From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department.
ADVANCE OR JUMP
After World War II, Advance Ambulance became a key player on the North Shore, primarily transporting patients between hospitals, nursing homes, and residences. The Evanston station was located in a former American Railway Express garage at 1019 Davis Street, with additional stations in Skokie and Chicago. In the 1970s, Advance moved its three suburban ambulances to a new three-bay facility at 2421 Dempster Street, on the border of Evanston and Skokie. In 1980, they proposed a bold idea: to take over medical transport for both Evanston and Skokie from their Dempster Street location.
The plan involved replacing the city’s MICU ambulances with Advance units staffed by EMTs, while handling billing and insurance. They promised that if two ambulances were out, a third would be brought in from Chicago, ensuring five ambulances could respond simultaneously. Meanwhile, the fire departments would continue providing paramedic services, but with paramedics assigned to engine companies instead of ambulances. This allowed for more flexible staffing and improved emergency response coordination.
If accepted, this model could have led to an automatic-aid agreement, merging dispatching and training without dissolving either department. It might have even allowed Evanston to close Station #4, with Skokie taking responsibility for part of the district. However, both cities declined the offer.
In 1987, Fire Chief Sam Hicks retired after 37 years. Raymond Brooks, the EFD’s second African American chief, was hired. He introduced the “Jump Company Plan†in 1988, assigning paramedics to three engine companies—Engine 21, 22, and 25—so they could “jump†between engines and ambulances as needed. But this led to increased response times and confusion, including a notable incident where a firefighter transported a burn victim alone during a fire on Asbury Avenue in 1991.
A year later, a scandal involving falsified paramedic records affected 80% of EFD paramedics. While no one was criminally charged, many were suspended. A re-certification process was implemented, with only 36 passing. Medical Services Chief Sam Hunter resigned, and Brooks left in 1991, eventually becoming fire chief in San Jose and Birmingham.
With the Jump Company Plan abandoned, EMS returned to a more traditional setup, with two front-line ambulances and a third “jump†ambulance available when needed. By 1999, all five fire stations had paramedics and ALS equipment, reducing the need for dedicated MICU units. The EFD had evolved significantly, blending emergency response with medical care in a way that reflected the changing needs of the community.
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