Oldest Fire Apparatus in service?

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Permalink Reply by Greg on February 7, 2008 at 6:28pm

We still have a 1963 dodge power wagon used as a brush truck, very dependable truck... it can go anywhere

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Permalink Reply by Adam Verducci on August 14, 2009 at 12:26pm

we have almost the same same thing, ours is a 76 though

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Permalink Reply by Sean Crotty on February 7, 2008 at 6:42pm

Oldest piece we run is a 1981 American LaFrance Engine. We run it as a bocking vehicle. We run some expressway, andI would rather have traffic strike that at 75mph then one of our newer pieces.
E1- 1981 ALF Engine
E2- 1994 RD Murray Engine
E3- 2006 Toyne Engine
R7- 1999 RD Murray Rescue

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Permalink Reply by Jim Dyson on February 7, 2008 at 6:55pm

we still run a 1976 smeal pumper with a 500 gpm pump and 1500 gallon tank on a ford 900 chassis

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Permalink Reply by Johnathan Turner on February 7, 2008 at 7:34pm

We have a 1981 engine and a 1985 pumper/tanker from Grumman, both are in frontline status. The State prision has a vol. dept staffed by guards, and their is a 1950s (Don't know the exact year) Barton American Front Mount.

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Permalink Reply by divo on February 7, 2008 at 10:23pm

1969 gmc pumper and our main pumper is a 1983 gmc

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Permalink Reply by Rolf Peterson on August 25, 2008 at 5:52pm

Time to get these trucks replaced don't you think? Man!! I would be busting someones chops on that. Firefighter safety is at risk running old stuff like that.

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Permalink Reply by Just Plain Craig on August 27, 2008 at 3:43pm

I used to think the same thing until I spoke to someone from out of state. He told me the fire company was doing good if it had $300 in the bank at the end of the year. Alot of places simply can't afford 2-3-400,000 for a new engine. Some can't afford $60,000 for a used engine.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on December 10, 2008 at 6:17pm

That's why there is grant money. If that doesn't work out(get a grant writer!) fund raisers and other creative ways to come up with the money. But you are right, a lot of departments can't afford these things but i hasn't stopped them from getting the things they need.

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Permalink Reply by B Small on January 5, 2009 at 9:53pm

It's not the age of equipment it's the condition. On these older trucks they are far simpler and there is less to go wrong, particularly in the electronics. It may not have all the bells and whistles but if it works well and doesn't break down then no problem. I worked with a lot of people from the large paid department in the area, and they are always complaining about their new trucks. I mean 2004, 2005,2006 trucks. They are all saying they are junk, that the electronics go down, or the computers fry etc, etc. They want to go back to the Seagraves, and American La France trucks they had before, except without canopy cabs.

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Permalink Reply by Clint M. Nelsen on January 6, 2009 at 3:09pm

VERY TRUE. Our 1956 Ward LaFrace will outpump nearly any truck we put it up against. On the flip side, our 2003 Marion Aerial has a fully computerized Hale Pump. If the computer goes down on a fire, there is NO manual override- meaning no water.

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Permalink Reply by John on February 10, 2008 at 11:34am

We had a 1964 Ford, that was origonaly used as an egine, then we converted it to a Tanker, that we replaced with a new tanker last week. It is now going to go to the town crew to be used for flushing out culverts. And if we get a really bad fire, we can still use it if needed.

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