From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department.
In 1954, the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) made a significant change to its rank structure by eliminating the position of lieutenant. From that point on, the former "lieutenant" was reclassified as "captain II," while the previous "captain" became "captain I." The captain II role came with a slightly higher salary, and to be promoted from lieutenant to captain II, firefighters had to serve at least one year in the lower rank. After one year in captain II, they would automatically be promoted to captain I.
Five of the seven EFD lieutenants—Leonard Bach, Herb Claussen, George “Bud†Hofstetter, George Jasper, and Willard Thiel—were immediately promoted to captain II. However, Lt. Harry Schaeffer Jr. and Lt. Richard Schumacher had only been appointed lieutenants on January 1, 1954, meaning they didn’t meet the one-year requirement. As a result, they had to wait until January 1, 1955, to be promoted. This made them the last EFD lieutenants, as future promotions would now skip directly from fireman I to captain II.
The EFD faced two major “storefront†fires during the 1953–1954 period.
The first occurred on March 2, 1953, at the Suburban Surgical Supply Company located at 604 Davis Street. Due to the location in the downtown high-value district, the initial response included three engine companies and one truck company. A second alarm brought in additional units, including a fourth engine and a second truck, along with Squad 21. Despite their efforts, the store was completely gutted, with damage estimated at $100,000. At the time, this ranked among the top five most expensive fires in Evanston’s history, alongside the Tapecoat fire (1951) and the Evanston Country Club fire (1922).
The second fire took place in September 1954 at the A & P supermarket on Central Street in North Evanston. Engine Co. 23 was the first to arrive and found only a light haze of smoke inside. Upon entering the building, the ceiling partially collapsed, causing injuries to several firefighters, including Capt. Ron Ford, Capt. Herb Claussen, and firemen Arnold Windle, Dave Tesnow, and Ted Bierchen. A second alarm was called, and an off-duty platoon was recalled to replace the injured. Though not a dramatic blaze, the A & P suffered an estimated $70,000 in damages from fire, smoke, and water, and it served as a sobering reminder of the risks firefighters face daily.
In October 1954, the EFD appeared in an educational short film titled *The Fireman*, produced by Encyclopedia Britannica under the direction of Dr. Ernest Horn from the University of Iowa. The film, which is now in the public domain, bore some resemblance to the 1903 silent film *The Life of an American Fireman*. It showcased real Evanston firefighters and the new Pirsch rigs in action. While it didn’t win an Academy Award, it was widely shown in schools across the country, helping to educate young audiences about the dangers and duties of firefighting.
Synopsis (Spoiler Alert!):
The film follows a rookie firefighter named “Tom Briggs,†who is likely based on Tom Kostopoulos, given the name and his status as a first-year firefighter. He arrives at Station #1 for morning inspection and is assigned to the aerial ladder truck by “Captain Drake,†a character believed to represent Engine 25 Captain Ed Fahrbach. During a training exercise, Tom and other firefighters demonstrate various skills, such as using a hose roller, rescuing a man overcome by smoke, and jumping into a life net from a drill tower.
After training, the crew relaxes briefly before being alerted to a fire on Third and Main. As the trucks roll out, they end up at 2160 Isabella Street, near the Evanston-Wilmette border. Smoke is visible, and the crews quickly respond. Fireman Tom and Captain Drake, wearing SCBA gear, enter the house, rescue a kitten, and extinguish the fire. The film ends with the crews returning to the station, highlighting the teamwork and bravery of the EFD.
This film was likely shot at a house soon to be demolished, which later became part of a grocery store parking lot. The EFD often used such locations for drills, ensuring firefighters remained sharp and ready for real emergencies.
Encyclopedia Britannica released another educational short film in November 1954 called *The Policeman*. Filmed partly in the Evanston Police Department and Highland Park, it followed Officer Barnes and his partner as they handled routine police work, such as recovering a stolen bicycle, issuing a traffic ticket, and locating a missing child. Unlike typical portrayals, the film showed Officer Barnes as a relatable family man, adding a human touch to the portrayal of law enforcement.
Molybdenum powder is usually prepared from ammonium paramolybdate or calcined MoO3 by hydrogen reduction. It is the raw material for preparing molybdenum deep-processed products by powder metallurgy. Molybdenum powder is divided into lightweight molybdenum powder (PCC) and molybdenum powder (GCC). The characteristics of molybdenum powder are that the color, particle size, surface characteristics, dispersity, rheology, thixotropy and crystal form can be manually adjusted, and the molybdenum powder has high chemical purity, strong chemical inertness, and good thermal stability. will decompose. In addition, molybdenum powder also has the advantages of low oil absorption rate, low hardness, small abrasion value, non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and good dispersibility.
Molybdenum Powder,High-Purity Molybdenum Powder,Nano Molybdenum Powder,Ultrafine Molybdenum Powder
Jiangsu Lucky Metal Materials Co., Ltd. , https://www.luckymetalmoly.com