Engine 5 (1950s)

Engine 5 – 1954 Ward LaFrance

In 1954, the department placed into service Engine 5, a Ward LaFrance fire engine equipped with a 750 GPM fire pump and a 750-gallon water tank. The apparatus represented a significant upgrade in both pumping capacity and onboard water supply, strengthening the department’s fire suppression capabilities during the post-war period.

Based on available photographs and historical accounts, Engine 5 likely featured an open cab with a windshield and was equipped with twin side-mounted hard suction sleeves, allowing for efficient drafting from static water sources. The engine was outfitted with a third-stage pump, making it particularly effective for woods and brush fire operations, where higher pressure and drafting capability were critical.

Engine 5 served the department reliably for two decades and remained in active service until 1974, when it was retired and replaced as newer apparatus entered the fleet.

Although some technical details have been lost over time, the 1954 American LaFrance Engine 5 remains an important part of the department’s apparatus history, reflecting a period when engines were designed to handle both structural firefighting and rural water supply challenges.

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