It must be a case of "who you ask is what you get". I have put much time into adding your additional infomation on the roster I had previously compiled using the information gathered by you, myself, and John Friis. It is amazing that in some cases I have three different specs. This goes for water, year, etc. As you know, I use red for John, blue for you, and black for myself. The roster looks like a pre-schooler got to it with a new box of crayons!!!
Jerry[/quote]
Jerry,
Agree with you on that. That is why I regret not using information found on the apparatus (plates, dates, etc.) earlier on when I started this hobby. The water tank size can be the item today that causes confusion - have not found that water tank plate yet on a fire truck <img src='http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> .
Let's get to the final area of our Outer Banks tour....the southern beaches or often called Hatteras Island.
About 75% of Hatteras Island is undeveloped. Much of the land is water, natural beaches, sand dunes, thick maritime forests, marshlands, etc. If you love outdoors, what a great place. This area just has a different look and feel to the northern beaches. Both have a lot to offer and our great places to visit.
Hatteras Island is home to seven small, unincorporated communities, each of them unique in character. The villages are spaced out along Highway 12, which is the main road for this entire area.
In an earlier post after visiting Nags Head, we headed towards Roanoke Island and covered a handful of stations in that area. Let's get back to Nags Head and head in the other direction - south on Highway 12.
Maybe it is just me or when I visited, but finding people at these southern stations can be a realchallenge. However, several years ago I had one of those great trips where I was able to get someone to the station, even though the majority of the stations were closed up tight. For example, I found the chief having lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, he went with me to the station and moved out all of the equipment. Everybody knows everybody. In several situations, the fishing pier guy called someone to meet us. Dare County communications even dropped "tones" for several stations when nobody was there - "Attention all members of Station XX, you have a visitor at your station. Driver needed for photographs". In one day, I managed to photograph just about every apparatus on the Southern Shore of the Outer Banks. It was one of my most enjoyable and memorable times enjoying the hobby and probably why I love to go back.
Leaving Nags Head and heading south on Highway 12, you will pass through the beautiful Oregon Inlet and it brings you to the village of Rodanthe. This area is also called Chicamacomico Banks, and the FD goes by that name (not sure why the two names). So I don't have to type Chicamacomico Banks numerous times, we will refer to Chicamacomico Banks as "CB".
CB is Station 50 in Dare County (they have a very strange station number system in that county). CB has two buildings that make up their station.
Here is the house for the two largest trucks - note the statue in the front. I was told that this was donated to the FD.
Now to the apparatus at CB. Engine 503 is this 1992 International 4900/Emergency One with a top mount 1250 gpm pump and carries 1250 gallons of water. It has serial number 11000.
I have posted this truck several times on the old board and said it was one of my favorite fire trucks - it still is!
Ladder 502 is this interesting 2000 International 4900 6x6/Pierce complete with a 75' telesqurt and a 1500/500. It has Pierce job number 10805.
You cannot tell from the photo, but this was pulled up on a small sand dune for photos. It tackled the sand and hill with no problems. This truck is designed to go out on the beach if necessary to get to the "beach side" of the structure for homes right on the beach.
The first time I saw Brush 501 I asked the chief if this was on old Richmond, Virginia truck. Richmond had several of these type of mini pumpers. He told me he has been asked that several times from native Virginia fire truck lovers.
[quote name='mnsand' post='34303' date='Sep 15 2006, 17:25 ']The first time I saw Brush 501 I asked the chief if this was on old Richmond, Virginia truck. Richmond had several of these type of mini pumpers. He told me he has been asked that several times from native Virginia fire truck lovers.
1984 GMC Sierra 3500/Grumman 500/250
Mike Sanders
Ashburn, VA[/quote]
Sorry....I did not finish my thought. No, this is not an old Richmond truck. CB bought this new.
I photographed this Dare County EMS chase unit at the CB station. I have seen several of these older Dodge Ram Chargers still running around in Dare County.
About 10 miles south of Salvo is the village of Avon. This village feels like the commercial hub of Hatteras because it is home to several shopping centers, grocery store, movie theater, etc.
Avon operates two pumpers, a brush truck, and several support units.
Hey, a top mount pumper!
Engine 461 is a 1991 International 4900/Emergency One 1250/1200.
Brush 463 was recently placed out of service and is now owned by a FD person in the area.
It is a 1979 Ford F250 4x4/FD with a 250/300.
Avon just recently purchased a 2006 FOrd F550/Anchor Richey 300 gwt brush truck with a remote monitor on the front bumper. When I stopped by the FD about a month ago, it was at the station by unlettered. I decided to wait until a future trip.
A couple of miles south of Avon is the village of Buxton. This village is popular for a variety of reasons - the Hatteras light house and the fishing off of the cape. There is also thicker vegetation in this area because this is the home of Buxton Woods, a rare maritime forest.
When I visited Buxton, the FD was just returning from a fire alarm at the lighthouse - hope the alarm was not at the top - that would be a challenge in turnout gear.