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ENGINE COMPANY 412
In May 1914 the first fire truck was purchased with funds raised with public subscriptions and an appropriation of $2000 by the county commissioners. This was a rebuilt 1912 Packard 60 H.P. truck with 2 thirty-five gallon chemical and it was kept in Uhler’s barn until remodeling of the engine house was
completed. The cost of this truck was $3400 of which $2000 was paid in cash and a note signed for the balance. This was a right hand drive vehicle with carbide headlamps, which had to be lighted for driving at night, a hand crank, and no cab or windshield. The driver and captain wore goggles in bad weather and later were provided with gauntlet gloves. Wilbur Kelly was the first driver of this truck. The first fire on record which the company responded with the new truck was on September 30, 1914, at the residence of W.M. Harden. The report states that the company saved fifty logs, a pile of cordwood, and an oak tree.
In October 1925 a Packard chassis was purchased for $700. We received a $50 donation from the C.W. Dorn Company towards the purchase of this chemical wagon. The conversion of this truck to chemical wagon was performed by two of our members, Mr. George H. Stevenson and Mr. J. Edwin Eline. This chemical wagon replaced the 1912 Packard.
A Reservoir holding 300,000 gallons of water was constructed in 1930. The Fire company needed a way to get the water from the reservoir to a fire. A Hose Tender was constructed to carry the hose needed. The hose wagon cost $30.54 to build. As City water was continued into the Reisterstown area, this hose tender was disbanded and used at the carnival grounds.
In 1939 the fire company purchased a Diamond-T pumper for $6,000. It had a 500 gallon water tank. The engine was also equipped with portable floodlighting equipment. This floodlighting equipment was used on a fire at the Doughnut Corporation of America in Ellicot City. This pumper replaced the 1926 packard chemical wagon.
In 1955 we purchased an Oren Pumper for a price of $20,000. It was equipped with a 750 gallon per minute pump and 750 gallon water tank. Now the entire fleet was painted white and black.
In 1975 the fire company decided to replace the 1955 Oren with a 1968 Midwest pumper on an International C-185 chassis. This pumper had a 1000 gallon per minute pump and 600 gallon water tank.
In 1979 the fire company decided to purchase two new engines. These two engine were soon named the twins. The contract was awarded to Grumman Fire Apparatus in Roanoke Va. It would utilize a Ford C-8000 cab. Each engine cost us $72,000 for a total of $144,000 for the two engines.
In 1987 the fire company determined that it was in our best interest to sell one engine so we would be on a rotating replacement plan. At review of the Officer’s, it was determined that engine 412 would be put up for sale. The committee was formed and a contract was signed to purchase a Pemfab with a Grumman body. This engine made it’s first appearance to the fire company at our 75th anniversary banquet. This pumper was officially named “TOP GUN”.
In 2006 the decision was made to purchase a new pumper. On January 31, 2007 a contract was signed to purchase a Seagrave Maruader II Pumper. This pumper would carry the name “TOP GUN II”. It is the first pumper in the area with a Compressed Air Foam System. This new pumper would come with a price tag of $496,000.
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