As early as 1856 NEW SHARON has had a volunteer Fire Department. And yet today, over 160 years later, it remains a volunteer organization. In those early days, whenever smoke was spotted, the towns’ people would start yelling and soon afterward the men of the town would show up with pails and blankets and try to extinguish the fire. There weren’t any meetings held then and no records were kept, so subsequently there is not any documentation to rely upon for historical data. Memories of that time have it that the first person to arrive at the scene of the fire would be the person in charge; he was the one who would coordinate the activities of everyone else as they arrived at the site.
Fire Truck from 1900s
Fire trucks from the early 1900s were a significant advancement in firefighting technology. Initially, these vehicles were often based on the Ford Model T chassis due to their affordability and adaptability, making them popular in small-town fire departments across the United States. These trucks were motorized, which eliminated the need for horses and reduced response times. They could either carry water and pumps powered by the truck’s engine or transport equipment like hoses, axes, hooks, and ladders.
During this period, companies like Ahrens-Fox Manufacturing Company from Cincinnati and Knox Automobile Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, were leading the transition from steam to gasoline-powered vehicles. By 1925, steam pumpers were completely replaced by motorized pumpers. Early fire trucks were often small and unique designs from local manufacturers due to the limited demand. The trucks were typically painted red, a tradition that started because red was the most expensive paint color, and it stood out against the predominantly black cars of the era.
Notable manufacturers of fire trucks during the early 1900s included Mack Trucks, which began producing firefighting equipment around 1911 and continued to be a significant player in the industry until 1990. Another prominent manufacturer was American LaFrance, which started producing motorized fire apparatus in 1907 and became one of the largest manufacturers of fire engines and emergency vehicles in the United States and Canada.
These advancements in fire truck technology were crucial as cities grew larger and buildings became taller, necessitating more efficient and powerful equipment to combat fires effectively.
*AI-generated. Please verify critical facts.