Reflections from Bill Post on Recent Comments About CFD Spare Apparatus for Tower Ladder 10 and Squad 1
One of the standout aspects of Tower Ladder 10's location is its proximity to Fleet Management, which is less than a mile and a half away. This makes it convenient for them to get maintenance work done on their equipment whenever necessary. While Tower Ladder 10 itself might not need immediate replacement, the three oldest frontline tower ladders—built in 1996—are located at Towers 21, 37, and 39. These rigs are now 16 years old, and the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) has historically aimed to replace most of their frontline vehicles within 10 to 15 years of active service. Interestingly, Tower Ladder 21 has been holding up well despite its age, and it’s been responding to a higher number of calls recently. The city of Chicago's official 2012 procurement plan lists tower ladders for purchase, indicating that bids will soon be solicited.
My primary concern revolves around the spare Snorkel that has been serving as Squad 1. This is the sole remaining 55-foot Snorkel spare unit. Over the past few years, the CFD has been eager to replace the trio of Snorkel Squads, a goal that has also been included in the city’s procurement plans.
Here’s the tricky part: American LaFrance (ALF), which acquired the manufacturing rights to the Snorkel brand from the defunct Snorkel Corporation over a decade ago, has decided not to produce new Snorkels. Instead, some fire departments have chosen to refurbish older Snorkels and mount them onto newer chassis. As fewer Snorkels remain in service, sourcing these older units for refurbishment has become increasingly challenging.
I’ve heard whispers that some manufacturers might be open to designing aerial platforms similar to the Snorkel, but such efforts would likely come with a hefty price tag. It would be far more practical if ALF would simply sell the rights to the Snorkel name—or better yet, resume production. Although Snorkels are less common today, several large and numerous smaller fire departments continue to rely on them. Memphis (TN) Fire Department, for instance, has been operating with two single-piece Snorkel Squads, both of which were remounted onto newer chassis. Similarly, Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department has used two full-size remounted Snorkels. Given how extensively both Memphis and Chicago utilize the smaller Snorkel Squads, it would make sense for them to collaborate in filing a class-action lawsuit against ALF. Such legal action could compel ALF to either resume Snorkel production or at least provide specifications and rights to another manufacturer willing to take on the task. The irony here is profound: the concept of the original Snorkel was born in Chicago, and our city’s repair shops even customized the first Snorkel for firefighting. Despite this rich history, ALF now holds the original Snorkel in its historical collection, even though it never manufactured or outfitted the vehicle. The boom and platform were crafted by the Pitman Corporation. It feels like ALF is holding the entire fire service—and Chicago Fire Department specifically—hostage.
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