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 7
Early State Forestry Fire Apparatus
1930s - 1940s
STATE FOREST FIRE TRUCKS
- 1939
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| 07 - Early State Forest Fire Apparatus - 1930s State Patrol Truck 1938 Ford COEs 1939 Brush Breaker 25 |
| STATE FIRE TRUCKS |
| This Mass. State Forester fire
apparatus was probably horse drawn from the late 1800s or early
1900s before motorized apparatus. It carried a number of water
fire extinguishers, containers used to refill the extinguishers,
some lamps, and probably other tools.
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| MASS. STATE FORESTER |
| This Mass. State Forester fire
apparatus was probably horse drawn from the late 1800s or early
1900s before motorized apparatus. It carried a number of water
fire extinguishers, containers used to refill the extinguishers,
some lamps, and probably other tools.
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This photo shows a Massachusetts Department of Conservation truck
c.1920s
drafting water from a bridge. This would have been one of the early forest fire
trucks
operated by the state to assist communities, some of which had little for fire
equipment at the time.
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STATE FIRE TRUCKS
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Forest Fire Services
operated a number
of these 1939 Ford 1-1/2 ton cab over fire trucks.
Each truck had a 400 gallon
water tank and a PTO pump, and carried about 2000' of hose.
The Sandwich
truck remained in service until 1966.
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BOURNE FIRE STATION
Several of the State trucks were assigned to the Cape area.
One in Brewster
at the state forest, one in Sandwich, and one on the Vineyard. The
Sandwich
truck was later stationed at the Buzzards Bay Fire Station c.1941. (above).
State fire truck can be seen on the left.
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STATE FIRE TRUCK
One of the 1939 era Massachusetts Department of Conservation fire trucks
at the Roland C. Nickerson State Forest in Brewster.
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1939 State Forest Fire Truck at Pocasset (Bourne) Fire Station.
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One of the former State 1939 Ford 1-1/2 ton forest fire trucks.turned up in the
1990s
and it was hoped that the vehicle could be refurbished. It did not turn
out that way.
These photos taken at Shawme Crowell State Park.
This 1939 Ford Forestry Truck was recently salvaged and
brought to
Shawme Crowell State Park to be refurbished.
A number of these 1939 style Ford fire trucks apparently served
across the state.
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| STATE BREAKER 25 |
| A one of a kind, 1939 Ford brush
breaker built by Robinson Boiler Works in Cambridge had a 1000
gallon water tank. It was designated Truck 25 and was assigned to
the Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth. The heavy duty
vehicle actually had a patent with the federal government for its
design.
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| STATE BREAKER 25 |
| The 1939 Ford brush breaker Truck
25 from Myles Standish State Forest is shown in the movie of the
1946 Cape Cod forest fire that burned 15,000 acres in Bourne and
Sandwich. These still shots from the movie show the breaker entering
and operating in the woods. This breaker had a front similar to the
Barnstable County No.1 and No.2 brush breakers, but this truck had
the conventional style truck rather than the Cab Over Engine design.
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| MODEL 25 |
| This scale model of the 1939 Ford
State brush breaker 25 assigned to Myles Standish State forest was
built by Charles
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Massachusetts Department of Conservation forest fire
patrolman Henry Perry
patrolled the lower Cape from the 1920s to 1950s. His last patrol truck was
this 1942 Chevy.
The state has maintained fire protection and fire patrols on Cape Cod since
the 1920s.
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