Certainly! Here's a rewritten version of the text:
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A question came up from Mike McAuliffe directed at Bill Post:
"Bill, regarding the topic of Snorkels, could you shed some light on why Fire Commissioner Quinn was so frugal with funds that he didn't buy a new compact Snorkel for SS-3 or a replacement for Snorkel 1, which later became SS-3? More crucially, why didn't he acquire a new Snorkel to take the place of Snorkel 7?
Quinn clearly took great pride in his Snorkels, but I believe this enthusiasm may have clouded his judgment when it came to considering alternatives like the Aerialscope or tower ladders. Why did he avoid purchasing replacements? This was a period when Snorkels were quite popular. Some departments even started using smaller Snorkels as secondary engine units. Crown was producing excellent Snorkels on the West Coast, and the LACityFD had two they were eager to sell off. It seems like getting a good deal on either a used or new Snorkel shouldn’t have been too challenging.
I’ve always felt it was a downside to Quinn that the city only had one Snorkel on the south side—Snorkel 3—for much of the 1970s, a time when the south side was bustling. Whenever a south-side still or box alarm came in, you’d always hear over the radio, 'Snorkel 5 to Snorkel 3?'"
Mike, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Finances were indeed a major issue for the Chicago Fire Department in the 1960s. This was one of the reasons why, from the early 1960s until late 1966 or early 1967, the department focused on acquiring specialized or unique apparatus. These included the Magirus 144-foot and 100-foot aerial ladders, Snorkels, Snorkel Squads, Fog Pressure Wagons, the original helicopter (441), jet (rescue) boats, ambulances, and chief buggies.
The Chicago Fire Department was in dire need of capital funds. Eventually, the city had to appeal to voters in 1966/67 to pass a bond issue to secure funding for essential infrastructure, including new fire trucks. I even recall a special half-hour TV special on Channel 9 that highlighted the department’s urgent need for new equipment. Commissioner Robert J. Quinn appeared on the show, stating, “I don’t see how the voters could deny us the new fire apparatus we desperately need.â€
The bond issue passed. Concerning Snorkel Company 1, Commissioner Quinn recognized the need for a new Snorkel Squad on the busy West Side. He converted Snorkel 1 into Snorkel Squad 3 and bought three Fog Pressure Wagons on extended chassis to serve as backup units for the new squads. Snorkel Squad 3 began operations on May 16th, 1965, at the firehouse on 2858 W. Fillmore. Engine 66 was relocated to Engine Company 44, and Squad 7 was decommissioned that day.
Another significant factor in not purchasing a new Snorkel 1 was the lack of space on the West Side. For instance, to accommodate Snorkel Squad 3, Engine 66 had to be moved, and Squad 7, one of the two busiest squad companies in the city, was shut down. Quinn reasoned that replacing it with a more modern Snorkel Squad made more sense. Similarly, Squad 3, previously stationed with Engine 61 at 54th and Wabash, was close to Engine 60, Truck 37, and Snorkel Squad 2 in their new location. However, this wasn’t feasible on the West Side. Quinn had strategically placed Snorkels 4 through 7 in service between 1961 and 1962 to ensure at least one Snorkel per Fire Division.
Snorkel Company 1, being the smallest at 50 feet, was relocated from Engine 50 (on the south side in the 4th Division) to Engine 109 (in the 2nd Division on the West Side). The reason was that Engine 109's station was the only one in the 2nd Division with enough room for a Snorkel, albeit barely. Engine 109 housed both Truck 32 and its 1954 FWD tillered aerial ladder with an 85-foot wooden ladder, leaving little room for anything else. Since Snorkel 1 was shorter and lacked a long front overhang, it was the only Snorkel that could fit in the station.
During the early 1960s, when most Snorkels were deployed, the south side wasn't significantly better than the west side in terms of accommodating larger fire stations. At that time, there were three fire divisions on the south side: 4, 5, and 7. Division 5, on the far southeast side, had enough space for Snorkel 6 at Engine 46's station due to its unusually spacious apparatus bays. The 7th Division, covering the far southwest side (including Englewood), had Engine 84’s station, the only large enough facility, located near Halsted south of 57th Street.
Snorkel 3 was relocated from Engine 50's station to Engine 84's house after spending six months at Engine 50. The fit was tight, leading to an exchange of Light Wagon 3 for Snorkel 3. From 1962 to 1964, there was no Snorkel in the 4th Division until Snorkel 2 was moved to the newly opened Engine 28 station. Prior to this, Snorkels 2 and 4 were stationed less than a mile apart for over three years due to the city's limited space for Snorkels.
This is part one of a three-part series.
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I hope this version captures the essence while providing a fresh perspective!
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