From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment in the History of Evanston Fire Department.
GO YOU NORTHWESTERN!
The Mutual-Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was created in 1968 to support large-scale fire responses among north suburban fire departments and fire protection districts. The Evanston Fire Department became part of MABAS Division 3, which included several neighboring departments like Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, and others, along with fire protection districts such as Deerfield-Bannockburn and the Glenview Naval Air Station.
Glenview FD served as the main dispatch center for MABAS Division 3, with Niles FD acting as backup. The NIFERN radio network (154.265 MHz) was used to coordinate mutual-aid calls. When a major fire occurred, the responding department would contact the MABAS dispatcher via NIFERN, providing the box number, location, and alarm level. The dispatcher would then broadcast the alarm over NIFERN. Responding units had to switch to the same frequency and confirm their arrival. Since all MABAS responses required at least four firefighters, only EFD’s Station #1 or #2 companies were dispatched.
Most departments in Division 3 had multiple box cards, each with different response levels depending on the location. Evanston, however, had just one card—box #625, located at Lake & Elmwood (Fire Station #1). A Wilmette engine and Skokie truck would respond for a first alarm, while a Skokie engine and Winnetka engine (later replaced by a Snorkel in 1983) would be called for a third alarm. The Glenview Naval Air Station ARFF unit was also listed. Beyond a third alarm, it was considered a “special call.†There were no ambulance boxes, dive boxes, or investigation boxes back then—MABAS was strictly for large fires.
EFD wasn’t responsible for every area in MABAS Division 3. Depending on the box number, Evanston units might be called for specific alarms. In some cases, they simply provided backup coverage. For example, an Evanston engine, truck, and squad were assigned to the Morton Grove box, while other units were listed on cards for Niles, Skokie, Glenview, and more. Despite being part of the system, EFD rarely requested MABAS help for large fires. Before a chief could ask for assistance, off-duty firefighters had to be called in, so EFD often reached out directly to nearby departments like Wilmette or Skokie instead.
The Fire Prevention Bureau saw significant changes between 1965 and 1968. Capt. Harry Meginnis retired after 23 years, and Assistant Chief Harry Schaeffer Jr. left in 1967 to become Illinois State Fire Marshal. Capt. Tom Hanson took over but retired in 1968, followed by Capt. Robert Schumer. New inspectors like Capt. William Lapworth and Capt. Joe Thill joined the bureau before retiring later.
Several long-serving firefighters also retired during this time, including Nicholas Jung, George Harrison, John Boho, and Ervin Lindeman. Others like Stan Broslovik, James Liozzo, and Lou Peters left after decades of service. Captains Richard Zrazik and Frank Sherry Jr. retired on disability pensions. Meanwhile, new captains such as Don Searles, Joe Planos, and Bill Moore were promoted, and fresh recruits like Vincent McEnaney and Darold Olson joined the ranks.
A long-standing issue in Evanston was that Northwestern University was tax-exempt and didn’t pay for fire protection. This changed in November 1968 when the university donated $29,602 to fund a new Pirsch pumper for the EFD. The donation came after the city re-zoned a block near Emerson & Maple to allow high-rise development, enabling the construction of the Engelhart residence hall. The building became the second-tallest in Evanston after its completion in 1971.
There was talk of painting the pumper in purple or white with a “Willie the Wildcat†sticker, but that never happened. It was expected to go to Station #3, where Engine 23 was first-due to the campus. However, the pumper arrived in May 1970 and was placed at Station #2 instead. Engine 22, a rebuilt 1952 Pirsch, moved to Station #5, and the old 1952 unit became a reserve. The 1968 and 1970 Pirsches were nearly identical, differing mainly in pump size.
Since the pumper was unexpected, the 1949 Seagrave (Engine 26) was sold to a private collector for use in parades and events. It became a familiar sight in the North Evanston Fourth of July Parade for many years.
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