The Beginning of Engine 1's Service.....as Hose 1

Sometime in 1962 the Manchester, NH Fire Department placed two new and identical trucks in service, one as "Hose 1" and one as "Hose 4" (I have no idea where Hose 2 and Hose 3 are, if the even existed). Hose 1 is the truck that I own and is obviously the subject of this blog. These trucks were in service as hose carrying trucks only...they were to see no "frontline" service as engines. Most of the time, the hose wagon would be driven to the fire scene, offloaded, and then parked until it was time to pick the hose back up. Not much of a dignified job if you ask me, but an important one none the less. Hose 1 was equipped with two booster reels carrying 1" solid rubber hose, a 300 GPM rotary gear pump, 1- 1 1/2" discharge on the passenger side, 1- 2 1/2" pump intake on the passenger side, 4- 2 1/2" and 2- 1 1/2" intakes for the deck gun, a full complement of hose and tools, and a single SCBA (air tank) for the firefighters. There were orignally no ladders on the truck as the MFD's ladders took care of that function.

Upon arrival in the City of Manchester, Hose 1 was assigned to MFD Engine 1 (which at the time was a 1943 Mack) in the Vine Street Central Station until the station was torn down in 1971 when the new Merrimack Street Central Station was opened in January. Hose 1 was not to be Hose 1 for much longer after that date. In February 1971 Hose 1 was replaced by a '71 IHC/Howe and renamed Hose 4 (whatever happened to Hose 4 remains a mystery. Was it in an accident and destroyed?).

After being reassigned as Hose 4, the truck left the Central Station and was moved into quarters with Engine 6. Engine 6 was located on the West Side of Manchester at the corners of Amory and Rimmon Street. Below is a map of all the stations the truck served in.

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More to Follow! Next post we'll cover the history of the Vine Street, Merrimack Street, and Amory Street stations.

Josh