New Kensington, PA Bureau of Fire

[OPEN CAB MACK]

When a station is due to have an engine replaced, a committee of officers of that station will have their specs and draw them up.  The chief of the department will look at them and make sure that the pump size, tank and other equipment meets the necessary fire load of that district.  It this case, the city was not going to spend the extra money for a Q siren, so the members of Station 5 had the Q off an old ambulance installed on their engine along with Whelen Max Beam strobes.  No. 4 opted to keep the flashers and the electronic siren.  No. 5 responds across the Allegheny River into Tarentum borough and their assignment was to draft from the river.  When they received their engine, they took the hard sleeves from Engine 1, (the 1960 American LaFrance) and mounted them above their ladders.  It was very hard to press mayor & council to buy 2 engines at that time.  But they decided to go for the purchase.  They went from the Ford's to these Kenworths.  It was a huge upgrade.  From no pre-connects or rear discharges to 2 pre connects and a 2.5" rear discharge.  From a 300 gwt to a 750 gwt.  The diesel engines were the best upgrade with the extra torque and horsepower.  Hope this helps.