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| From Jeff Mogush. |
Back again with our continuation of the rescue truck history for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. By 1970, the area had seen much growth and enjoyed plenty of traffic. Auto wrecks (called then PIAs) and fires were not at all uncommon. To meet the next generation of rescue and fireground support needs B-CC RS receives in 1971 a most imposing looking squad wagon. A mammoth especially for the time (my jaw dropped on first view) this two-door cab-over new '71 Kenworth has a Swab Wagon Co 19-foot three-quarter enclosed rear access walk-in body. It has 4 large (probably Krouse Heines) spotlights on each side behind the enclosed body. Designated Rescue 19 this comes to be called the "Great White Whale". The GMC, Bruco becomes Rescue 18 a second-out with the International, Baker as Rescue 17. This is used mostly for pedestrian struck calls or those not requiring such an assortment of resources.
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| From Mike Sanders |
In 1973, Rescue 18, gets a new three-quarter enclosed 16-foot Swab rear access walk-in body replacing the over 10 year old Bruco. Rescue 17 is retired going south to the Warrenton Rescue Squad in Fauquier County Virginia. (This I recently confirmed this thanks to Mike Sanders)
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| From Mike Sanders |
In 1983, B-CC adds another two-door cab-over new '82 Kenworth this with '83 Saulsbury 21-foot fully enclosed rear walk-in body. This becomes the latest Rescue 19 the '71 model as Rescue 18, the '64 GMC, '73 Swab retired.
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| From Warren Jenkins |
In about mid 1986, Rescue 18's '71 Kenworth, Swab the "Great White Whale" goes out for a glider rebuild. With the '82/'83 down the squad runs in the interim a two-door, cab-over '61 GMC "L-5500", with H&H 15-foot three quarter enclosed rear access walk-in body that previously served Waldwick New Jersey. This winds up later at Sudlersville in Queen Annes County.
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| From Mike Sanders |
By years end Rescue 18 returns now a matching two-door cab-over '86 Kenworth with Saulsbury 21-foot fully enclosed rear walk-in body. One of the few remnants of the '71 "Great White Whale" is the generator. This one also has an automatic transmission. The two are very similar the newer one with square headlamps, small glass "window" in cab door and lacking company emblem one the front body as the only tell tales.
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| From John Floyd |
In fall 1992, Rescue 18 the newer '86 Kenworth, Saulsbury is wrecked and sent to Saulsbury for repair and quick rehab. In December 1994, the latest generation of rescue wagon comes to B-CC a two-door, cab-over new Simon-Duplex "D-9400" with Saulsbury 20-foot cab access partial walk-in otherwise walk-around body designated Rescue Squad 19. This has a lower forward cab area and overal less imposing look as the previous Kenworths.
In mid 1995 the replaced '82 Kenworth, '83 Saulsbury of Rescue Squad 19 goes to the County Department of Fire Rescue (DFR) for use as a reserve. To improve drive-ability, its 19-speed manual transmission is replaced with an automatic.
In spring of 2001, the County Reserve '82 Kenworth with '83 Saulsbury body overturns on Route 118 while running as Rescue Squad 291 in Germantown. Badly damaged it goes finally out for a glider rehab late the next year.
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| From Rusty |
In spring 2003, B-CC adds a two-door cab-over new Spartan "Gladiator", with Saulsbury 20-foot walk-around body this for Rescue Squad 18 that is over 15 years old.
As a side note in early 2004, the wrecked '82 Kenworth, '83 Saulsbury County Reserve returns the body rehabbed and matched to a four-door new '03 Spartan Gladiator still used as a County DFR reserve. With the county's adherance to the Metropoitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) new unit numbering system, the newer Rescue Squad 18 became 741 (alpha -silent) and 18 became 741Bravo.
In 2011, B-CC RS expects its latest rescue wagon a tandem rear axle, raised four-door new Spartan "Gladiator" with Rescue 1 enclosed rear access 24-foot walk-in body. With the COG designation this will be Rescue Squad 741 replacing Simon-Duplex, the Spartan, as 741Bravo.
Readers feel free to add comments or insights. Maybe in the future a similar work will cover other area squads like Wheaton and Laurel. Anyone with photos especially of older squads please contact us. Also check out the B-CC Blog covering incidents in the greater Bethesda Chevy Chase area.
