Another installment in our series on the History of the Evanston Fire Department.

NBFU ’59
In 1959, the National Board of Fire Underwriters (NBFU) conducted its first inspection of the Evanston Fire Department since 1935. The department was rated “Class 3,” the same rating it had received over two decades earlier. Among fire departments in the Chicago area, only the Chicago Fire Department held a higher rating—“Class 2”—which it had maintained for many years. At that time, Evanston and Oak Park were the only suburban departments in the region with a “Class 3” rating from the NBFU. However, by 1971, Skokie had moved up to “Class 2,” and Winnetka had also improved to “Class 3.”

The 1959 NBFU report included several recommendations for the EFD, such as adding an engine company at Station #1 to replace Engine 25, restoring pre-1957 staffing levels, requiring annual physicals for firefighters over 55, implementing a mandatory retirement age of 62, and making the chief fire marshal a civil service position rather than a political appointment. Of these, only the requirement for annual medical exams for older firefighters was fully adopted.

In 1963, Squad 21 was reactivated and stationed at Station #1 as a full engine company. Though it was equipped with a 1,000-GPM pump and a 100-gallon tank, it lacked a hosebed and wasn’t officially classified as an engine company. This distinction meant it couldn’t carry the standard load of hose required for a full engine response.

Also in 1959, the iconic Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph boxes, which had been in use since 1895, were replaced by 80 Western Electric emergency telephones. These new devices connected directly to the city’s police and fire communication center, allowing callers to clearly describe the nature of the emergency. This improvement helped dispatchers send the right type of assistance more quickly. Each phone was housed in a bright red box with reflective lettering, and if someone lifted the receiver without speaking, a nearby officer would investigate what was called a “cold box.” Only in cases of actual emergencies or inhalator needs would the EFD respond.

That same year, Captain Jim Wheeler (who would later become chief) and Captain Willard Thiel were promoted to assistant chief. Firemen Dan Lorden and Ed Pettinger were promoted to captain. Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Jim Mersch retired after 23 years, and Captain Joe Schumer resigned. New hires during this period included Edward “Ted” Riley, LeRoy “Charlie” Rohrer, Leonard Conrad, and Ken Hatfield. Conrad rose quickly through the ranks, becoming a captain in 1964 and later the EFD’s first medical officer in 1978.

1959 also marked the assignment of inhalators to all five engine companies. Squad 21 was no longer the city-wide inhalator unit but instead handled special rescue calls and fires when requested by a chief. The number of inhalator calls increased significantly over the next decade, rising from about two per week in the 1950s to one per day by 1965, and eventually reaching two or three per day by 1976, when the EFD introduced its paramedic MICU ambulance service.

Both EFD station wagons, F-1 and F-2, were equipped with stretchers and first-aid kits in 1959, functioning as backup ambulances. They were only used if police ambulances weren’t available. F-1 was replaced in 1962, and F-2 in 1963.

A notable incident occurred when the Scott Funeral Home offered a Cadillac ambulance (previously a hearse) to the EFD in 1959. The city declined the offer, as the police already provided ambulance support backed by two EFD station wagons. Adding another ambulance would have required hiring more personnel or removing a truck from service, neither of which was feasible. The funeral home donated the vehicle to Skokie instead.

In 1959, George and Effie Dye died in a house fire on Hartrey Avenue. Despite quick response times, the fire proved too intense to save them. This was the first time more than one person had died in a single fire in Evanston since 1905, when two firefighters lost their lives in a factory blaze.

Later that year, a fire at Davis Furniture on Main Street caused $155,000 in damage. Three engine companies, two trucks, Squad 21, and several cross-trained officers responded within minutes. The situation escalated, leading to a defensive operation, and off-duty firefighters were brought in to assist. The event highlighted the growing complexity of fire responses in the city.

Looking ahead, 1960 saw the passing of Fire Prevention Bureau Captain George Croll, and in 1961, Fireman Art Windelborn retired after 33 years of service. William Lapworth was promoted to captain, and new recruits Bob Schwarz, Richard Beucus, and William Lemieux joined the department. Bob Schwarz would later be part of the EFD’s arson investigation unit, established in 1975.

In 1961, a mysterious explosion damaged the North Shore Overall store on Dempster Street. Though no one was injured, the blast caused significant damage. The EFD’s Fire Prevention Bureau lacked the expertise to investigate, so the Illinois State Fire Marshal was called in to determine the cause.

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