Phil Stenholm shared an insightful historical account of the Evanston Fire Department’s (EFD) transition into ambulance services. Since 1976, the EFD has been responsible for providing emergency medical services in Evanston. However, the roots of this service go back much further—firefighters had been responding to "inhalator calls" as early as 1913. Before 1976, the Evanston Police Department (EPD) was the primary provider of ambulance services. In the 1890s, they operated a horse-drawn police ambulance from their headquarters. By 1916, they upgraded to an automobile ambulance, stationed in a bay just east of the firehouse at 807 Grove Street. In 1958, the EPD and EFD entered into a cooperative agreement, where police officers were trained as firefighters. These cross-trained officers patrolled in station-wagons—Cars 31, 32, and 33—equipped with stretchers, inhalators, first-aid supplies, and firefighting gear. They handled both police duties and emergency calls, including ambulance runs and fires. Over time, these units were reduced to single-person crews, and the training program ended, but the EPD continued to provide ambulance services using its three patrol wagons. The EFD also maintained three staff cars equipped with stretchers: F-5 at Station #1, F-1 at Station #2, and F-3 at Station #5. These served as backup ambulances when EPD units weren’t available. In the summer of 1974, the Illinois Department of Health loaned the EFD a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) for a 90-day trial. Though the EFD had no paramedics at the time and the MICU lacked advanced life support (ALS) equipment, it gave them a chance to take over ambulance services temporarily. The experience was positive, especially among police officers who preferred not to handle ambulance duties. As a result, the EFD began its paramedic program in 1975, aiming to fully transition ambulance services by 1976. However, Mayor Jim Staples initially wanted to keep the service under the EPD, preferring ambulances to be on the street 24/7 rather than parked at fire stations. But after Police Chief William McHugh expressed concerns about the department's workload, the plan shifted. The first EFD ambulance—a 1975 Dodge van MICU donated by Washington National Insurance Company—began service at Station #1 in January 1976. It was initially staffed by three firefighters, later reduced to a driver and two paramedics. The ambulance responded to all EMS calls, with support from nearby engines when needed. In November 1976, Ambulance 1 was severely damaged in a collision, forcing the EFD to temporarily use a Skokie Fire Department Cadillac ambulance. The Cadillac remained as a reserve unit after the new ambulance arrived. A second MICU ambulance was added in 1977, and the EFD eventually phased out older models. Over the years, the fleet expanded, and response strategies evolved, including alternating ambulance responses to balance workloads and improve efficiency. Despite some challenges, such as the failed "jump company" model in the late 1980s, the EFD continued to refine its EMS operations, ensuring rapid and effective care for the city’s residents. Scrap Baler Waste Plastic Bottle Baler Hydraulic baler Scrap Paper Baler Jiangyin Hangli Technology Co., Ltd. , https://www.hanglimachinery.com
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