Baltimore City Fire Department

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In 1973 Baltimore Ladder 13 was using this 1958 Pirsch 100-foot TDA, Pirsch #2399, delivered on 12/31/1958. It was considered a 1959 model by the department.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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I was just asked (off list) a question about Baltmore City Ambulance operations. In the "Rigs of the Unheralded Heroes" it stated that on June 15, 1927 Baltimore City began its ambulance service, replacing the previous police-operated ambulances.



It was reportedly the first such service provided entirely by a fire department in any city in the country with its five ambulances stationed around the City of Baltimore. By 1951 there were 10 BFD operated ambulances in service. In 1971, the date of publication of Rigs of...Heroes, there were 14 ambulances in operation. Towards the end of this thread I'll run a number of photos of the BFD ambulance fleet in 1973, which I believe by then numbered 16.

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Baltimore received two 1960 FWD 1000/200 pumpers the next year. In 1973, Duane caught the indoor shot of BFD Engine 5 operating with FWD #G-80461.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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Duane Troxel didn't miss much when he visited other fire departments. BFD Engine 26 was assigned the other 1960 FWD 1000/200 pumpers, FWD #G-80464. Engine 26 was in the shops when Duane visited, so Duane went to the shops for this photo.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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Here is a William Porter photo of Engine 26 on the streets pumping at a working fire in Baltimore.

- William Porter Photo from the Duane Troxel Collection.

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Baltimore also received two Seagrave 100-foot TDA's in 1960. Here is a William Porter photo of Ladder 20 using Seagrave #M-4760.

- William Porter Photo from the Duane Troxel Collection.

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Duane caught Ladder 22 at the drill tower (missing part of a front bumper) in this 1973 photo. Ladder 22 was assigned 1960 Seagrave #M-4761.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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Last one for the night is another 1960 Baltimore delivery. It was this International/Hi-Ramger 65-foot snorkel assigned as Water Tower 1 at the Steadman Fire Station. Duane had to settle for an indoor shot of this big rig.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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I have a question about the 1960 FWD pumpers. When I visited Baltimore in the early 80s I caught one of the Second Line (I guess "Reserve Engine" by then) 1960 FWD pumpers on a fire run. Tha cab was closed on it, not semi-open as they were in 1973? Did Baltimore enclose the cabs on a number of their older rigs?



Here's my 1982 shot.

[Guest]

No, they didn't.

IIRC, those FWD's had the same cabs that were on International Model V trucks.

E-26 had theirs enclosed after a Lt. in the company was hit in the head with a pipe when they were pulling up to an alarm box in Cherry Hill, a public housing complex in the southern section of the city. False Alarms and throwing objects at responding apparatus was done for sport there.



The BFD shops installed steel & plexiglass "riot cages" on the back steps of most pumpers, and with the exception of E-26, open cabs were left as is. Trucks were left open also. Men riding the left & right steps of Truck Cos. just held on and hoped for the best

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Duane listed two engines and one ladder being purchased by Baltimore in 1961. The Engines were 1961 Ward LaFrance 750/250 pumpers that were assigned to Engines 11 & 18. Here is Engine 11's 1961 WLF, no serial number. If anyone has the WLF serial numbers on these two, please post them in this thread.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

[Guest]

The 1961 Pirsch 100-foot TDA was originally assigned to Ladder 2 then to Ladder 18 (as seen here), Pirsch #2500, delivered on 2/8/1961. It had very recently been painted in the new colors.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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Here is a William Porter shot of it before being repainted.

- William Porter Photo from the Duane Troxel Collection.

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In 1962 the department purchased two more Ward LaFrance 750/300 engines. In 1973 these rigs were for assigned to Engines 47 & 56. Here is Engine 56's WLF pumper, WLF #8008, delivered on 11/12/1962. The department may have carried these on their roster as 1963 Wards.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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The same year, the department also received three 1962 Seagrave 100-foot TDA's. Here is Ladder 1's, Seagrave #N-2755, delivered 8/23/1962.

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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Here is Ladder 2 in 1973 using 1962 Seagrave, N-2756 delivered on 8/30/1962,

- 1973 Photo by Duane Troxel.

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There were only two Seagrave Ladder trucks purchased in 1962- not three as I stated earlier.



In 1963 Baltimore purchased two 1963 Mack C 1000/300 pumpers, assigned to Engines 2 an 34. Here is Engine 2 in 1973 using Mack #C95FMD-1220 delivered on 9/10/1963.

- 1973 Duane Troxel Photo.

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Here is a William Porter photo of Engine 2's 1963 Mack.

- William Porter photo from the Duane Troxel Collection.

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Here is Engine 34's 1962 Mack C 1000/300, Mack #C95FMD-1221, delivered on 9/10/1963.

- William Porter photo from the Duane Troxel Collection.

[Guest]

Naltimore also received another Seagrave 100-foot TDA in 1963. It was assigned to Ladder 4 in 1973, Seagrave #N-9050 delivered on 10/3/1963. Duane caught it with the aerial up at the training tower.

- 1973 Duane Troxel Photo.