Evanston Fire Department history Part 72

An emergency telephone number (9-9-9) to report a police, fire, or medical emergency was introduced in England in 1937. However, the concept of a universal emergency number wasn't widely adopted in the U.S. until 1968. Even then, it took time for the system to be implemented across the country. The first two communities in Illinois to adopt 9-1-1 were Chicago and Evanston, both in 1974. A key difference between the systems was that in Evanston, the person answering the call also handled the dispatch, whereas in Chicago, calls had to be transferred to a separate dispatcher before action could be taken. Before 9-1-1, people had to dial specific numbers or ask an operator to connect them with the right department. This often led to delays. With 9-1-1, people could quickly report emergencies without memorizing long numbers or going through an operator. Additionally, if someone couldn’t speak, the call could still be traced and acted upon. To promote the new system, Evanston placed “DIAL 9-1-1 TO REPORT AN EMERGENCY” stickers on all police and fire vehicles in 1974. The idea of paramedics in civilian settings began in the late 1960s, primarily to improve care for heart patients. In 1972, the TV show *Emergency!* gave the public a look into the world of paramedics in Los Angeles, helping spread the concept nationwide. What made LA unique was that firefighters were trained as paramedics. In the Chicago area, fire departments that already provided ambulance services were among the first to train paramedics. The Niles Fire Department started its program in 1973, while Skokie added two Advanced Life Support ambulances in 1975. The Chicago Fire Department followed in 1974, replacing older BLS units with two MICU ambulances. Evanston borrowed a temporary MICU unit from the State of Illinois in 1974 and tested it over 60 days. It was a modular ambulance, and EFD personnel used it for inhalator calls. Police station wagons also helped in case the MICU was unavailable, but they weren’t always reliable. Mayor Jim Staples initially wanted police officers, not firefighters, to be paramedics, but the city council ultimately assigned the program to the fire department. Seven firefighters were trained at St. Francis Hospital in 1975, marking a shift in how the EFD approached emergency medical services. Alongside these changes, the EFD also upgraded its equipment. In 1973, the city approved the purchase of a new pumper, and in 1974, a second one was added. These newer pumpers had improved features like safety yellow paint, rear-facing seats, and a top-mounted booster reel for faster response. The department also acquired a utility van to replace an older truck, and retired older vehicles like the DUKW amphibious truck and a rescue trailer. A Boston Whaler replaced the DUKW for lake rescues. The first new pumper arrived in November 1974, and the second in May 1975. These modernized the fleet and improved overall efficiency.