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CAPE COD BRUSH BREAKERS 

FIRE DEPARTMENT
Brush & Forest Fire Apparatus History
BARNSTABLE COUNTY
 

~ MASHPEE ~
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Page Updated March 20, 2022

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2A
2B
2C
2D
2E
2F
2G
2H
2I
2J
2K
2L
2M
2N
2O
 

M

MAP

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MASHPEE

1A

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Mashpee Engine 1 - 1943 (1930) Ford Model A 75/200 Fire Truck.
Originally Centerville-Osterville Fire Department Engine 3.
Mashpee Forest Warden acquired truck in 1943 as First Mashpee fire truck
before Fire Department was established in 1950.
Served in Mashpee and then in South Mashpee until about 1958.
 

This 1930 Ford Model A with a 75 gpm pump and 200 gallon tank was originally
Centerville-Osterville Engine 3.  It was bought by Mashpee in 1943 and was the
first fire truck in Mashpee operated by the forest warden even before the fire
department organized in 1950.  It then became Mashpee Engine 1 and served
until 1958.
 

1B

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Mashpee Engine 2 - 252 - 1950 Dodge/Robinson 500/800 Engine-Tanker
The first Mashpee Fire Truck after organization of Fire Department in 1950.
 

1C

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Mashpee Tank Truck 254
1939 GMC 200/850 Tanker owned by Lilly Family in Mashpee.
Available to town as needed, but not owned by town.
Shown at a fire on Great Oaks Road in August 1961. Fire started by Otis Boy Scouts.
County Breaker No.2  1958 C14 from West Barnstable filled by 1944 Sandwich Tanker 148.
 

Mashpee 1939 GMC Tank Truck 254 - Center - 200gpm, 850 gallons - Privately funded (Lilly?) at no cost to town
Shown at Great Oaks Rd fire Aug 1961 - Started by Otis Boy Scouts. Also showing County C14 West Barnstable breaker and Sandwich Tanker 148

1D

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Mashpee got the old 1942 Ford County Brush Breaker No.2 in June 1957.
The truck became the first Mashpee Brush Breaker. Mashpee would fix it up and make it their own.
It would serve until about 1977. The truck became known as "Geranimo"
 

1E

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Mashpee Engine 1 - 253 - 1957 International 4x4 / Maynard Brush Breaker.
750 gpm front pump/250 gpm Aux pump/750 gallons.
Operated as primary fire engine for years.
 

1F

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Mashpee Engine 5 - 255 - 1963 (1938) Maxim 500/1000 Pumper.
Originally served as Falmouth Engine 5 for 25 years.
Served Mashpee until 1970.
 

1G

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Mashpee Engine 4 - 254 - 1967 International 6x6/Thibault 250/1000 Brush Breaker
Known as one of the best performing brush breakers on Cape Cod for years.
Served 38 years until retiring in 2005.

1H

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Mashpee Engine 2 - 252 - 1980 GMC Top Kick/Emergency One 1000/2500 Engine-Tanker.
The first apparatus bought as Mashpee moved into their new fire station.
The tank was reduced to 2000 gallons in a 1992 refurbishing.
Served 40 years, retiring in 2020.
 

1I

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Mashpee Breaker 353 - 2001 (1971) AM General 6x6/V-Tech 250/500 Brush Breaker
This former military chassis Brush Breaker replaced the 1957 Brush Breaker 353
and served from 2001 until about 2014.

1J

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Mashpee Breaker 354 - 2005 International 6x6/Polymax 650/1000 Brush Breaker
This large brush breaker was built on an International 5600 (cement mixer quality) chassis.
It replaced the 1967 International Brush Breaker.
 

1K

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Mashpee Forestry 350 - 2012 (1986) Chevy Pickup Forestry Unit
Mashpee used this vehicle for a short time.

1L

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The 2001 (1971) Mashpee Breaker 353 went out of service in 2014.
The department went down to 1 brush breaker for the first time in many years.
The 250/500 skid unit was placed on a borrowed military chassis as a forestry unit.
It really never went fully into service and was taken out of service in 2016.
The skid unit was picked up by Harwich FD and went on to become Harwich F-71.

