Welcome to You Ask Andy

Charles Mihalik, age 12, of Vancouver, Wash., for his question:

WHEN WAS THE FIRST FIRE ENGINE USED?

Back in the 17th century the first fire engines appeared. They were simple tubs carried on runners, long poles or wheels. Water was then supplied to the fire site by bucket brigades where a corps of firefighters passed buckets from hand to hand.

The tub in this first fire engine functioned as a reservoir and sometimes housed a hand operated pump that forced water through a pipe or nozzle to waiting buckets.

The invention of a hand stitched leather hose pipe in the Netherlands about 1672 enabled firefighters to work closer to the fire without endangering their engines and to increase the accuracy of water placement. At about the same time the development of pumping devices made it possible to draw water from rivers and ponds.

In the 19th century copper rivets replaced the stitching on hoses and 50 foot lengths coupled with brass fittings enabled firefighters to convey water through narrow passages, up stairways and into buildings, while the pumps operated in the street.

The steam pump fire engine was introduced in London in 1829 while cotton covered rubber hose was developed around 1870.

Most of the early steam pumpers were equipped with reciprocating piston pumps, although a few rotary pumps were used. Some were self propelled but most used horses for propulsion, conserving steam pressure for the pump. Steam fire engines were used in fighting the Chicago fire of 1871. with the development of the internal combustion engine early in the 20th century, pumpers became motorized. Because of problems in adapting geared rotary gasoline engines to pumps, the first gasoline powered fire engines had two motors; one to drive the pump and the other to propel the vehicle. The first pumper using a single engine for pumping and propulsion was manufactured in the United States in 1907.

By 1925 the steam pumper had been completely replaced by motorized pumpers. The pumps were originally of the piston or reciprocating type, but these were gradually replaced by rotary pumps and finally by centrifugal pumps, used by most modern pumpers.

At the same time, the pumper acquired its main characteristics; a powerful pump that can supply water in a large range of volumes and pressures; several thousand feet of fire house with short lengths of large diameter hose for attachment to hydrants; and a water tank for the initial attack on a fire while firefighters connect the pump to hydrants and for areas where no water supply is available.

In rural areas, pumpers carry suction hose for drawing water from rivers and ponds.

Auxiliary engines today are equipped with specialized apparatus for fire extinguishing, rescue, ventilating buildings and salvage. Ladders capable of extension to 151 feet are carried on ladder trucks, as well as a variety of nozzles and nozzle tips.

Elevated platform trucks known as "snorkels" can raise firefighters and nozzles as high as 92 feet.

 

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