Evanston Fire Department history Part 49

Chief Hofstetter was succeeded by Henry Dorband, a 52-year-old veteran of the EFD who had served as a company officer for Truck Company 1 and as a platoon commander since being promoted to assistant chief fire marshal in 1948. When Dorband became chief, Captain Michael Garrity was promoted to assistant chief fire marshal, joining Assistant Chief Jim Geishecker as one of the department’s two platoon commanders.

In 1951, Capt. John Schmidt took over from the late Assistant Chief J.E. Mersch as head of the Fire Prevention Bureau. Later that year, Capt. William Murphy replaced Schmidt after he retired to join the Federal Civil Defense Administration.

With these changes, the leadership of the Evanston Fire Department underwent a major transformation. Chiefs Dorband, Geishecker, and Garrity had been with the department since the early 1920s, waiting over three decades for a chance to lead. Now, they were finally given the opportunity to shape the future of the EFD.

In addition to new leadership, several lieutenants were promoted to captain between 1950 and 1952. Lt. Jim Mersch, Lt. Lincoln Dickinson, Lt. Ronald Ford, and Lt. Lester Breitzman were each assigned to different engine companies. Capt. Ed Fahrbach moved from Engine Co. 4 to Engine Co. 5 after Capt. Frank Sherry retired in 1951.

Assistant Chiefs Geishecker and Garrity oversaw opposite platoons and also served as truck company officers at Station #1. Meanwhile, Captains Mersch and Fahrbach, as senior captains, led their respective engine companies and acted as drillmasters alongside their regular duties.

The years 1950 to 1952 saw several retirements and promotions. In addition to Chief Hofstetter and Assistant Chief Mersch passing away, Capt. Sherry and Capt. Schmidt retired. Many longtime lieutenants, including William Rohrer, Charles Novak, and Fred Schumacher, also retired during this time.

Ed Burczak joined Francis “Marvin” Hofstetter as one of the EFD’s two fire equipment mechanics in 1950. To fill the roles left by those who retired or were promoted, several firefighters were elevated to lieutenant positions, including Leonard Bach, Herb Claussen, Knud Hanson, George “Bud” Hofstetter, George Jasper, Erv Lindeman, and Willard Thiel.

Soon after becoming chief fire marshal, Henry Dorband introduced an ambitious “Fire Department Modernization Plan.” This initiative aimed to implement all remaining recommendations from the 1935 NFBU inspection and meet the growing needs of the EFD.

To fund the plan, Evanston voters approved a $160,000 bond issue in April 1951 (with 88% support). A second $775,000 bond issue, passed in 1953 with 60% approval, funded the construction of three new fire stations. Together, the two bond issues totaled $935,000 and marked a significant step toward modernizing the EFD.

The first bond allowed the city to purchase five new firefighting units from Peter Pirsch & Sons of Kenosha, Wisconsin. These included two 85-foot tractor-drawn aerial ladders, two triple-combination pumpers, and a combination pumper/rescue unit. Pirsch won the contract by undercutting competitors like Seagrave, American LaFrance, and Mack.

The TDA purchased in 1950 and delivered in 1951—now known as Truck No. 1—was retroactively included in the bond issue, with the $35,000 cost returned to the city treasury. A new chief’s car—a 1951 Mercury sedan equipped with an FM radio—was also purchased using bond funds.

Chief Dorband stationed all five Pirsch vehicles at Station #1 when they were put into service in September 1952. He even encouraged them to be displayed outside whenever possible, so residents could see the new, modern equipment up close. The five rigs remained together at Station #1 until 1955, marking a new era for the Evanston Fire Department.