Fire Engine

For more than 300 years, firefighters have been dedicating their lives to battling the blazes that threaten the lives of citizens. In the early days of colonial America, the principal piece of firefighting equipment was the bucket, passed from hand to hand by volunteer men and women to deliver water to the fire before it spread to neighboring buildings, or worse, engulfed the whole town. They were known as the "bucket brigade." After a major fire in Boston in 1676, the city acquired a fire engine, the first in North America. Imported from England, the engine was entrusted to Thomas Atkins and his crew of 12 assistants. Thus was born the first public fire department. Since then, several inventions have enabled firefighters to intervene more effectively - and faster. Among them were the hosepipe (1672), pumpers (1808), the steam fire engine (1829), the aerial ladder (1868) and the motorized pumper (1906).

Your model includes the standard look and apparatus of the average fire engine now servicing most major North American cities. It features an elevated platform tower capable of rotating a full 360 degrees and a 75-foot (25 meter) aerial ladder. The height of the ladders may, however, vary from 55 to 135 feet (17 to 41 meters). Some are also equipped with fire hoses that can pump up to 2,000 gallons (9,092 liters) of water per minute. In order to withstand such pressure, fire engines require a rigid sub frame and anti- roll stabilizer devices to prevent them from caving in or overturning. Thanks to today's ultramodern equipment, firefighters can perform spectacular rescues. Despite this, fire prevention still remains the best protection.