A question was raised by Mike McAuliffe to Bill Post regarding the Fire Commissioner, Quinn, and his reluctance to purchase new Snorkels for SS-3 or Snorkel 1 (which later became SS-3), and most notably, not replacing Snorkel 7. The question touched on why Quinn, who clearly had a deep affection for the Snorkels, seemed so hesitant to invest in modern replacements, especially during a time when these units were fairly common and even used as second-piece engines by some departments.
There were even opportunities to acquire used or new Snorkels at reasonable prices—Crown was producing high-quality models on the West Coast, and the LACFD had two they were eager to sell. It seems odd that Quinn didn’t take advantage of such possibilities. In fact, I always felt it was a bit of a misstep that the South Side only had one Snorkel, Snorkel 3, for much of the 1970s, when the area was experiencing a lot of activity. Whenever a structure fire broke out, you’d often hear calls like “Snorkel 5 to Snorkel 3.â€
I’m looking forward to your thoughts on this. Thanks in advance.
Mike, you're absolutely right. Money was a huge issue for the Chicago Fire Department in the 1960s. That’s one of the main reasons the department focused on purchasing unique or specialty equipment during the early 1960s until around 1966–1967. This included things like 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 city was desperate for capital funds, so the City of Chicago had to go to the voters in 1966 and 1967 to secure approval for a bond issue. This was aimed at funding much-needed infrastructure, including new fire apparatus. I remember a special half-hour TV broadcast on Channel 9 highlighting the need for new equipment. Some of our trucks dated back to the 1920s, and Fire Commissioner Robert J. Quinn appeared on the show, saying something like, “I don’t see how the voters could keep us from getting new fire apparatus.â€
The bond passed, and with that, the department was able to move forward. Regarding Snorkel Company 1, Quinn wanted a new Snorkel Squad on the busy West Side, so he converted Snorkel 1 into Snorkel Squad 3 and purchased three Fog Pressure Wagons to serve as second pieces for the three Snorkel Squads. Snorkel Squad 3 officially started service on May 16, 1965, at 2858 W. Fillmore, which had previously been the home of Engine 66 and Squad 7.
Engine 66 was moved to Engine Company 44, and Squad 7 was taken out of service. Another key reason the CFD didn’t buy a new Snorkel 1 was due to space constraints on the West Side. To make room for Snorkel Squad 3, they had to remove Engine 66 and disband Squad 7, which was one of the busiest squads in the city at the time. Quinn decided to replace it with a more modern and better-equipped squad, which made sense.
Squad 3, another top-tier squad, remained in service because Snorkel Squad 2 was located in a newer station with ample space. However, the West Side didn’t have that luxury. Part of Quinn’s reasoning for deploying Snorkels 4 through 7 in 1961 and 1962 was to ensure each of the seven fire divisions had one. Snorkel Company 1, being the smallest at 50 feet, was relocated from Engine 50 on the South Side to Engine 109 on the West Side. The only station in the 2nd Division with enough room was Engine 109, which had just one bay available after Truck 32 was already stationed there.
During the early 1960s, the South Side wasn’t much better off in terms of space for Snorkels. There were three divisions on the South Side: 4, 5, and 7. Division 5 had enough room for Snorkel 6 at Engine 46, thanks to its large bays. Division 7, covering the southwest side, had limited options, and only Engine 84’s house was large enough. Snorkel 3 was eventually moved there from Engine 50, creating a gap in the 4th Division for over two years until Engine 28’s new station opened.
This is part one of a three-part article.
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