Halifax Explosion - 95th anniversary and Memorial

When two ships collided in Halifax Harbour on December 6, 1917, one ship caught fire. Halifax firefighters responded, but before they were able to extinguish the blaze, the ship Mont Blanc and its cargo of explosives and ammunition created what has been called the greatest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb. Nine firefighters died, along with  more than one thousand civilians and military personnel. The north end of the city was flattened,  leaving many thousands homeless and injured.(1)
Today, marking the 95th anniversary of that tragedy, there will be many civic ceremonies, one of which will take place at Halifax Regional Municipality Fire and Emergency Services, Station 4. In front of the station is the memorial stone which gives the names of the nine men killed in the explosion.
Just before the service this morning the Fire Department lined up some of its vehicles:

1. Station 4, with the granite memorial stone, just behind the flagpole. Unit 07-414U is a Dodge Dakota crew cab, classed as a Utility vehicle.

2. Veteran Thibault, carrying Number 1 (its official roster number is 76-11A)  was a long time front line engine. It has now been beautifully restored for ceremonial duty.

3. Roster number 34-04A is a Bickle engine, carefully preserved, and named "Queen" after its marathon duty fighting the Queen Hotel fire. (2)

4. Engine 4 is one of the latest series of rescue pumpers. 11-530E was built by Carl Thibault on a Spartan Metro Star chassis. It has a 1250 gpm pump and 500 gal tank, and is based at Station 4. 

(1) For a brief summary of the Halifax Explosion and Memorial Services, see: http://www.halifax.ca/halifaxexplosion/index.html
(2) For more on the Queen Hotel fire see: http://www.halifax.ca/archives/QueenHotelFire.html

More Valley Fire Apparatus

A visit to the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department revealed the answer to the riddle in the last posting, but a photo will have to wait for another time. The 1935 Chevrolet/Bickle, purchased new by the KVFD has been restored for parade duty, and is still in working order. It is housed in its own tiny bay, adjacent to the department's museum The latter included many interesting artifacts, including a couple of hose reel had carts and many photos and other memorabilia.
1. Ready to roll for a parade is the restored Chevrolet Bickle pumper.
In the apparatus bays the current operating units are at the ready-and an impressive lot they are:

2. Pumper No.7 is a 1050 gpm, 1990 Pierce Lance, built under license by Superior. (Superior was taken over by E-One in 1992, renamed E-One Canada in 2003 and closed in 2006. The "Superior" script over the rad was lost when E-One took over, as were the licensing agreements with Pierce and Smeal.)

3. Rescue No.4 is 2006 E-One.

4.Pumper No.3 is a 2000 Superior, 1500 gpm.

5. This International chassis tanker is in front line service.

6. A classic R model Mack dating from 1977, is the back-up tanker.

7. Ladder No.1 is this impressive E-One.

8. Newest unit in the fleet is this 2010 Pierce Velocity, 1750 gpm pumper. It has an enclosed operator's station amidships.

Kentville, Nova Scotia - worth a visit.

.