Chicago Fire Dept. 2012

[werinshades]

I believe the metro 2 freq. listed to be wrong as all I hear on it is Cta transmissions.I talked to a friend today who is a PO during the Cermak/Mich. protests who had his radio on and he was getting nonstop activity of the goings-on in that area.

I did double check my notes I took when I close call'ed the radio. The "input" for Metro 2 was 475.9375, and I was hearing CTA radio traffic on there as I recall. It's possible it's different in CFD/CPD radios, but i'll take a listen tomorrow as it sounds like it won't be over till the evening.

 

[Tx4]

If I had a quarter for each channel named Metro1 or 2 I could have lunch. I'm not sure who is coming up with these confusing names for a channel. I put the last 5 digits of the freq in the display so I can keep it straight.

 

[werinshades]

Heat Emergency

Chicago is preparing for 3 days of 100 degree temperatures or more. CFD EMS is being called tonight and for the next 3 days to staff extra "heat ambulances". Amb. 70-79 are going in service.

 

[Tx4]

Let's hope refrigerated semi trailers won't be needed again..

 

[FFPM571]

at the rate the gang bangers are shooting up the city they may need them

 

[firepost]

Heat Ambulance assignments and numbers ?

Chicago is preparing for 3 days of 100 degree temperatures or more. CFD EMS is being called tonight and for the next 3 days to staff extra "heat ambulances". Amb. 70-79 are going in service.

I don't know if some of the reserve Ambulances were renumbered or whether a few more were added to the fleet as I have heard an Ambulance 67,68 and 69 on the air since July 4th.I have also heard ambulances 73,74 76,77 and 78 on the air there are probably a few more however those are the ones that I have heard so far.
I am trying to get their exact locations but as of now I only know that Ambulance 77 was at Engine 109 and Ambulance 68 was at Engine 112 quarters. Ambulance 67 is on the west side, Ambulance 74 is on the west side also. Ambulance 69 is on the northwest side and ambulances 78 and 79 are on the south side.
So far those are the only Ambulances that I am somewhat aware of as far the general areas that they are assigned to are.

 

[werinshades]

I don't know if some of the reserve Ambulances were renumbered or whether a few more were added to the fleet as I have heard an Ambulance 67,68 and 69 on the air since July 4th.I have also heard ambulances 73,74 76,77 and 78 on the air there are probably a few more however those are the ones that I have heard so far.
I am trying to get their exact locations but as of now I only know that Ambulance 77 was at Engine 109 and Ambulance 68 was at Engine 112 quarters. Ambulance 67 is on the west side, Ambulance 74 is on the west side also. Ambulance 69 is on the northwest side and ambulances 78 and 79 are on the south side.
So far those are the only Ambulances that I am somewhat aware of as far the general areas that they are assigned to are.

72 @ Eng. 38....74@ Eng. 23.....76@ Eng.88...78 @ Eng. 121 ...79@ Eng. 63...

 

[firepost]

Thanks Werinshades!
While this is unconfirmed ambulance 67 is probably at Engine 44's house and Ambulance 69 seems to be either at Engine 108 or 79. But those locations are unconfirmed.

 

[FFPM571]

Are they hireing back to staff these? Also can a FF/PM be taken off a supression rig and put on an ambulance?

 

[werinshades]

Are they hireing back to staff these? Also can a FF/PM be taken off a supression rig and put on an ambulance?

Yes...re-hiring our EMS single role paramedics and officers. Per our contract, can't re-hire FF/PM's unless everyone one of our "eligible" EMS personnel are called first.

 

[firepost]

FF this is what I know. If a firefighter paramedic were to be taken off of a Suppression rig then the rig would lose it's ALS status and I have never heard of that happening.In Chicago an ALS suppression company is supposed to run with one Paramedic and one EMT, Our ALS ambulances run with two Paramedics. If they are in a desperate situation they can make one of our 15 BLS ambulances into an ALS rig if they are on a run with an ALS fire company the Paramedic off of the company can ride on the BLS Ambulance with the patient and make the unit into an ALS rig for that run. Normally the BLS ambulance is supposed to ask for an ALS upgrade and an ALS ambulance will be dispatched.
Probably someone on the site can give you more definite information as to rehires.

 

[FFPM571]

Thats what I thought.. But we all know how the city follows the ( now non existing) contract

 

[werinshades]

72 @ Eng. 38....74@ Eng. 23.....76@ Eng.88...78 @ Eng. 121 ...79@ Eng. 63...

Amb. 75 @ Eng. 63....Amb. 79 out of service. Probably be taking the "heat ambulances" out of service Sunday morning.

 

[firepost]

Werinshades where was Ambulance 75 before Ambulance 79 was taken out of service?
Was there an Ambulance 70 AND 71? Ambulance 73 is on the norh side and it seems that they are probably at Engine 35's station but I haven't confirmed it.
As of now about 1 ;am Sunday, there are still a few of them in service but it also appear that a few may have been taken out of service as well. Ambulance 72 and 74 are still in service and so is 67. Ambulance 72 may have been relocated to Engine 95 with Ambulance 10. Ambulance 68 was still in service but I'm not sure about Ambulance 69.
I heard that Ambulances were supposed to run for about 3 days and they would go out of service on Sunday. If that happens it mostly would happen during shift change. Things can change so lets see what happens.

