Trucker Talk: By John & Kim Jaikes October is Fire Prevention Month, and I hope that you are up for a little history of how this came to be, and I also want to honor the brave Brotherhood of Firefighters! I believe these men and women form a unique bond because of what they do. Be it full time, if they serve on a volunteer fire department, or if they are fighting wildfires up in the mountains, they are truly united as one. I’m writing this in September when we all remember 911, as well. “They went in when everyone else was going out” became a motto to honor the firefighters, police officers and first responders who kept going in. Never forget! First the history – the legend was for years that Catherine O’Leary’s cow “Daisy” caused the Great Chicago Fire, the devastating blaze that raged from October 8-10 in 1871. It destroyed 3.3 square miles of the city, killing about 300 people, and leaving 100,000 homeless. They are pretty sure the ignition point was the barn on the O’Leary property at 137 DeKoven Street, which is now 558 DeKoven Street. The exact cause remains unknown, and Mrs. O’Leary’s cow being responsible is most likely a myth. However, her family unfairly became a scapegoat and suffered from the public’s suspicion. The fire began southwest of the city center and then leapt the south branch of the Chicago River and destroyed much of central Chicago. It crossed the main stem of the river and consumed the Near North Side. It had been an unusually dry summer and fall, and that, combined with gale-force winds, pushed it north through the city. Most of the buildings, sidewalks and streets were built with wood, making it all highly flammable. It was days before the damage could be completely assessed because of the remains still being so hot. Eventually, they determined it encompassed an area of more than 2,000 acres, destroyed more than 73 miles of roads, 120 miles of sidewalks, 2,000 lampposts, and 17,500 buildings. The property damage alone was thought to be $222 million, which was about a third of the city’s valuation in 1871, which would be approximately $5.7 billion in 2025 dollars. After the fire, there was a period of rapid reconstruction. The city improved building codes to help stop the spread of future fires and quickly rebuilt to those standards. A donation from the United Kingdom helped establish the Chicago Public Library. In response to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed a week in October as Fire Prevention Week in 1925. The event was sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and has grown from a week-long observance to a full month dedicated to public education and fire prevention efforts. It serves as a reminder of the Chicago Fire and the importance of preventative measures. Fire departments and organizations use this time to provide public education and promote fire safety for all ages. In 1961 the Robert J. Quinn Fire Academy was built on the site of Mrs. O’Leary’s barn – the supposed starting point of the Great Chicago Fire. On the west side of the building is a 33’ tall abstract bronze statue called “Pillar of Fire” in remembrance of the tragedy. Artificial streetscapes are located inside the building, which is used for mock firefighting exercises, and classrooms are in a three-story wing on the southeast side of the building. The site was later designated as a Chicago landmark on September 15, 1971, 100 years after the Great Fire happened. I have a friend named Kevin Ernst who has been a volunteer firefighter for Star Hose Company #1 in Port Allegany, PA for 39 years. For the last 25 years, he has been one of the three chiefs in the department. He trained his cocker spaniel to stop, drop and roll, and would take him to the fire house Fire Prevention Week. The kids, as well as the adults, loved him. There is commitment to educating people in the community about preventing fires and what to do 68 10-4 Magazine / October 2025 FALLEN HEROES
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