Karl Klotz - Karl has been a full-time dispatcher for RED Center in Division 3 for the past 7 years. He also is a part-time firefighter in Highwood, IL. He lives in Division 24 and serves as the department photographer for the Tinley Park Fire Department. He photographs fire scenes, apparatus and fire stations as a hobby. He considers photos depicting Illinois, Florida, Maryland and Nevada as his specialy niche. He comes from a family of firefighters and one ... police officer. His grandfather was a detective in Chicago dating back to the 1920s. Karl has a smugmug site showing a full array of his photography from all over the country.

Steve Redick - Steve is presently a senior fire alarm operator for the Chicago Fire Department where he has worked for 29 years. He became a fire fan as a youngster in the 1960s. He also comes from a family of firefighters as his father retired from the Chicago Fire Department as a Battalion Chief and his grandfather was the Skokie Fire Department Chief. Steve photographs apparatus and fire scenes in the Chicago area as well as venturing to Michigan documentng the Detroit Fire Department. When he's not photographing aspects of the fire service, he can be found photographing airshows, lighthouses, and his German Shepard Leine. Steve has produced 2 books combining his apparatus and fire scene photography. Both are offered on his smugmug site.

Hank Sajovic - Hank is another southsider though he's been on the job in Skokie for 27 years where he currently holds the rank of Lieutenant. Hank has been photograhing the fire service for much of his career and has spent quite a bit of time documenting the Chicago Fire Department. Hank is planning a book depicting all of the firehouses in the City of Chicago.

Larry Shapiro - Larry is the only one in the group that is not in the fire service, but still shares the passion ever since he was young. He is a photographer by trade and spends much of his time photographing apparatus and fire scenes. He has the good fortune to travel fairly extensively which allows him access to fire departments throughout the country.

This site is the compilation of images, research, and historical preservation on the part of several individuals who maintain a common interest, fascination, and near fanaticism with the fire service.

For the better part of 30 years, a dedicated group of fire service historians has been criss crossing the greater Chicago area and some have gone so far as to visit the entire state of Illinois meticulously documenting each and every fire department.

In years past, it has been difficult and expensive to share all of this history beyond a core group of interested people. Today, the internet provides the means to put all of this information together on display in one place for everyone to view, learn from, and enjoy.