Where's the fire (truck)

 I have not seen much in the way of fire apparatus recently, so here is what little I have been able to catch.

My recent road trip to northern mainland Nova Scotia turned up the well maintained units of the Abercrombie Volunteer Fire Department in Pictou County. (see previous post).

Engine 1 runs this 2012 International 4400 crew cab built by Metalfab of Centreville, NB. It has a 1250 gpm pump with an 860 gallon tank. The centre mounted pump panel has good all round visibility for the operator.

 Abercrombie's Rescue 1 runs a 2003 Freightliner FL70 with a walk-in body by Lantz Truck Body Ltd of Port Williams. NS.

Due to the position of the Rescue rig, I was not able to get a photo of the Department's 2018 Kenworth 1600 gallon tanker.

Speaking of rescues, I saw this Halifax unit the other day. As a spare, it does not see much service anymore, but is obviously kept in operating condition.

Built by Metalfab on a 1997 Freightliner FL80 chassis, it was assigned as a Rescue to the old Prospect Road + District VFD (the label is still visible!). It was part of the many VFDs that came under the control of the Halifax Regional Municipality Fire + Emergency Services formed as part of the municipal amalgamation of 1997. As such it was among the original apparatus of the new service and was assigned roster number 97-257R. It was then Rescue 52 and later Tactical 52 and is now designated for Tactical Support. 

Another Metalfab built rescue of similar vintage and also built on a Freightliner FL80 chassis is Tactical Support unit 97-98TS carrying the "Rescue 3" label. Built in 1997 for the Lower Sackville VFD it is also an original member of the HRMF+ES acquired in the 1997 amalgamation. It is based at Station 3, West Street, the main station on the Halifax peninsula.

(The current Halifax Regional Municipality Fire + Emergency Services was founded in 1996, but can trace its roots to the Union Fire Club of 1754* - the oldest fire service in Canada. It now has 51 fire stations and more than 120 pieces of front line apparatus. See * below)

Station 3 known as "West Street", after its location, is the main station on the Halifax peninsula and provides back-up to the three other, smaller, stations in addition to serving the central zone. It is the base for Engine 3, which runs 17-585 E, a 2017 Spartan ERV Metro Star with a 1250 gpm pump and 625 gallon water tank. 

 Aerial 3, also based at West Street, runs a 2020 Pierce Arrow PAXT 5700, with a 1750 gpm pump,  250 gallon tank and a 100 foot mid-mount platform aerial.

* A careful examination of the photos will show that two of the units display a door badge with "Est. 1754" and one with "Est 1996". 

 

A recent structure fire near my house brought out Aerial 3 and a pair of engine companies:

One Engine Company was running unit 11-529 E, a Carl Thibault pumper built on a Spartan Metro Star chassis. A spare unit, it is the former E3 and has a 1250 gpm pump with a 500 gallon tank.

 

Another engine company was running a sister unit, 11-528E, the former E-2, and now also a spare. 

Front line equipment may have responded to an earlier call in another neighbourhood, whicjh may explain the presence of these spare units. 

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