1957 International S-140 Brush Truck / Squad
Engine 4 (1957), Engine 34 (1960), Squad 35 (1966), Brush 35 (1970)
This unit was ordered in 1957 from F.L. Anderson Company of Baltimore. The chassis was purchased from Hopkins Motors in Bel Air and the body and pump were completed by F.L. Anderson and Weimer Bodies of Baltimore. The unit was delivered to Bel Air in August of 1957 and during inspection it was noticed that it took a lot of RPM’s to pump 100 PSI. It was discovered that the pump was turning the wrong way, so the unit was sent back to F.L. Anderson to have the pump installed correctly.
The unit was originally designed as a small attack and brush truck pumper. It was a 1 ton 4 wheel drive chassis with a 6 cylinder engine and 5 speed transmission. The pumper had a HALE PTO driven 150 GPM pump and a 225 gallon booster tank. It had twin booster reels mounted high behind the cab. Each reel carried 200 feet of 1 inch booster hose with Hardy nozzles. The pumper also carries one 150 foot preconnected 1 ½ hose line with a 50 GPM fog nozzle. Besides the standard tools such as axes, hooks, pry bars and Indian tanks, it also carried a custom made 22 foot 3 section aluminum extension ladder.
Its first alarm was on August 16, 1957 for a field and woods fire on the Kennert property located off of Shucks Road.
After a time, it was decided to modify the unit to modify the body and equip it as a squad type vehicle also. F.L. Anderson again did the work and added a compartment to the right side of the body that would carry a 10 ton Port-A-Power. The unit was also equipped with more rescue type tools.
In July of 1960 the unit started responding with the ambulance on all personal injury accidents. This unit was removed from attack pumper status in January of 1968 and continued to serve the fire company as a “mini-rescue” until 1970, when the 1967 Seagrave pumper was outfitted as a squad with more rescue tools. The unit continued to serve as a brush unit until February of 1971, when the new 1971 International brush truck was placed in service.
The unit responded to its last alarm on November 28, 1970 for a report of leaves on fire at 128 McCormick Street in Bel Air. The unit had been sold to ACME Signs of Bel Air in July of 1970 with the understanding that they would not get possession until the new brush unit arrived. They took possession of the unit in March of 1971.