The Evanston Fire Department (EFD) has a rich and evolving history when it comes to emergency medical services. According to Phil Stenholm, the EFD began providing ambulance service to the city in 1976, but its involvement with medical response dates back much further. Since 1913, Evanston firefighters had been responding to what were called “inhalator callsâ€â€”a term used for cases involving breathing difficulties or potential respiratory issues.
Before that, the Evanston Police Department (EPD) was the primary provider of ambulance services. In the 1890s, they operated a horse-drawn police ambulance from their headquarters. This evolved into an automobile ambulance in 1916, which was stored in a bay just east of the firehouse at 807 Grove Street.
In 1958, the EPD introduced the “Police-Fire Cooperative Plan,†where officers were cross-trained as firefighters. These two-man units, known as Car 31, 32, and 33, were equipped with stretchers, inhalators, first-aid supplies, fire extinguishers, axes, and turnout gear. They handled not only ambulance runs and inhalator calls but also fire responses and regular police duties. However, these units were soon reduced to single-person crews, and the cross-training ended, though the EPD continued to provide ambulance services using three patrol wagons.
Meanwhile, the EFD maintained three staff cars—F-5, F-1, and F-3—each equipped with stretchers and used as backup ambulances when the EPD’s vehicles were unavailable. In the summer of 1974, the Illinois Department of Health loaned an MICU to the EFD for a 90-day trial. Though it wasn’t fully equipped with ALS (Advanced Life Support) gear, it gave the department a chance to operate as the city’s main ambulance service.
The experience was positive, especially among police officers who didn’t want to handle ambulance duties. As a result, the EFD launched its Paramedic Program in 1975, aiming to take over ambulance services by 1976. However, Mayor Jim Staples initially wanted the EPD to retain control, believing that having ambulances on the street 24/7 was better than having them parked in firehouses. But after Police Chief William McHugh pointed out that the EPD was already overwhelmed by rising crime rates, the mayor changed his mind.
In January 1976, the EFD took over with its first ambulance: a 1975 Dodge van MICU donated by Washington National Insurance Company. Initially staffed by three firefighters, including two paramedics and a trainee, the ambulance responded to all EMS calls across the city. It would handle ALS cases directly, while BLS calls were handed off to police station-wagons or auxiliary fire department vehicles.
By 1976, the City Council approved a second ambulance, and plans were made to staff both with two-paramedic crews. In November 1976, Ambulance 1 was nearly destroyed in a collision, and the Skokie Fire Department lent a Cadillac ambulance until the new one arrived. The Cadillac became a reserve unit, later becoming Ambulance 3.
By 1980, two new Ford modular MICUs were added, replacing older models. Ambulances were reorganized, with Ambulance 1 at Station 1 and Ambulance 2 at Station 2. A rotating response system was introduced in 1982 to help crews manage workload more efficiently. Over the years, the EFD continued to refine its ambulance operations, adjusting locations and staffing based on demand and efficiency.
In 1989, a “jump company†plan was tried, but it proved impractical due to lack of engine coverage. By 1990, the system reverted to more traditional setups, with ambulances stationed at key stations and ready to respond. The EFD’s EMS program continued to evolve, ensuring that residents received timely and effective emergency care.
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