1M

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Mashpee Forestry 357 - 2015 Ford F550 4x4 / BFX 135/313/7 Forestry Truck.
This smaller forestry truck replaced the 2 military surplus vehicles and became a
primary forestry response unit.
 

1N

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Photo

2A

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Photo

Info

2B

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The 1950 Dodge Mashpee Engine 2
 

The Mashpee Fire Station on Route 130 near the intersection with Great Neck Road. Was originally the Town Hall. Became the fire station around 1950 when the Department was organized. The 1950 Dodge Engine 2 Tanker parked outside, next to a Pickup truck with a pump and tank, and the 1970 Ward LaFrance 1000 gpm Engine 5 - 255 on the left.
Late 1970s era photo.

August 1970 photo

2C

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No Additional Photos

 

2D

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Mashpee got the former Barnstable County 1942 Brush Breaker No.2 in June 1957.
It became Mashpee's first brush breaker. Considerable work was done to improve
the power, drive train, and added an improved push bar.
 

2E

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Newly delivered 1957 International/Maynard Mashpee Engine 1 Brush Breaker
 

The 1957 International/Maynard Mashpee Engine 1
Sept 1970 photo

The 1957 International/Maynard Mashpee Engine 1 operating with Sandwich apparatus
at a fire off Route 130 in Forestdale. The Mashpee breaker had a 750 gpm front mount
pump as well as a 250 gpm auxiliary for pump & roll. It had a 750 gallon tank.
Also shown in the Sandwich 1957 Ford/Maxim Engine 4 - 147 and the 1965 Dodge/Maynard Sandwich Breaker 143. A State patrol truck also in upper left.
 

Drill at old Town Hall.
Dec 1984

Breaker 253 making a run for potential spot fires as old Town Hall drill was well under way.

Mashpee moved into the new Fire Station on Frank Hicks Drive around 1980. Mashpee Engine 3 was still known as 253 on County radio.
Photo Feb 1986

Sometime in the early 1990s, Mashpee renumbered apparatus. Engine 253 became Engine 353, usually called Breaker 353.

Mashpee Breaker 353 at Otis
May 1997

The 1957 Breaker retired.
March 2001
 

2F

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Former Falmouth Engine 5 - 25 - 1938 Maxim came to Mashpee in 1963.
Designated Engine 5, it served as an Engine in Mashpee until about 1970.
 

August 1970 photo

2G

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Sept 70 Photo

Feb 1967 photo

Mashpee Engine 4 -254 - 1967 International/Thibault Brush Breaker
Feb 1986

Feb 1990

May 1997

March 2002

New paint job 2003

March 2003

Oct 2003

April 2005

Photo

2H

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Photo

2I

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Photo

2J

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Photo

2K

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Photo

2L

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Photo

2M

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Photo

2N

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Photo

A

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Photo

B

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Photo

MASHPEE BREAKER 250

In July 1957, the Mashpee Fire Department purchased the former County No.2.
The 1942 Ford became Mashpee's first brush breaker, designated "250"
It was locally known as "Geranamo"

The Mashpee breaker responded to many fires in town and across southeastern Massachusetts.

Mashpee 250 was retired in 1976 after serving 19 years with Mashpee and a total of 34 years
on the Cape. 

Later photo of 1942 Ford brush breaker at Mashpee with added bars and enhanced paint tob.

 
This 1930 Ford Model A with a 75 gpm pump and 200 gallon tank was originally
Centerville-Osterville Engine 3.  It was bought by Mashpee in 1943 and was the
first fire truck in Mashpee operated by the forest warden even before the fire
department organized in 1950.  It then became Mashpee Engine 1 and served
until 1958.


This 1950 Dodge 800 gallon pumper served as Mashpee Engine 2. 

Mashpee 1939 GMC Tank Truck 254 - Center - 200gpm, 850 gallons - Privately funded (Lilly?) at no cost to town
Shown at Great Oaks Rd fire Aug 1961 - Started by Otis Boy Scouts. Also showing County C14 West Barnstable breaker and Sandwich Tanker 148