From Phil Stenholm:
Another installment in the History of the Evanston Fire Department.
With growing concerns over response times and emergency service efficiency, the Evanston City Council turned to an outside expert in 1986. The renowned Rand Corporation was brought in to assess the department’s structure and suggest ways to improve coverage. Their task was to evaluate whether relocating one or more fire stations could lead to faster response times for both structure fires and EMS calls.
The council made it clear that Stations #2 and #4 were off-limits for relocation, but moving Station #1, #3, and/or #5 was considered acceptable. Rand’s analysis focused on two key areas with the highest number of incidents over the previous two decades. One was a square-mile zone centered around Oakton & Custer, essentially covering Station #2’s first-due area. The other was a region near Emerson & Dodge, which had a high volume of EMS calls but fewer structure fires.
Rand found that the southeast area, served by Station #2, was well-covered. However, several intersections—like Church & Pitner, Emerson & Hartrey, and Foster & Grey—were far from any station. They recommended moving Station #1 to Lake & Ashland, and consolidating Stations #3 and #5 into a new location at Ashland & Noyes. This would significantly reduce response times in the 5th Ward, though it would likely increase delays in downtown and the northwest corner of the city.
Rand also suggested placing the “jump ambulance†at Station #2 and the full-service MICU ambulances at the new locations of Stations #1 and #3. However, they didn’t recommend an ambulance at Station #4, which would have reduced its staffing to just three firefighters—an outcome the EFD chiefs wanted to avoid.
Despite these recommendations, political pushback soon emerged. Residents of the High Ridge area in northwest Evanston strongly opposed the idea of moving Station #3 and #5 to Ashland & Noyes, fearing longer response times. Although Wilmette Fire Station #27 was nearby, no automatic aid agreement was established between the departments.
In the end, Ambulance 2 was moved to Station #4 in 1987, and the city approved rebuilding Station #4 and remodeling Station #2. The new Station #4 opened in 1989, while Station #2 was renovated in 1990 to include facilities for female firefighters. Truck Co. 21 was later relocated to Station #3, becoming Truck Co. 23.
In 1993, newly appointed Fire Chief James Hunt proposed moving Station #1 to a new location on Emerson & Wesley. His plan included keeping Stations #3 and #5 in place, splitting Engine 23’s district along the canal, and converting the old Station #1 into a headquarters. Though some downtown residents resisted, the proposal gained support from the 5th, 6th, and 7th Wards. It was eventually approved by the city council.
However, the new Station #1 at Emerson Street faced construction delays and cost overruns, taking nearly five years to complete. The original Station #1 remained unused for several years as administrative offices were temporarily housed in a cramped space on Dodge Avenue. Despite these challenges, the changes ultimately helped modernize the department and better serve the community.
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