Engine 1 (1920s)

Monday, January 1, 1923

Engine 1 – 1923 American LaFrance Pumper

Engine 1 is the department’s first motorized fire pumper and one of its most cherished and historically significant pieces of equipment. The apparatus is a 1923 American LaFrance, representing a major milestone in the department’s transition from horse-drawn equipment to motorized fire suppression.

Remarkably, Engine 1 remains fully operational more than a century after its purchase. In 2023, during the department’s 135th Anniversary Celebration, the engine performed a live pumping demonstration conducted by then–Chief Engineer Bobby Ayres. The apparatus pumped water and operated with the same reliability and performance it did when it first entered service nearly 100 years earlier.

As apparatus technology evolved, Engine 1 was removed from front-line service in 1956 and later sold to a private individual in New York, where it was restored and used for parades and special events. After several years, the owner decided to sell the apparatus and contacted the department, recognizing it as the original owner. Efforts to return Engine 1 home were led by George Mariner and Raymond Dryden, with the support of the fire company around 1982. The department successfully repurchased the engine for approximately $10,000, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Since its return, Engine 1 has been meticulously maintained, first by George Mariner and later by Bobby Ayres, who is widely recognized as the department’s expert caretaker of the apparatus. In recent years, Bobby successfully coordinated the replacement of the tires on the nearly 100-year-old engine, further preserving its operational integrity.

Engine 1 retains its original supply hose and what are believed to be the original nozzles, adding to its authenticity and historical value. The apparatus is transported using a dedicated trailer and continues to serve as a living symbol of the department’s heritage, pride, and long-standing commitment to preserving its history.

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