Lake Forest-Lake Bluff History Museum

In 1897, a volunteer fire organization was formed in Lake Bluff in response to a disastrous fire at the Hotel Irving where a valiant bucket brigade was not enough to save the building.In 1929, the village government passed an ordinance officially establishing the organization as the village fire department.Early on, fire and police operations were conducted from Village Hall. Lake Bluff Treasurer (and motion picture magnate) John J. Murdock provided funding in 1909 to furnish a space for the volunteers, including a library, phonograph, pool table and kitchen. Appropriately he also arranged to have motion pictures shown there, charging 25 cents for the general public which went toward the Fireman’s Fund.In the early days, volunteer firemen were called to the scene by the ringing of a tower bell, which eventually was replaced by a siren heard throughout the village. Before the introduction of dispatch services, emergency fire calls rang in the fire station, Village Hall and the home of the fire chief or one of the firemen.Lake Bluff’s early “Fire Laddies” relied on hand-pulled or horse-drawn equipment. Most early fire department vehicles were “hand-me-downs” or “rebuilts.” In 1917, Stanley Field donated a motorized vehicle chassis which the volunteers outfitted to carry hose and other equipment. In the 1920s, the village purchased a pumper truck and a chemical truck.

The Fire Department moved to the Village Service Building in 1934. In 1988, the Fire Department moved to new facilities in the current Public Safety Building.Ernest Goudy served as the first fire chief, followed by brothers Charles and August Shinsky. Charles Helming was appointed chief in 1912 and served for over 30 years. More recent fire chiefs are Thomas Evert (1946-1976), Howard Monroe (1976-1980), Robert Graham (1980-2006), David Graf (2006-present).

Lake Bluff Fire Department