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North Chicago is on the site
As I was browsing through some old photos, I came across a few images of the North Chicago Fire Department. Located in northern Lake County, they operate out of two stations and cover an area of about eight square miles. Interestingly, their jurisdiction borders the Great Lakes Naval Training Center on two sides, adding an extra layer of responsibility to their already demanding job.
Their current fleet includes a mix of vehicles from different eras, but they recently upgraded their aerial capabilities by acquiring a brand-new 85-foot tower ladder from Pierce. This replacement comes after retiring their trusty 1977 Hendrickson 1871-S/Pierce/LTI 85-foot tower ladder, which had served them faithfully for decades. Looking ahead, North Chicago is eagerly anticipating another addition to their fleet—a brand-new Pierce Contender custom engine. This unit will take the place of their aging 1986 Pierce Dash engine, which still features those open jump seats that were once so common in emergency vehicles.
Speaking of their fleet, one particular ambulance caught my attention. Based at Station 2 on Buckley Road, this Medtec unit was actually a demonstrator model built back in 2002. North Chicago purchased it in 2009, and it initially came adorned with blue decals—a design intended to make the vehicle more appealing as a traditional rescue squad. However, these blue accents were later swapped out for red ones, giving this ambulance a unique look compared to the rest of their fleet.
Before the graphic changes took place, the ambulance sported these blue decals, as evidenced in a photo taken during a second-alarm fire response in Libertyville back in July 2009, just after the vehicle had been delivered. Fast forward to today, and the ambulance now proudly displays its updated red graphics. It’s fascinating how even small details like these can tell a story about the evolution of emergency services over time.
The North Chicago Fire Department continues to modernize while honoring its past. Their commitment to serving their community remains strong, and I’m sure they’ll continue to adapt and grow as they face future challenges. It’s always inspiring to see how fire departments evolve with the times while maintaining the core values that have kept them reliable protectors of their neighborhoods.