From Phil Stenholm:
Another Chapter on the History of the Evanston Fire Department
THE MODERNIZATION PLAN
After Chief Hofstetter's departure, the reins of the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) were handed over to 52-year-old Henry Dorband. A seasoned firefighter with 31 years of experience, Dorband had previously served as the company officer for Truck Company 1 and as a platoon commander since his promotion to assistant chief fire marshal in 1948. When Dorband took the helm as chief, Michael Garrity was promoted to assistant chief fire marshal, joining Jim Geishecker as one of the department’s two platoon commanders.
Following the untimely passing of Assistant Chief J.E. Mersch, Captain John Schmidt stepped into the role of Fire Prevention Bureau leader in 1951. However, Schmidt later retired in 1952 to join the Federal Civil Defense Administration, paving the way for Captain William Murphy to assume command.
This marked a significant transformation within the EFD leadership, infusing fresh energy into the department. Chiefs Dorband, Geishecker, and Garrity, who joined the EFD between 1918 and 1920, weren't newcomers—they’d waited over three decades for this opportunity to leave their mark.
Alongside these changes, several promotions occurred in quick succession. Lieutenants Jim Mersch, Lincoln Dickinson, Ronald Ford, and Lester Breitzman were elevated to captain ranks between 1950 and 1952. Mersch was assigned to Engine Company 1, Breitzman to Engine Company 2, Dickinson to Engine Company 3, and Ford to Engine Company 4. Meanwhile, Captain Ed Fahrbach moved from Engine Company 4 to Engine Company 5 following Captain Frank Sherry's retirement after 27 years of dedicated service in 1951.
While Assistant Chiefs Geishecker and Garrity managed opposite platoons and also served as truck company officers at Station #1, Captains Jim Mersch and Ed Fahrbach, who led Engine Companies 1 and 5 respectively, were the most senior captains. They not only oversaw their respective companies but also acted as drillmasters.
Several retirements and departures further reshaped the EFD: Lieutenant William Rohrer retired in 1950 after 27 years, Charles Novak (24 years) in 1951, and Fred Schumacher (25 years) in 1952. New recruits like Ed Burczak joined the team as fire equipment mechanics, replacing those who left or were promoted.
Shortly after becoming chief fire marshal, Dorband introduced a comprehensive “Fire Department Modernization Plan,†aiming to address all pending recommendations from the 1935 NFBU inspection while preparing the department for future demands.
In April 1951, a $160,000 bond issue for new equipment passed with an impressive 88% voter approval, followed by another $775,000 bond issue in April 1953 for constructing three new fire stations. These bonds, totaling $935,000, successfully modernized the EFD.
The initial bond allowed Evanston to acquire five state-of-the-art firefighting vehicles from Peter Pirsch & Sons in Kenosha, Wisconsin. For approximately $135,000, the city purchased two tractor-drawn 85-foot aerial ladders, two 1000-gallon-per-minute (GPM) triple-combination pumpers, and one 1000-GPM combination pumper/rescue squad. Competing against Seagrave and American LaFrance for the aerials and Mack for the pumpers, Pirsch secured the contract.
The TDA acquired in 1950 was retroactively included in the bond as one of the aerials, returning $35,000 to the city treasury. Additionally, a new chief’s car—a 1951 Mercury sedan equipped with an Evanston Police FM two-way radio—was bought using funds from the bond.
Chief Dorband stationed all five new Pirsch units at Station #1 when they went into service in September 1952, positioning them outdoors whenever feasible so residents could see the modern equipment firsthand. These rigs remained together at Station #1 until 1955.
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