The Firehouse Fraternity: An Oral History of the Newark Fire Department Volume I I I Equipment

From Ahrens-Fox rigs with chain drives, open cabs, steering wheels on the right, and firefighters hanging on the back step to the air conditioned crew cabs of today, trucks used by the NFD are recalled by the men who drove them. The turn out gear worn is described, as is the evolution of the hose they pulled with them. Follow the men of the NFD as they move from wooden ladders, rotary or piston positive displacement pumps, and filtered masks to today's modern rigs and positive pressure self contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs). Members of the NFD appointed between 1942 and 1978 remember from the days of iron men and wooden ladders when masks were rarely worn to the present day. The evolution of rigs, turn-out gear, hose and nozzles, and ladders and tools is discussed, showing the steady progress of the fire service over the last half of the 20th century and into the new millennium. The only thing that hasn’t changed through these decades is the dedication of firefighters.