Chicago Fire Department historian Ken Little (more)

Before computers and GPS, there was Kenneth F. Little.

Mr. Little, 84, passed away on Friday in Glenview. He was a senior fire-alarm operator with the Chicago Fire Department, often referred to as the human map of the city. It was said that he knew every street, alley, and shortcut in Chicago, enabling him to guide fire engines to emergencies faster than anyone else. During his 36-year career, he saved countless lives, according to former Chicago Fire Commissioner James Joyce. “He had an uncanny ability to know which fire companies were closest to any given incident,” Joyce remarked. “He was truly remarkable, one of a kind.”

Little co-authored six books on the history of the Chicago Fire Department and played a key role in founding the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago, where a library now bears his name. After a devastating fire destroyed the Chicago City Council chambers in 1957, he was commended for staying at his post alongside dispatchers working in the old Fire Alarm Office.

His resourcefulness once saved Schulien’s, a famous German restaurant on Irving Park Road. Upon hearing a radio message about a Snorkel squad returning to quarters after a fire, he quickly realized they might still be nearby. He contacted them directly and directed them to Schulien’s, where flames had broken out. Thanks to his quick thinking, those firefighters arrived at the scene in just 30 seconds and extinguished the fire before significant damage occurred.

As a child growing up in Old Town, Ken Little spent hours hanging around a local firehouse, listening intently to radio calls. As he grew older, he explored the city by bus, streetcar, and elevated train (the "L"), visiting every fire station. He even rode the entire length of Western Avenue, disembarking to walk and learn shortcuts and one-way streets. Later, he delved into the layouts of factories to warn firefighters about hazardous materials hidden in basements.

On quiet nights, dispatchers like Little and his colleagues would test their knowledge by naming every bar and grocery store along Western Avenue from Howard to 119th Street. This trivia made him a hit on late-night radio shows hosted by Eddie Schwartz.

When Little joined the Chicago Fire Alarm Office in 1957, calls came in not only via modern phones but also through thousands of red fire-alarm boxes scattered throughout the city. He personally knew veterans who served during the tragic 1903 Iroquois Theater fire, which claimed over 600 lives, and the 1910 Chicago Stockyards fire, where 22 firefighters lost their lives—until the 9/11 attacks, the largest loss of firefighter lives in U.S. history. He also recalled how a fire-alarm operator in 1929 assisted police investigating the infamous St. Valentine’s Day massacre. Interestingly, he learned that slide-down fire poles were invented in Chicago.

During the legendary Blizzard of '67, Little remained in the office for 36 straight hours. “The roads were impassable,” his son Philip explained. “No one could leave or enter.”

Beyond firefighting, Little was passionate about teaching history at Wright College. He adored the jazz music of Errol Garner and collected coins and Tootsietoys. A small Tootsietoy firetruck will accompany him in his final resting place.

He and his wife Alice, who passed away in 1986, raised 10 children together. In addition to Philip, he is survived by daughters Anna, Rita, and Mary Ellen; sons Kenneth, Robert, Stephen, Richard, and Raymond; and four grandchildren. His son Thomas predeceased him.

A funeral mass is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael’s Church, the same parish where he worshiped as a child at 1633 N. Cleveland Ave.

Thanks, Dan.

Relief Valve

Relief Valve,Series Hydraulic Valve,Check Valve Solenoid Valve Solenoid,Relief Pressure Valve

Huaian Haotian Hydraulic Co.,Ltd , https://www.hahtyy.com