Fire Trucks

The roles of today's fire service have expanded to include Emergency Medical Services, Hazardous Materials, Urban Search & Rescue, and Wildland. These modern disciplines required a new breed of specialty apparatus and even the classic fire truck has transformed into multi-purpose rescue-pumpers, pumper-tankers, and an array of aerial trucks. An industry long dominated by legendary names is led by a new generation that includes Pierce, KME, E-One, Rosenbauer, Ferrara, and many others. This volume highlights fire trucks from 1980 to present, the culmination of the 20th Century into a new Millennium.

Pierre Thibault Ltd. was Canada's largest and best known manufacturer of fire engines. Throughout its history, Thibault built every type of fire apparatus imaginable - engines, ladders, platforms, rescues, and specialized units on both commercial and its own line of custom cabs and chassis. Hand-picked photos, with detailed captions, create a magnificent photo history of Thibault's fire apparatus that will appeal to all fire apparatus enthusiasts.

Take an exciting look at one of the most distinct fire engines in American fire apparatus history. High-quality builders' photos document the nineteen-year production life of the Seagrave 70th Anniversary Series. Coverage begins with the delivery of the first 70th Anniversary Series pumpers to Seagrave's hometown fire department in Columbus, Ohio, arid ends with the delivery of the last to New Haven, Connecticut. Photos range from stock-model pumpers and ladder trucks to custom-built one-offs like the huge rescue truck built for Syracuse, New York, a foam truck for oil refinery fires, and 70th Anniversary models built by Seagrave's Canadian subsidiary. Photos of factory-fresh rigs are complemented by shots of fire engines in production and in action.

An inventive machinist in the San Francisco Fire Department repair shop, Daniel D. Hayes patented the first successful aerial ladder in America in 1868. At first these heavy ladders were raised by hand, by firefighters furiously turning cranks and handwheels. Early in the new century coil springs took the muscle work out of hoisting the aerial ladder and soon hydraulic power replaced manpower entirely. In the 140 years since they were introduced, aerial ladders have undergone continuous evolution and improvement. In the late 1950s, aerial firefighting in America was revolutionized by the introduction of the elevating platform. Today, firefighters battle major fires with massive aerial towers and telescopic aerial ladders. The only book wholly devoted to the evolution of aerial firefighting, this lavishly-illustrated volume by one of America’s most respected fire apparatus historians and authors covers them all: from long hook-and-ladder trucks drawn by straining three-horse hitches, early aerial ladders and the aerial’s heavy-artillery cousin—the water tower. Included are four-wheel service aerials, glamorous tillered tractor-trailer types, compact rearmounts and versatile quintuple combinations.

The story of the fight against fire in Canada is filled with episodes of romance, adventure, excitement, heroism and high tragedy, but this has never before been assembled as a record for all to read. This book by Donal Baird, one of Canada's top authorities on the fire service and its history finally performs the long needed task. From the fire rules of Samuel de Champlain for his primitive first settlement at the site of Quebec City, to the fires in modern subways and highrise buildings, it is all here. Keeping the important technical milestones and the human story in balance, Mr. Baird traces the growth of commerce and society in a new civilization in the empty continent and the increased dependence on towns and cities as a nation grows. The compact nature of the urban community meant vulnerability to great losses by fire out of control and a necessity for organization of fire-fighting measures as a very early and vital public service. The growing pains of this service make fascinating reading as entertainment, sociology and technology. In a variety of ways in different communities, using many individual stories, the author shows us how the citizens banded together for mutual defense against the implacable enemy, how the powerful and political early volunteer fire companies kept life exciting for the municipal authorities until the gradual rise of a dedicated and professional fire service.