I mentioned in the Hamilton thread section that Loudoun County has purchased a variety of new tankers for the west end stations. This year, four International tankers built by 4-Guys were delivered. Although purchased by the county, they have been painted the colors of the departments in which they are assigned. Three of the four tankers are red and white, and one is lime white.
The lime white tanker is housed at Purcellville Station 2 and is a 2006 International 7600/2007 4-Guys 1500/3000 with serial number F2500. Tanker 2 is the first Tanker assigned to Purcellville, and the delivery of this truck has made Station 2 packed with apparatus with no space left. The members are looking forward to a new station in the future.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
The guys visiting Loudoun County may not have known that they were fortunate to be able to have photographed Purcellville's Tower 2. The tower has been out of service since the summer time (July?) spending some months down at KME's shops in Roanoke, Virginia with repairs made to the bucket and water way when damaged during a house fire call. We visited Purcellville on Friday, and the tower had come back on Wednesday. The career staff was still in the process of putting equipment back on the KME when we were visiting.
Two brush trucks operate from Purcellville. The first is Brush 2, which is a 1997 Ford F Super Duty/EBY/Singer with a 500/300. It was also built upon the well liked flat bed.
Brush 2 can also operate as a tanker support unit. It can get into areas unaccessible by larger engines to pump water from creeks, ponds, etc.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
The second brush unit at Purcellville is a unique Jeep unit with much of the work being done by Station 2 members.
Purcellville purchased a used 2000 Jeep several years ago frp, a nearby auto dealer and recently purchased a skid package from RKO. The Jeep was completely stripped down and built as a brush unit. From what I understand, a member of Purcellville has experience with building off road vehicles and did much of the work on Jeep 2.
Unfortunately, this is when the clouds really rolled in.
Note the axe mounted on top of the hood, just before the windshield.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Our plans were to go from Purcellville to Round Hill, which is the next town down on Route 7. However, after making a phone call to Round Hill and being told the crew was out, we decided to head to Philomont Station 8 and backtrack to Round Hill after Station 8.
Philomont is one of the more rural stations in the county and we were met by Chief 8, Pete West, and a very nice career staff who moved all of the apparatus to the fire department's nearby "horse grounds", where much of the fund raising for the department is held.
Philomont runs a variety of apparatus, but no ambulances. Station 8 provides first responder service and ambulances usually come from Purcellville and Middleburg.
First up at Philomont is Wagon 8, a 2002 KME Excel 1250/750 with serial number GSO-5047. This is the first out pumper at Station 8.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Here is my favorite truck photographed that day - Engine 8 at Philomont is a 1987 FWD/Seagrave HD-40-DF with a 1250/750. It carries serial number T79703.
I am told this can be a challenging truck to drive. Philomont is in the process of specing out a engine/tanker and the current plans are to replace this FWD.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Philomont operates two tankers - "Tanker 8" and "Reserve Tanker 8". The stations in the West End that received one of the new county tankers also made the decision to keep the current tanker that they already had running. One reason for doing this is because many of the homes in the rural areas have difficult acces to them....the smaller tankers help in that area.
Tanker 8 at Philomont is a 1996 Freightliner FL80 built by Semo. It has a 750/1850. As mentioned earlier, Philomont is specing out a engine/tanker. In addition to replacing the FWD engine, the department also plans on selling this Freighliner. Until then, Station 8 plans on keeping this tanker.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Philomont's "Reserve Tanker 8" is one of the new county units similar to Purcellville's Tanker 2 (as shown earlier) - except the different color. Where the other Loudoun County stations call their new county tankers "Tanker", Philomont's radio designation of the new tanker is "Reserve Tanker" and the older Freightliner/Semo is "Tanker".
Loudoun County
Philomont Station
Reserve Tanker 8
2006 International 7600/2007 4-Guys
1500/3000
serial number F-2501
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Philomont also operates a truck that was built by LSI of Purcellville. However, this "squad" is not large enough and does not carry all of the equipment to be considered a "squad" in Loudoun County. Thus, it has the radio designation of "Unit 8".
Philomont
Unit 8
1999 Ford F550/2000 LSI
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Two things happened at Philomont that made that stop nice.
