The Mechanicstown Fire Company, located in Middletown, New York, was founded on December 15, 1926, as the Mechanicstown Engine and Chemical Company Number One, Inc.
The name comes from the area covered and the type of fire apparatus that was popular at the time. The chemical engine was a fire apparatus with a fire pump and usually two tanks that were like a large chemical fire extinguisher.
In 1941, the fire company owned a 65-foot aerial, in 1951 acquired a Ford pumper, in 1966 acquired an 850-gallon tanker, and in 1967 purchased a 750-gallon Ford pumper. A John Bean pumper was purchased in 1975 and a 1,500-gallon tanker in 1976. The list of new apparatus goes on and on. Currently, the fire company owns a modern fleet from various manufacturers.
The Mechanicstown Fire Company is 100% volunteer with three paid mechanics operating out of two stations. Its response area consists of 16 square miles, comprising shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, and busy Routes 17 and 84 running through the area.
Commissioner Jay McClintock states that the fire company was in the process of replacing its 2002 100-foot tower. “The vehicle served us well,” he says, “but was beginning to give us a fair share of mechanical issues. We started planning for the replacement back in 2020 since we knew that with the present state of the apparatus industry, it was going to take us a few years to take delivery. We actually were lucky in it only taking two years after we chose a manufacturer for the tower to be delivered.”
The department decided to go through HGAC, which made it quicker because it did not have to go to bid. That said, the truck committee still looked at several manufacturers before deciding on Seagrave for the new rig. “We already had two Seagrave engines—a 2014 and a 2016—so we were familiar with the manufacturer; local dealer, Hudson Valley Fire Equipment; and the operation of the trucks themselves.”
1 The Mechanicstown Fire Company’s new Seagrave 95-foot Aerialscope. (Photos courtesy of Hudson Valley Fire Equipment.)
2 The driver’s side with saws, forcible entry tools, extinguishers, spare SCBA, and the chauffeur’s compartment.
3 The officer’s side compartments with fans, RIT equipment, pony lengths of 5-inch hose, and forcible entry tools.
4 The ground ladder storage and the straight-tip deluge gun.
5 The small compartment behind the driver carries a thermal imaging camera.
6 This area of the cab has portable lights and radio charging stations.
Seagrave Aerialscope Specs |
McClintock adds that the department used the same cab interior layouts, making it easier for its firefighters to operate. It also went with a flat roof. It decided not to spec a quint for the new rig. “This time around we didn’t go with a quint,” says McClintock. “Our response district has a great water supply with numerous hydrants, so the extra cost of having the aerial with a pump on it was a no-brainer.” The truck committee had the compartments set up the same way as the truck this new aerial replaced to help with familiarization.
As far as equipment, McClintock says the rig carries battery-powered fans, HURST Jaws of Life® eDRAULIC extrication tools, forcible entry tools, a RIT package, and ground ladders. “The truck was also designed with no prepiped air in the bucket,” he says, adding, “The bucket has a single straight-tip deluge gun with a prepiped waterway connected to the straight-tip deluge gun.”
The truck committee made two trips to the Seagrave plant, once for a preconstruction meeting and once for final inspection. “No changes had to be made during the build, and the construction went well all around,” says McClintock.
Hudson Valley Fire Equipment did all the tool mounting and had the vehicle lettered. “They were great to deal with in every aspect before and after the sale,” adds McClintock.
One feature Mechanicstown firefighters really like is the ability for the outriggers to self-level, which makes for a quicker setup time to put the boom in operation, McClintock states. “The short stance outriggers are also a plus for maneuvering around the response district with easier setup space,” he says, adding, “The truck will be used in our local area to respond to a lot of mutual-aid calls as well as operating in our own district.”
The Mechanicstown Fire Company decided to replace its 21-year-old tower that was having mechanical problems. Its truck committee researched what was presently being offered by the apparatus industry in the United States. It ultimately chose Seagrave because of previous purchases and familiarity—not only with the product but also the local Seagrave dealer. The fire company no longer needed a quint in its response district, so there is no pump, and the compartment layout provides ample space for tool storage and mounting and adequate storage for ground ladders.
The truck committee’s planning gave the fire company a highly functional vehicle that should serve its fire and response district well into the future.
BOB VACCARO has more than 40 years of fire service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer Park (NY) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, the New York Fire Patrol, and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-control consultant. He is a life member of the IAFC.
