This week we have a 1948 Mack pumper. The Mack is powered by a 6-cylinder flat-head Mack engine with a 5-speed manual transmission. The pumping capacity is 750 G.P.M. with 500 gallons in the booster tank.
The Mack served Kalamazoo Township out of the Oakwood station on Whites Road, west of Westnedge Avenue.
When the City Annexed the Township they took control of the Mack and the station.If you look close you will notice one picture she is lettered for Oakwood and the other K.F.D.
The station was closed sometime in the late 60′s and the Mack was relocated to Station 7 on Portage Road, loaded up with foam pails and a couple of eductors and was the first due to the City of Kalamazoo airport because it carried more water than any other city truck. The year it was taken out of service and current fate is unknown
This week we have a 1953 Pirsch Quadruple or “Quad” this was a sister truck to the Eastwood but no main ladder. The Pirsch is powered by a Waukesha flat head six cylinder engine, power was put to the wheels by a 5-speed manual transmission. The pumping capacity was 750 G.P.M. with a 300 gallon water tank .
The City of Kalamazoo annexed the Milwood area and the Oakwood area in 1963 to gain control of the airport, with the annex they acquired several pieces of rolling stock and two fire stations. If you look close at the photos you will notice that she is lettered for K.T.F.D. Engine 2 and then K.F.D. 7 and never changed houses. The quad was located in a salvage yard in Paw Paw several years ago but was not for sale.The salvage yard was closed a couple of years ago and she was sent to be shredded.
With our resident historian on a much deserved vacation this week, we were left to find something interesting to present to our readers and membership in the meantime. Luckily enough I think we struck a historical jackpot. What we found is a 1972 documentary on one of the F.D.N.Y. firehouses in the South Bronx.
From the YouTube description on this film: “The New York City Fire Department has appeared in numerous films and television shows in recent years. One of the earliest was the 1972 documentary Man Alive: The Bronx is Burning, for BBC Television. It was screened in the United Kingdom on September 27, 1972 and followed firefighters from a fire house in the South Bronx: Battalion 27, Ladder 31 and Engine 82. It chronicled the appalling conditions the firefighters worked in with roughly one emergency call per hour, and the high rates of arson and malicious calls.“
It also should be noted that one of the men featured in this film is, Dennis Smith, who was a fireman for the F.D.N.Y. for 18 years, and authored the famed fire fighting book, “Report from Engine Co. 82″, as well as the founder of “Firehouse” magazine.
Be aware, that this film shows some very graphic scenes of firefighters sporting large, manly mustaches and sideburns, wearing scary leather helmets, deadly bourkes, long coats, and 3/4 length boots, as well as riding tailboards, turntables and other frightening sights. If these sort of activities are not for you, please avoid watching.
So, now without further adieu, we present, “The Bronx is Burning”
Edit: While doing more research for this post, I came across the fact that another legend in our industry is featured in this movie, Bob Farrell (seen riding the Officer’s seat in the above photo), who is now the owner of Fire Hooks Unlimited.
From the article, “Man Behind the Tools”, “Throughout his career, Bob’s regard for his men’s safety carried over into the private sector designing and manufacturing fire hooks and fire tools. For nearly three decades, Bob has set the standard for excellence throughout the US in producing high quality products including the Pro-Bar, NY Roof Hook and Hydra Ram.”
It should also be noted that Captain Farrell, while still a firefighter, was awarded FDNY’s highest medal for bravery – the James Gordon Bennett medal on June 6, 1965. This only one among the many decorations and awards that he received while working for the F.D.N.Y. Please take a minute to read the aforementioned article on Captain Farrell, as it contains much more information on him than we can put in this post.
Farrell awarding the “Silver Bullet” award
Farrell using The Irons to force entry into a fire building
This first fundraiser is for Lt. Doug Bell of the Benton Harbor FD. He was trapped in a house fire last week, and received some fairly significant burns. He is currently being treated for these at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.
The second fundraiser is for firefighter David Whipple of the Pavilion (Twp) FD. Dave was diagnosed with cancer and has been fighting the good fight. This takes a good deal of money, however, and this fundraiser is aimed at easing his burden some.
Both of these fundraisers are taking place this Saturday, March 23rd, 2013. If you have the opportunity please stop by one or both. More information is available on each of the individual flyers.
The Brothers of the East St. Louis (IL) fire department are hurting, and they are asking for help. In a city once protected by 150 firefighters, they are now down to only 53, and the city is looking to cut that number almost in half by May of 2013.
We have all seen how bad Detroit F.D. is hurting, and these Brothers are hurting just as bad if not worse. A typical structure fire in East St. Louis only brings two engines with six personnel to the scene. This is WAY below the NFPA recommendations, and already dangerous. If the proposed cuts take effect, this number would be reduced to one engine and three personnel.
Please take the time to watch the video they have produced, and then head over to their website for more ways to help
We are presenting the first aerial device this week, for the Truck of the Week, and it comes from KTFD’s Eastwood Station. It is a 1953 Pirsch 75′ Quintuplet, which combines pump, hose, water tank, ground ladders and main ladder all on to one piece of apparatus.
This apparatus was powered by Waukesha flat head six-cylinder engine. The power was put to the wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. Water was handled with a 1000 G.P.M. pump, and she carried 300 gallons of water in her booster tank.
The old Pirsch ran out of the Eastwood station and was only the third ladder truck in the county. the City of Kalamazoo had the other two. Todd said, “I have heard story’s of the Quint going as far away as Otsego to help fight fires.” In 1976 she was traded in to Sutphen and replaced by the 100 foot tower ladder (Note: that ladder is still in-service for Eastwood, although it is on a new chassis).
The location of the Pirsch is unknown. Pictures and history courtesy of: Todd Dunfield
That’s right, several members of the Kzoo F.O.O.L.S. are shaving their heads for charity. The Kzoo F.O.O.L.S. are sponsoring a St. Baldrick’s Foundation (please follow the link to donate) charity event on March 9th, 2013, and several of the members as well as several non-members have signed up to raise money to shave their heads to show their solidarity with the children fighting cancer.
The F.O.O.L.S. had originally only set a goal of $2000.00 for this first time event in Kalamazoo, but the friends and family of the shavees responded to the call for donations so well, that the original goal was passed some time ago, and the goal was then raised to $6000. And we are happy to report that the second goal has also been smashed! The current event tally is at just under $8400.
With a week left until the event, the Kzoo F.O.O.L.S. are hoping to reach over $10,000, which will make this event an outstading and exemplary first time event. It will also give us a great goal to shoot for next year.
Please take a couple minutes to view this short video on one of the many children that we are fighting for.
This first fundraiser is for Lt. Doug Bell of the Benton Harbor FD. He was trapped in a house fire last week, and received some fairly significant burns. He is currently being treated for these at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo.
