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From Phil Stenholm:
Another Chapter in the History of the Evanston Fire Department
Hey folks,
I thought I’d share some interesting facts about how the Evanston Fire Department evolved during the 1920s and '30s. In the 1920s, the department grew significantly, hiring sixty new firefighters to expand to an 84-man force. But things changed dramatically during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Only nine new hires were made, and just four during the toughest years from 1932 to 1938. It was incredibly tough to find work back then, so when someone had a job, they held onto it tightly. Yet, there were still openings in the EFD during these lean years. Most often, it was due to veteran firefighters retiring with pensions. However, in four cases, leaving the department wasn't voluntary.
In October 1932, Assistant Chief Ed Johnson tragically passed away from a heart attack. Later, Fireman Milton Jasper (of Truck Co. 1) died in March 1931 while off-duty, Lieutenant Frank Didier (from Engine Co. 2) succumbed to a heart attack at home in September 1931, and Fireman Fred Walters (from Engine Co. 5) died at Evanston Hospital after suffering a pulmonary embolism following a joint training exercise with the Wilmette Fire Department at Gilson Park in October 1936.
Despite these losses, promotions continued during the late 1920s and early '30s. For example, Fireman Henry Dorband became a lieutenant in 1929 and took over as assistant company officer of Engine Co. 5, with Lieutenant Ed Newton moving from Engine Co. 5 to Engine Co. 4 to replace the late Walt Boekenhauer. Other promotions included Fireman Harry Jasper becoming a lieutenant in 1931 and taking over for the deceased Frank Didier at Engine Co. 2.
Budget constraints during the Depression meant fewer major fires in Evanston, which was fortunate. The biggest ones included a blaze at the Hemenway Methodist Church in September 1932 ($52,000 loss) and a fire at the Weise Brothers planing mill in October 1937 ($35,000 loss). Interestingly, the EFD responded to more large fires in neighboring towns than in Evanston itself during this period.
One notable event occurred on January 15, 1931, when the EFD helped the Wilmette FD battle a massive fire at the Baha'i Temple on Linden Avenue. Fighting the fire in freezing conditions proved challenging due to frozen hydrants and maintaining water pressure. Despite deploying their "big stick" ladder to its full 85-foot height, they couldn't save the steel structure. The partially constructed temple suffered $50,000 in damages. Due to the Great Depression and later World War II, completion of the temple was delayed for two decades.
Other significant events included assisting in fires at the Becker Box Company factory in Lincolnwood in 1933, the Hughes Oil Company storage yard in Skokie in 1934, and moving Engine Co. 1 to Chicago's Engine Co. 71 in 1935 to assist with fire protection in Rogers Park.
Budget cuts limited major purchases from 1933 to 1936, though some minor upgrades happened. Wooden ladders on the city service truck were replaced in 1935, and in 1936, Chief Hofstetter traded in his 1926 Lincoln Model "L" for a new 1936 Ford Tudor Deluxe sedan equipped with a Motorola Police Cruiser AM radio receiver.
Galvin Company began producing Motorola AM radios for civilian cars in 1930, and the Evanston PD was among the first to install them in patrol cars. Initially expensive and prone to failure, these radios required complex installation and maintenance. They were one-way receivers, broadcasting emergency alerts on WGN's 720 kHz frequency. In 1935, police departments gained access to AM frequencies between 1550 and 2800 kHz, prompting Galvin to develop the Motorola Police Cruiser AM radio specifically for law enforcement.
By 1936, Ford offered the Motorola Police Cruiser radio as part of its "police package." The EFD chief's new Ford sedan was similarly equipped, allowing him or the platoon commander to receive emergency messages via AM radio or contact the Evanston PD switchboard. While the chief's driver monitored the radio, it was one-way communication only. Two-way FM radios wouldn't arrive until the 1940s, with the EFD finally equipping engines and trucks in 1952.
Best regards,
Phil