Chicago FD History – Ward LaFrance
Images and information about some of Chicago’s Ward LaFrance apparatus, shared by Dave Fornell:
I was going through my old files and found some photos of one of my favorite Chicago pumpers—the seven 1970 Ward LaFrance 2,000-GPM engines. It's interesting to note that these rigs were equipped with powerful Cummins NTF high-torque engines, producing 365 HP, which were necessary to power the two-stage Hale Q pumps. In contrast, the five trucks delivered the same year used more economical Detroit 350-HP engines.
Following the big snowstorm in 1967, all the rigs were ordered with rear-mounted 20,000-lb hydraulic winches. Both the engines and trucks featured this equipment. Although Ward LaFrance had a mixed reputation for reliability, these rigs were built exceptionally well. I was particularly impressed by the brushed stainless steel pump panel and the expensive, highly accurate Crosby black face gauges—something I’ve never seen on any other rig before or since.
The trucks had short wheelbases but extended bodies behind the rear axle, a design also used on later Ford chassis pumpers. Alongside the engines, there were five trucks equipped with 100-foot Grove ladders. Based on today’s NFPA standards, these ladders would be classified as heavy-duty with a 500-lb tip load rating, whereas most of Chicago’s other ladders (from ALF, Seagrave, and Pirsch) at the time were medium-duty with 250-lb tip loads.
The Grove ladders were massive and heavy, too much for a single axle to handle. As a result, these rigs had frequent issues with brakes and axles failing over their service life. The addition of a 300-gallon booster tank, pump, and twin reels only added to the strain. On the positive side, the ground ladder complement was impressive: two 30-foot, two 40-foot, one 50-foot, and one 20-foot ladder carried under the turntable, plus three roof ladders on each side.
I remember climbing one of these rigs during a fire where the operator positioned the ladder tip just 12 inches above the parapet, similar to how old wooden ladders would drift down as you climbed. The Grove ladder, however, was rigid and didn’t budge even when we stretched a line to the roof for a better vantage point.
I ended up acquiring the original factory delivery photo negatives, which are shown here. I also included some photos taken during acceptance testing near McCormick Place. The rear views clearly show the winch installation. Additionally, note that both rear discharges had 3.5-inch boat hose threads, and the rigs carried 700 feet of it.
When I was working on the West Side, Chief Dan Lynch of Division 2 often called Engine 113 to deploy the 3.5-inch hose into a Snorkel during stills and boxes.
Two photos show the Grove ladder in action. The first was taken at the Bedford Hotel fire on the near West Side in the early 1970s. If my memory serves me right, there were two extra alarms active in the city at the time, and no Snorkels were available. Deputy Bill Foley, who usually oversaw the shops, took command. This was the first time I’d ever seen two ladder pipes without a Snorkel at an extra alarm in Chicago.
The second photo was taken during an extra alarm on the South Side, though its exact location is now lost. Another scanned negative from the same batch shows Engine 63 in operation, so maybe someone can help identify the company.
Hope everyone had a great Christmas!
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Dave Fornell collection
Dave Fornell collection
Dave Fornell collection
Dave Fornell collection
Bill Friedrich collection
Bill Friedrich collection
Bill Friedrich collection
Dave Fornell collection
Dave Fornell collection
More on the CFD Ward LaFrance apparatus is HERE and by entering "Ward LaFrance" in the search field.
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