Part 3 of the Waukegan Fire Department history, courtesy of the Waukegan Fire Department.
The 1930s and 1940s
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Waukegan Fire Department faced significant challenges as the city navigated the Great Depression and later the demands of World War II. Despite these difficulties, the department remained at the forefront of innovation in emergency services. In 1935, the Waukegan Fire Department introduced inhalator-resuscitator equipment alongside traditional firefighting duties, marking a major step toward integrating medical response into fire operations. On June 26, 1936, the department joined the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) and was granted charter number 473.
A major fire on December 16, 1943, damaged a portion of the east side of the 100 block of North Genesee Street. The site would later be rebuilt with Hein’s Store. These events highlighted both the resilience of the community and the evolving role of the fire department in protecting it.
The 1950s and 1960s
The post-war period brought new growth to Waukegan, and the fire department expanded accordingly. On September 28, 1952, Mayor Robert E. Coulson, Chief Norman Litz, and the city council dedicated the West Side Fire Station at 216 N. Lewis Ave. Over 3,000 residents attended the event, and a new Seagrave pumper worth $16,000 was also unveiled. Later that year, on October 5, 1952, Chief Litz introduced the city’s first 85-foot aerial ladder truck, purchased for $37,000.
In 1954, the Central Fire Station underwent renovations, but by 1958, it was considered outdated due to its location in the congested business district. In 1962, the station relocated to the city hall, facing West Street. In June 1955, the Old Clock Tower at the Courthouse burned down, leading to the creation of a dedicated fire prevention bureau. In 1958, a fire at the Nitro Chemical Plant at 740 Market Street tested the department under extreme cold conditions, taking nearly 11 hours to control.
By 1959, the department had 3 captains, 11 lieutenants, one master mechanic, and 46 firefighters. They operated two rescue cars, an emergency truck, four pumpers, two aerial trucks, and the chief's vehicle. Firefighters worked 56 hours a week and responded to about 600 calls annually. Fire alarms were transmitted through Illinois Bell Telephone Company’s central offices in the business district.
In 1960, a fire at the Johns Manville plant caused over $6 million in damage. Other notable fires included the Commercial Hotel Fire in 1965, two Piggly Wiggly Store fires in 1964 and 1965, and the Sahs Warehouse Fire in 1966. By 1966, the department handled 1,530 calls with similar staffing levels as seven years earlier. In 1969, the North Side Fire Station opened at Golf Road and Jackson Street, and the Waukegan Tannery suffered a major explosion and fire that required all available resources.
The 1970s
In 1972, Lt. Dale Adams established the Waukegan Fire Department Bomb Team under Fire Commissioner Edward R. Pavelick. Training was conducted by the New York Police Department and later the FBI at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Commissioner Pavelick also introduced the first EMT-Paramedic program in the state, making the Waukegan Fire Department the second public safety agency in Illinois to offer such services. The city’s first paramedics graduated from this program.
In 1979, a record number of firefighters retired, including Joseph Regis, Lt. John Kink, Richard Repp, Charles Ahlstrom, James Poirier, Sgt. Charles Dicig, Sgt. William Worth, Lt. Roy Hampson, Lt. James Hushour, Captain Louis Milewski, Lt. Joe Musick, Captain George Hull, and Jack Evans. Together, they contributed 367 years of service to the department.
The 1980s
One of the most tragic events in Waukegan history occurred on Christmas morning in 1984 when a fire at the Karcher Hotel on Washington Street claimed nine lives. Faulty wiring was suspected. In 1985, Lt. Franklin Mercer became the second firefighter in the department’s history to die in the line of duty. He was killed while fighting a house fire at 721 McAlister Street after falling through a weakened floor. His funeral drew representatives from 63 agencies across the country. He is survived by his wife Paula and two children.
In 1986, Chief Richard Kamerad launched the “Vital Link†program to support the department’s paramedic initiative through public donations.
The 1990s
A major fire on June 17, 1991, destroyed the 96,000-square-foot Waukegan Warehouse building in a suspicious blaze. In 1995, Chief Charles Perkey acquired a new ladder truck and two engines from Seagrave Fire Apparatus. In 1997, the department dedicated Fire Station #2 at 4505 McGaw, followed by Fire Station #5 at 3221 N. Green Bay Road in 2000.
2000
On September 11, 2001, the Waukegan Fire Department heightened its readiness in response to the terrorist attacks. Members of IAFF Local 473 organized a “pass the boot drive†and raised over $70,000 for FDNY families. In 2002, WFD representatives attended the FDNY memorial at Madison Square Garden. A fire at Cub Foods on September 3, 2001, caused $1 million in damage, and firefighter David Rigney sustained injuries. In 2004, the new Seagrave Heavy Rescue Squad 1 was dedicated. That same year, a hidden fire destroyed the historic Academy Theatre.
In 2007, the department received a new 105-foot Pierce ladder truck and responded to a record 9,407 calls, the highest in their 158-year history. The Waukegan Fire Department has always been supported by many individuals, including Mrs. Bess McClure, whose kindness and care for firefighters were recognized when Rescue 3 was dedicated in her honor in 2003. After her passing in 2006, a scholarship was established in her name by IAFF Local 473.
Waukegan Fire Department history Part 1
Waukegan Fire Department history Part 2
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