By Mike Sanders – mnsand@visuallink.com

I will admit to vafirenews.com readers that this column of “Back in Time” is a teaser article of sorts.  We are going back in time to Henrico County in this edition.  Why a teaser?  I want to encourage our readers to consider purchasing a fire department history book that will be published in 2011.  “See You at the Big One – A History Of  The Henrico County, VA Division Of Fire” is scheduled to be published this year and pre-orders are now being taken through March 15^th.

As one who has authored and co-authored two Virginia fire department books, the history that is found and saved through fire department books for many to enjoy is tremendous.  If you are interested in pre-ordering the Henrico County history book, you must call 1 -888-263-4702 or www.mtpublishing.com.  The hardbound cover standard edition is $37.50 and a leather edition is also available at $74.00.  I understand that the Henrico book will have approximately 160 pages with black/white and color photographs.  Just so folks know, I am not involved in the publishing or sale of this book.  I have offered the book committee some apparatus photographs to use for the book if they choose.  If you have questions about the Henrico County book, please contact Fred Taylor at taylorexfire@yahoo.com

Although the Henrico book will be a department history book that covers all aspects of the fire department, please allow me to whet your appetite of some Henrico County fire apparatus that are no longer in service.  Although these are not the early antiques that ran in Henrico, they do represent a time period of unique and interesting fire trucks once in service in Henrico.

Engine 7 was photographed in 1972 and is a 1964 International VCO206A built by Oren. It was equipped with a 1000 gallon per minute pump and carried 500 gallons. Henrico purchased four similar trucks during 1964. Two had 1000 gallon per minute pumps and two had 750 gpm pumps.

Engine 2, as photographed in 1978, was this nice 1968 Duplex/Oren 1000 gallon per minute equipped with a 500 gallon tank. I had the opportunity to photograph this truck in 1988, after it had a refurbishment in 1985 which included the repainting of the engine to Henrico’s current lime and white.

Engine 2, 1968 Duplex/Oren 1000 gallon in 1988 after being painted to lime green and white.

A beautiful 1962 International/Oren/Grove 100’ ladder truck once ran as Truck 1, the first truck company within Henrico County. This ladder truck originally had a single rear axle. It was later modified with tandem axles and revised compartments, as photographed here. It later served at South Boston, Virginia, as shown below.

The 1962 International/Oren/Grove 100’ ladder truck in South Boston

Tanker 4 was a rare tractor trailer tanker in Virginia. A 1954 International pulling 6,000 gallons of water.

In my opinion, one of the more unique fire trucks that was once in service in Virginia was Task Force 1, a 1970 Duplex/Oren equipped with a 1000 gallon per minute pump, 600 gallons of water, 100 gallons of foam, 300 gallons of light water, and two 300 pound dry chemical tanks. Task Force 1 was always accompanied by Aerial 2, a 1964 Snorkel that made up the Task Force duo.

Finally, Brush 4 is a 1974 Jeep equipped with a 100 gallon tank that is owned by Old Dominion Historical Fire Society (ODHFS) member Bill Jones. In addition to the Jeep, Bill owns nine other old Henrico County fire apparatus. His collection includes a 1962 International/Bean high pressure engine (Station 5), the 1962 International ladder truck as described above, a 1966 Oren engine from Station 8, a 1974 International/Gerstenslager (the county’s first HAZMAT), two 1974 Ford C/Oren engines, a 1981 Chevrolet S20 pick truck that has components from the Task Force 1 engine, a Ford F/Pierce mini pumper from Station 5, and a 1940’s foam generator trailer. Bill has quite a collection and is preserving Henrico’s apparatus history.

If you have any additional information pertaining to the photographs posted, please post or email me at mnsand@visuallink.com.

If you have an interest in antique fire apparatus, please consider joining the Old Dominion Historical Fire Society and get a first-hand look at the antique trucks owned by Virginia members.  The ODHFS web site is a wealth of information and worth checking out at www.odhfs.org.

As I have mentioned in previous columns, “Going Back in Time” is possible because early fire truck enthusiasts like Robert Kimball and William Schilling photographed and shared their collection of Virginia fire trucks.  I hope you enjoyed the photographs of the Henrico County apparatus, and please consider purchasing the Henrico County history book and becoming a member of ODHFS.