Cape Cod Brush Breakers 2

A Special Feature

CAPE COD BRUSH BREAKERS

"A pictorial history of the unique forest firefighting apparatus"
By Britton Crosby
First Posted January 2001 - Re-released April 2014
(Updated April 2014)

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Page 4
Before Brush Breakers
1910s -1930s

HAND TO HAND COMBAT

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04 - Before Brush Breakers
                   Firefighting by Hand
                   1920s-1930s Fire Trucks
                   Early Patrol Trucks

FIREFIGHTING BY HAND

BEFORE THERE WERE MOTOR VEHICLES

Before there were motorized vehicles for firefighting, men would use whatever means was available to fight fires by hand. The use of water fire extinguishers, brooms, rakes, shovels, and other tools would be pressed into service when needed.

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Refilling hand held water extinguishers.

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Plymouth forest fire truck c.1930s.
(Plymouth FD collection)

PLYMOUTH ENGINE 6 1930s

This photo showing Plymouth Engine 6 in the 1930s carrying a supply of water fire extinguishers used for brush and grass fires. (Plymouth FD collection)

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1930 Forest Fire Truck from Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard

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Before brush breakers, pumpers and patrol trucks would make a stand along
a road or field to try to stop oncoming fires. Here, Hyannis's 1927 Ahrens
Fox and 1930 GMC wait, along with the 1938 Town patrol truck.

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Fire crosses Great Western Road in Dennis c.1930s.

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Early fire apparatus was equipped to battle brush and forest fires.
This Dennis fire truck has a large reel of forestry hose.

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This fire truck served Yarmouth.

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Town of Barnstable 1938 Ford Fire Patrol Truck.
The patrol truck was usually first to respond to brush and grass fires.
This had a 185 gallon water tank and 300' of 3/4" hose.
It is reported to have been one of the first apparatus with a two way radio.