From Phil Stenholm:
Another look into the History of the Evanston Fire Department
THE GHOSTS OF THE EFD
Between 1980 and 1981, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) saw a gradual reduction in sworn personnel, dropping from 114 to 106 members—eventually reaching 104. This period marked a shift in operations, as the role of Fire Equipment Mechanic was moved to Fleet Services, with civilian mechanics now responsible for maintaining EFD apparatus at city yards instead of in the shop bay at Fire Station #1. Additionally, firefighters who were absent due to injury or illness were no longer replaced by extra personnel on each shift.
In 1980, an agreement between IAFF Local 742 and the City of Evanston set the minimum staffing for each EFD shift at 26, the lowest since 1926 when Evanston’s population was around 50,000. At that time, the EFD hadn’t yet taken over ambulance services. Each of the two truck companies and five engine companies had a company officer and two firefighters, while two paramedics were assigned to each of the two MICU ambulances, with the shift commander (F-2) overseeing operations.
Squad 21, once a front-line unit, was placed on standby and only activated when specialized rescue equipment was needed. If no firefighter was available at Station #1, Squad 21 couldn’t respond until someone arrived. All three ambulances were based at Station #1, with A-1 covering calls east of Asbury Avenue and A-2 west of it. In 1985, after some paramedics complained about uneven call distribution during a Bears game, the system was changed so ambulances alternated every other call, allowing staff to have more downtime.
Each shift required a minimum of six paramedics, with two assigned to each ambulance and two to Truck Co. 21, which became the “jump company†for Ambulance 3. If Truck Co. 21 wasn’t available, Ambulance 3 couldn’t be staffed. Even if Truck Co. 21 was in service, it couldn’t support Ambulance 3 if Truck Co. 22 was out of service, leading to delays that could be life-threatening before paramedics were assigned to all units.
Vacations and Kelly Day absences were planned ahead, covered by extra firefighters. However, unexpected absences due to illness or injury were handled by off-duty personnel working voluntary overtime. The budget included “ghost†positions to cover these shifts, with salaries pooled into an overtime fund.
In the 1980s, the union negotiated a change where all overtime was paid at time-and-a-half for the full 24-hour shift, increasing the number of “ghost†positions from seven to nine. This led to a further reduction in EFD membership, from 106 to 104.
In January 1982, the City of Evanston Police/Fire Communications Operators took over fire dispatching. They wore patches from both departments and were supervised by a police sergeant or lieutenant. After a tragic house fire in 1982, the number of operators increased from seven to nine to prevent overload during overnight shifts.
The new system required radio traffic to be directed to “Dispatch,†with operators handling logs and acknowledgments. The EFD also adopted the Phoenix Fire Department’s communication system, using plain English and standardized terminology. A CAD system was introduced in 1987, improving call logging and later, MDTs were installed in EFD vehicles.
On New Year’s Eve 1984, a devastating fire destroyed the Byer Museum of the Arts, resulting in an initial estimated loss of $5 million. However, this figure was later reduced to about $1 million as some items were found elsewhere. The cause of the fire remained unclear, with conflicting opinions from investigators and the chief.
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