 

[werinshades]

Heat Ambulances Out of Service

Werinshades where was Ambulance 75 before Ambulance 79 was taken out of service?
Was there an Ambulance 70 AND 71? Ambulance 73 is on the norh side and it seems that they are probably at Engine 35's station but I haven't confirmed it.
As of now about 1 ;am Sunday, there are still a few of them in service but it also appear that a few may have been taken out of service as well. Ambulance 72 and 74 are still in service and so is 67. Ambulance 72 may have been relocated to Engine 95 with Ambulance 10. Ambulance 68 was still in service but I'm not sure about Ambulance 69.
I heard that Ambulances were supposed to run for about 3 days and they would go out of service on Sunday. If that happens it mostly would happen during shift change. Things can change so lets see what happens.

Ambulance 75 was not in service, mechanical issue at the beginning. Ambulance 79 went out of service and was replaced with 75 who was then repaired. They were located at Eng. 63's house. Ambulance 70 & 71 are used when POTUS comes to town. They have a detail of paramedics that go with the motorcade.

All of this is a moot point this morning...0600 hours they're all taken out of service.

 

[firepost]

Ambulance 75 was not in service, mechanical issue at the beginning. Ambulance 79 went out of service and was replaced with 75 who was then repaired. They were located at Eng. 63's house. Ambulance 70 & 71 are used when POTUS comes to town. They have a detail of paramedics that go with the motorcade.

All of this is a moot point this morning...0600 hours they're all taken out of service.

Thanks for the information werinshades. So is POTUS the President of the United States?
So are ambulances number 70 and 71 reserved only for the Presidents motorcade and not to be used for any heat emergencies? If so that's ridiculous.
Since you are with the CFD EMS , I take it, It was good to see additional Ambulances in service because as you know most of the CFD ambulances are having their wheels run off of them and that's without a heat emergency.
While I don't have the run stats for 2011 I do have them for 2010 and as you well know the three busiest Ambulances in the city for quite awhile have been Ambulances 10 ,15 and 52. All three of them went on over 7,000 runs in 2010. The top 10 Ambulances in 2010 were Ambulances 10,15,52,23,14,34,49,55,33 and 24. With the exception of Ambulance 24 all of the other Ambulances had over 6,000 runs in 2010.
So having the extra "heat emergency" ambulances in service were able to relieve some of the busier Ambulances on the west and south sides I'm sure. Was ambulance 73 running out of Engine 35? It seems to me that they may have been based on some calls that they had taken in.
Thanks

 

[werinshades]

Thanks for the information werinshades. So is POTUS the President of the United States?
So are ambulances number 70 and 71 reserved only for the Presidents motorcade and not to be used for any heat emergencies? If so that's ridiculous.
Since you are with the CFD EMS , I take it, It was good to see additional Ambulances in service because as you know most of the CFD ambulances are having their wheels run off of them and that's without a heat emergency.
While I don't have the run stats for 2011 I do have them for 2010 and as you well know the three busiest Ambulances in the city for quite awhile have been Ambulances 10 ,15 and 52. All three of them went on over 7,000 runs in 2010. The top 10 Ambulances in 2010 were Ambulances 10,15,52,23,14,34,49,55,33 and 24. With the exception of Ambulance 24 all of the other Ambulances had over 6,000 runs in 2010.
So having the extra "heat emergency" ambulances in service were able to relieve some of the busier Ambulances on the west and south sides I'm sure. Was ambulance 73 running out of Engine 35? It seems to me that they may have been based on some calls that they had taken in.
Thanks

Yes, POTUS is the President of the United States. The two ambulances are used during his detail by orders of the Secret Service. Yes I know some of the busy ambulances, as I spent some time on quite a few of them over my years in CFD EMS. The "heat ambulances" definitely helped, but CFD was doing almst 4,000 runs during those days...based on the OEMC event numbers. Some of these were fire related, special duties etc, but nonetheless very busy. 73 was at Eng. 35.

The next phase of training begins July 16th. This will incorporate the future Digital radio familiarization and usage guidelines.

 

[FFPM571]

any word on FS&R to switch over to UHF?

 

[werinshades]

any word on FS&R to switch over to UHF?

Hmmm...training is starting July 16th, radios are programmed, system has been in use by EMS for a few months, NATO detail was using digital, when the CAD system crashed, they were depending on the "radios" on EMS especially..i'd say.....................soon...! We had a 1 week notice for the EMS switchover, but this will be a little more complicated as everyone will be getting a portable radio first, then the apparatus will be getting their radios re-programmed. A Sunday in September would be my guess...

 

[werinshades]

Hmmm...training is starting July 16th, radios are programmed, system has been in use by EMS for a few months, NATO detail was using digital, when the CAD system crashed, they were depending on the "radios" on EMS especially..i'd say.....................soon...! We had a 1 week notice for the EMS switchover, but this will be a little more complicated as everyone will be getting a portable radio first, then the apparatus will be getting their radios re-programmed. A Sunday in September would be my guess...

The "Detailed Traning Instructors" detail ends Sept. 14th and the FS&R changeover will be Sept. 16th (Hey...another Sunday!)...just received this information yesterday.