidt left in 1952 to join the Federal Civil Defense Administration, Captain William Murphy took over command of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
This swift change in leadership brought new energy and experience to the EFD. Dorband, Geishecker, and Garrity all joined the department between 1918 and 1920, meaning they weren't exactly newcomers. After waiting over 30 years each, they finally had the opportunity to make their mark.
Alongside these promotions, several lieutenants were elevated to captain positions between 1950 and 1952. Jim Mersch was assigned to Engine Company 1, Lester Breitzman to Engine Company 2, Lincoln Dickinson to Engine Company 3, and Ronald Ford to Engine Company 4. Captain Ed Fahrbach moved from Engine Company 4 to Engine Company 5 after veteran Captain Frank Sherry retired in 1951 after 27 years of service.
While Assistant Chiefs Geishecker and Garrity handled different platoons and also led truck companies at Station #1, the senior captains at Station #1—Jim Mersch of Engine Company 1 and Ed Fahrbach of Engine Company 5—served not only as company officers but also as drillmasters, balancing their duties across shifts.
In addition to the retirements of Chief Hofstetter and Assistant Chief Mersch in 1950, Captain Sherry in 1951, and Captain Schmidt in 1952, along with numerous promotions, Lieutenant William Rohrer retired in 1950 after 27 years of service, Charles Novak (24 years) in 1951, and Fred Schumacher (25 years) in 1952.
Ed Burczak joined Francis "Marvin" Hofstetter as one of the EFD's two fire equipment mechanics in 1950. To fill the vacancies created by promotions and retirements, Leonard Bach, Herb Claussen, Knud Hanson, George "Bud" Hofstetter, George Jasper, Erv Lindeman, and Willard Thiel were promoted to lieutenant between 1951 and 1952.
Not long after becoming chief fire marshal, Dorband introduced an extensive "Fire Department Modernization Plan." This initiative aimed to implement the remaining recommendations from the 1935 NFBU inspection while addressing the evolving needs of the Evanston Fire Department.
Evanston voters approved a $160,000 bond issue in April 1951 (with 88% support) to buy new equipment, followed by a larger $775,000 bond issue in April 1953 to fund three new fire stations (approved by 60%). Combined, these bonds totaled $935,000 and set the stage for significant modernization efforts.
The first bond enabled the city to purchase five new firefighting vehicles from Peter Pirsch & Sons of Kenosha, Wisconsin. For approximately $135,000, the city acquired two tractor-drawn 85-foot aerial ladders, two 1,000-gallon-per-minute triple-combination pumpers, and a 1,000-gallon-per-minute combination pumper/rescue squad. To secure the deal, Pirsch had to outbid competitors like Seagrave and American LaFrance for the aerials and Mack for the pumpers and rescue squad.
The TDA purchased in 1950 and delivered in 1951—renamed Truck No. 1—was retroactively included in the bond issue as one of the two aerials, with the city returning the $35,000 to its treasury. Additionally, a new chief’s vehicle—a 1951 Mercury sedan equipped with an Evanston Police FM two-way radio—was bought using bond funds.
Dorband stationed all five Pirsch rigs at Station #1 when they went into service in September 1952, positioning them outdoors whenever possible so residents could see the shiny new equipment up close. These vehicles stayed together at Station #1 until 1955.
I hope this gives you a clearer picture of how the Evanston Fire Department began transforming itself during those transformative years. Let me know if you'd like to hear more about any specific part of it!