First, just after photographing all of the apparatus, Station 8 was dispatched for a "Machinery Fire", which turned out to be a lawnmower on fire. The sound of the older fire house siren activating and seeing Wagon 8 and Reserve Tanker 8 responding was pretty neat. Eventually, Unit 8 also added to the call, along with Chief 8. I tried convincing some of the guys on the photo trip that I had arranaged not to be able to get to Round Hill right away so we could capture the moment of the house siren going off, etc. No one bought that at all.
Pete West is a good friend of mine and is a member of Philomont. In addition to helping out with the photographs of the Philomont apparatus, Pete also brought down to the photography site one of his pumpers that he owns. In addition to this American LaFrance, Pete also owns several Buffalo (the apparatus manufacturer) fire trucks.
Victoria, VA
1965 Chevrolet C80/American LaFrance
750/500
Pete purchased this truck in 1998. He also added the Roto Ray light on the drivers side.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
We were now beginning to fight the first signs of the early sunset with daylight savings time. From Philomont we headed towards Round Hill, where the career staff was waiting for our arrival.
Don't confuse Loudoun County's Round Hill with the Round Hill FD in Frederick County (near Winchester). These two communities are actually not that far from each other and have the same name. For those of you who attend the Firemen's parade in Winchester each year (Apple Blossom), the Round Hill VFD from Frederick County attends each year.
First up at Station 4 was Rescue Engine 4, a 2005 Seagrave Concorde CB-50KK 1500/750/50 with serial number 78C89.
By the way, keeping Loudoun County fire trucks "clean" has been a challenge this year with the drought conditions. Loudoun County continues to be under a water emergency, and my understanding is that all of the fire stations have restrictions on washing the apparatus.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Round Hill purchased this Pierce demonstrater in 1996. It has the rear cab doors located behind the cab. The top mount pump, roll up doors, and rear door configuration were all a bit uncommon on Loudoun County units.
One of the newer International tankers is assigned to Round Hill Station 4. Tanker 4 is a 2006 International 7600/2007 4-Guys 1500/3000 with serial number F-2498.
Round Hill also operates "Reserve Tanker 4", a 1996 Freightliner 70/Superior 1000/1800 that was out of service the day we visited.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
Our final stop planned for the day was Lovettsville Station 12, which is located about 10-12 miles away from Purcellville. We were now really beginning to battle the eary sunset and things were not going real well as we drove to the station and I was unable to get anyone to answer the phone at Station 12. Arriving at Station 12 we saw that the Tanker and an ambulance were out, and no one was home. Fortunately an older gentleman was a member at the station and let us in. He was, however, unable to move any apparatus. I made a quick call to Communications and they called the Company 12 units and asked them to come back to the station. I mention that because throughout the entire day, volunteers and career staff alike were very flexible and accomodating to our visit - a big thank you to everyone.
First up from Lovettsville is Wagon 12. Now for you job number/serial number enthusiasts, this one was a bit different. Wagon 12 is a 1999 Pierce Lance 1250/1000. In the cab, the job number is ED339 and on the pump panel it is listed as 10339. My understanding is that this was a time period where Pierce was working out how to continue with the sequence of their job numbers. What makes this more unique is that Wagon 12 was ordered along with a new tanker and they were built one after another. The tanker, however, does not have two different job numbers. Corrections welcome and a better understanding for me on why two different job numbers would be appreciated.
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
By the way, I should mention that Lovettsville is located very close to the Maryland state line. Many of their calls are mutual aide into Frederick County, Maryland, specifically Brunswick, Maryland. The reverse is also true - Brunswick and other Frederick County, Maryland stations also run calls into Loudoun County.
Engine 12 at one time had the designation of Attack 12. One one side of the engine it is set up for wildland/brush fires with the appropriate equipment. The other side of the truck has equipment common on engine companies. The department then added ladders to this unit, and as a result, it changed the radio designation from "Attack 12" to "Engine 12".
Lovettsville, VA
Engine 12
2003 International 4700 4x4/Pierce Hawk
1000/500/30
job number 14502
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA
Author: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus History - Arcadia Publishing
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