www.FranzosenbuschHeritageProject.org                     Home

Westchester Fire Department

Until 1955 the Maywood Fire Department, plus Westchester volunteers, served as the fire department for Westchester.  On January 1, 1955, eighteen months after its conception, the Westchester Fire Department took over the fire protection needs after being certified as competent and equipped to do so by the Cook County Inspection Bureau.  That bureau grades the fire protection facilities for all communities in Cook County.

Westchester proudly announced this development with the village pamphlet attached to this webpage.

Pictured to the right is the fire department personnel.  In the picture we find"

• Top row: W. E. Connors, V. Sikora, F. Fassil, A. Kaspar, J. Vesely, E. True, D. Dunning, J. Tucci, W. Belerdinelli, W. Carter Jr., P. Allison
• Center row: A. Schindelar. J. Kasch. J. Nordstrom, C Vander Molen. J. Kremer, R. Dresch, N. Cottrell, D. Crowely, M. Bolster, J. Davis, O. Trulevitz
• Bottom row: F. Kearney, R. Benson, W. Babenzien, Lt. B. Zukas, Assistant Chief H. Bolster, Chief F. Murphy, Assistant Chief S Stoeben, Lt. M. Malpier, Lt. R. Novy, Lt. X. Trippel, D. Mitchell

In July of 1953, five Westchester residents were appointed by the Village of Westchester Board to undertake the organization of a Westchester Fire Department.

After a thorough study of Cook County Fire Departments, the first meeting of men who has indicated an interest in serving on a fire department was held on October 21, 1953. The following month a number of those men constructed a 36 by 24 feet building to house a fire truck loaned by a neighboring community, and training session began.

In February 1954, members of the training group appealed to residents for small donations to assist in obtaining equipment for the village for training.  Villagers donated over $2,500.

Also in February of 1954, a charter was obtained from the State of Illinois for the Westchester Firemen's Association, Inc.  This is a not-for-profit corporation organized for the purpose of promoting training, firefighting activities, fire prevention in Westchester and raising funds to accomplish this purpose.

This association purchased a used fire truck and other basic equipment in March and gave it to the village.  Training of personnel continued and an ordinance making the department a municipal department of the village was passed in May, 1954 -- the association continued as a fund raising auxiliary.

In July of 1954, a carnival and car raffle were held to raise funds for further equipment.  The proceeds from these activities were about $7,300.  Donations, many from sources outside Westchester, added several hundred dollars.

The training program was accelerated and equipment to place the department in a position to take over the fire protection of the village was purchased.  A new fire truck of the latest design was ordered in December 1954 for delivery in May or June of 1955.

On January 1, 1955, the department took over the fire protection of the village from Maywood Fire Department.  It maintains two men on duty at its quarters throughout the night.