The domestication of fire—that is, the ability to control fire and to create fire—was a major innovation for human beings. In his 2014 book Humans: From the Beginning, Christopher Seddon writes:
“The ability to use fire was surely a key breakthrough in human evolution. Fire can be used to deter predators, to provide heat and lighting, and for cooking. Human activities can be carried on through the hours of darkness, and fire would certainly have been an asset in the colder regions beyond Africa.”
With the development of agriculture, beginning about 10,000 years ago, people began to construct permanent houses and to live in villages. In villages and towns, fire could become destructive and people had to invent ways to fight housefires. Initially, they simply formed bucket brigades which passed buckets or baskets of water hand-over-hand from the nearest water source to the fire where the water would be simply thrown on the fire.
In colonial America, law required each house to have a bucket of water on their front stoop which could be used by a fire brigade. By 1719, Philadelphia had acquired a hand-pumped fire engine, but the source of power was still human.
With industrialization in the nineteenth century, inventors began applying industrial methods to the problem of fighting fires and developed what is now known as the fire engine. About 1822, a small engine was developed which drew water from a source and then sprayed it on the fire, thus rendering the old fire (bucket) brigade obsolete. The firefighters could drag or carry the pump to the fire, or, in some instances, the engine would be mounted on a horse-drawn carriage.
By the early twentieth century, with the increased availability of motorized trucks, it became common to mount the fire engine on a truck.
Shown below are some fire engines which are on display in museums.
1878 Silsby “General Putnam”
This interesting fire engine is on display at LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. According to the museum display:
“Silsby Manufacturing Company was founded in 1845 in Seneca Falls, NY. In 1891 Silsby merged with Ahrens Manufacturing Co., Clapp & Jones Manufacturing Co. and the Button Fire Engine Company, to form American Fire Engine Company. American introduced a new line of steamers but the Silsby engine production continued until the end of the steam era.”
1900 Dunrobin
Shown below is the steam-powered fire engine which was stationed at Dunrobin Castle in Scotland from 1900. The fire engine was drawn by two horses and manned by Estate workers and tenants. The fire engine is on display in the Sub-Hall.
1911 Bud Manufacturing Company
Shown below is Butte Fire Department Aerial Truck No. 1 which is on display in the World Museum of Mining in Butte, America (Montana). The truck was built by the Bud Manufacturing Company in 1911 for the City of Butte. Unfortunately, Butte is rather hilly and the truck was unable to navigate the hills. The wheels (notice that they are solid) were individually driven by 3 horsepower electric motors. A 35 horsepower, 4 cylinder engine turned a 12 kilowatt generator to supply the power to the electric motors.
1912 Seagrave Fire Truck
Seagrave was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1881 and still makes fire engines. This fire truck is on display at the Miracle of America Museum in Polson, Montana.
1921 Stutz Model B Fire Pumper
This is on display at LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. According to the museum display:
“Harry C. Stutz founded the Stutz Fire Engine Company in 1919 after he was forced to sell his original Stutz Motor Company earlier the same year. The first Stutz fire engines were built with 4 and 6 cylinder Wisconsin engines. A superb example of early American fire engines, this Stutz fire engine was commissioned in February of 1921 by the Indianapolis, Indiana Fire Department where it remained in use until 1962.”
1923 American LaFrance Ladder Truck
American LaFrance was founded in 1873 by Truckson LaFrance and Alexander S. Diven in Summerville, South Carolina. The company focused primarily on the manufacture of fire engines, fire aerials, and emergency vehicles. It manufactured its first motor drive fire engine in 1907. In 2014, the company ceased operations. This 1924 Ladder Truck is on display in the White Building in the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington.
1934 Hahn HFD 90 Open-Cab Pumper
Hahn Fire Apparatus, also known as Hahn Motors, built fire engines and trucks from 1916 until 1989. This open-cab pumper is on display in the White Building in the LeMay Family Collection in Tacoma, Washington.
1947 Crosley CC 47 “Fire Engine”
This is on display at LeMay—America’s Car Museum in Tacoma.