Another installment about the History of Evanston Fire Department.

Chief Lester Breitzman and the platoon commanders were equipped with Motorola HT-200 portable two-way radios in 1965. This new technology allowed the platoon commander to move freely on the fireground, which led to the removal of the driver/radio operator role. The firefighters who previously drove F-2 were reassigned to Squad 21, becoming the fourth member of the crew each shift. When using the radios, the chief used the call sign “F-1-X,” and the platoon commander was “F-2-X.” Eventually, company officers also received handie-talkies, with call signs like “Engine 23-X,” “Squad 21-X,” and “Truck 22-X” when operating on portable units.

In 1963, Wayne Anderson became the new city manager of Evanston. With Squad 21 back in active service and responding with four members to every call, Bert Johnson’s Police-Fire Cooperative Plan was quietly phased out in 1965. However, the three police station wagon ambulances remained in use for inhalator calls and ambulance responses. While police officers no longer served as firefighters regularly, they still received basic firefighting training.

The EFD added three new station wagons between 1964 and 1966. These included a 1964 Plymouth (F-3), assigned to a Fire Prevention Bureau inspector during business hours and garaged at Station #5 at night; a 1965 Dodge (F-5) assigned to the Training Officer at Station #1; and a 1966 Ford (F-1) for Chief Breitzman at Station #2. All three were equipped with stretchers and first-aid kits, serving as backup ambulances alongside the police station wagons.

F-2, the 1963 Plymouth station wagon used by the platoon commander, was no longer an ambulance after its driver was transferred to Squad 21 in 1965. However, F-1 always had a driver, and F-3 was staffed by Engine 25 personnel when needed. Squad 21, F-1, and F-3 were all equipped with a "fracture board" for spinal injuries, making them the go-to units for serious back or neck trauma cases.

In 1965, the EFD’s oldest rig, Reserve Engine 26 (a 1927 Seagrave Standard 1000/50 TCP), was retired and converted into playground equipment by EFD mechanics. It was installed in Firemen’s Park, replacing a former church site that had been used for live burn drills the previous spring.

In 1964, Chief Breitzman proposed converting the 1952 Pirsch squad into a triple-combination pumper. The Pirsch had low mileage and lacked a hose bed, so it was ideal for conversion. The plan involved adding a new pumper body, an electric winch, an auxiliary pump, a 300-gallon water tank, modern lights, and pre-connected 1-1/2 inch hose. A cheaper alternative was found: purchasing a garbage truck chassis and custom-built squad body from General Body Co., saving the city money.

The project cost $13,000, with parts sourced separately and assembled by EFD mechanics. The new Squad 21 entered service in April 1966, quickly becoming the busiest unit in the department. Though sometimes called the "garbage truck," it responded to everything from minor fires to city-wide emergencies. It also operated the DUKW amphibious vehicle when needed.

In August 1966, the old Squad 21 was converted to Engine 22, replacing a 1949 Seagrave. The new pumper featured a hose bed with 250-foot leads of 1-1/2 inch hose, 1,500 feet of 2-1/2 inch hose, and a suction hose pre-connected for quick response. The EFD also updated its vehicle graphics, replacing military-style tape with gold lettering and upgrading warning lights to more visible white/red beacons.

Meanwhile, Reserve Engine 28 (a 1937 Seagrave) failed its annual test, and Engine 27 had a blown engine. Mechanics moved the motor from Engine 28 to Engine 27, keeping it operational for a while before scrapping the old unit for parts.

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