OC Area News

Now for a break in the B-CC Rescue Wagon history comes some news from the Greater Ocean City area. As covered in recent artiles by Christine Cullen in Ocean City Today and by JoAnne Shriner in The Dispatch, the Ocean City FD received approval by the Mayor and City Council this week to move ahead with some new purchases. One proposed some 5 years ago will be for a fireboat possibly to be built by Moore Boats a local company (owned by the owner of Seacrets) as they were the lowest bidder. The other additions will be two new engines to replace Engines 2, 9 and 12 (specs below) each to be retired. The Ocean City FD recently completed its apparatus replacement schedule and plans to standardize the fleet and the equipment layout of each piece as well as reduce its size. (I have 8 engines at peak not including the parade piece)  Of course KME is the suggested builder so as to match the last two new additions going to Engines 4 & 16.  

E 2   '85/94 Pierce "Arrow", '98 ITE 1250gpm/750gwt

E 9   '85 Ford "F-700", Pierce 1000gpm/500gwt

E 12  '91 Spartan "Gladiator", Alexis 1750gpm/750gwt/40gft

In other news the Berlin FCo has received its new Tanker 6 a mammoth Spartan, "Gladiator" Rosenbauer 1500gpm/4500gwt. Pics of this are on the company website apparatus page. Farther west, the Sharptown FD in Wicomico County is about to replace Truck 14 with a new 101-foor rear mount tower quint 1500gpm/500gwt. This tandem rear axle rig is on a Spartan chassis with Rosenbauer's custom "Commander AT" cab. Pics can be seen on the DPC Emergency Equipment's Facebook page. Both the Ocean City Roster and the Lower Eastern Shore Roster (that includes Ocean City) have been updated on the storefront.

Rescue Wagons of B-CC RS

Here is a topic of great interest to me and I am sure many others. One I have managed to wrangle through at times even getting confused with the various wagons over the years. Hopfully I have it straight and welcome any input or additions. This is Part 1 of a series.

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (B-CC RS) serving Montgomery County Maryland has quite a history of rescue trucks over the years. This emergency ambulance and rescue service entity formed in 1937 as the Chevy Chase First Aid Corps based in Upper Northwest Washington DC. With the nation's entry into World War II, service was suspended as its members enlisted for military service promising to return after the war. They did just that in 1945, this time moving to Bethesda re-titling as the Bethesda-Chevy Chase First Aid Corps later Rescue Squad.



1947 photo from bccrs.org



Their first rescue truck went in service that year, an unknown make (maybe GMC) all red parcel van. Reported as an ex airport vehicle this as shown in the picture (photo dated 1947 from bccrs.org) had four spotlights and a loud speaker on the roof.

Photo from bccrs.org

In 1955 the squad adds its first "new" and rescue wagon. This is a stout looking all white, two-door GMC with unknown make about 10-foot half canopy covered compartmented body. In the photo at right it is seen backing into their Fairmont Avenue home previously of the short lived VFD of Bethesda. (not to be confused with the Bethesda FD a different and precedant entity).



Factory photo courtesy
Warren Jenkins



In 1962, comes an imposing looking two-door cab-over Mack "N". This is a Budd cab similar to the Ford "C" instead with a bulldog. It was matched to a Bruco three-quarter enclosed 16-foot walk-in compartmented body with driver's side entry door, (look closly under middle window) forward crew seats looking out windows over the cab plus three spotlights on each side in the step up area behind the enclosed section.  Designated Rescue 19 this replaced the GMC that reportedly went to Upper Darby Pennsylvania. It however proves problematic as soon after portions of the new Capital Beltway open with 65-75 mph speeds and the truck as I have been told was slow off the line.



From MIke Sanders collection



In 1964, the squad makes some changes adding a small four-door International "1700" with Baker one-third covered and compartmented utility body this as Rescue 18.



Robert Washburn photo
courtesy of Warren Jenkins



This light duty rescue is likely for interim use while Rescue 19 has it's Bruco body remounted matched with a two-door new '64 GMC "6000". This truck could "move" as I in spite of my youth at the time can attest. Sadly it's over cab windows were covered as the new cab is taller.

In part 2 we will cover the mammoth Kenworths that follow.

OCFD New Station 5

On the evening of May 3 at 7 pm the Ocean City FD occupied and placed the new West Ocean City Station 5 in service. This 19,000 square foot 5-bay "big house" replaces a much smaller and outgrown 1974 built building that sat on the same site at 10124 Kyser Point Road north of US 50. Assigned are Engine 1, Engine 8 (parade piece), Tanker 19, Tanker 20, Tower 5, Rescue 18, Air 13 and Canteen 25 plus Ambulance 5 a non-staffed reserve currently using Shop 7704. For more and to watch the video check out ocvfc.com. With these assignments it is certain other aspects of the fleet have changed (like the whereabouts of Engine 2) hence the rosters will get updated after a recon.

Rescue 4 on "The Hill"

The Snow Hill VFCo of Worcester County received ths past January a new Spartan Gladiator, 4-Guys 22-foot walk-around body rescue wagon with roll up doors. This replaces their well-used '88 International "S-1900" Salusbury to whereabouts as yet known. For pics, check out the Equipment section of their site at snowhillfire.com. As an FYI the Baltimore-Annapolis and DC MD Metro Rosters were recently updated on the strorefront. Lower Shore to be done next once the new aerial comes in at Sharptown.

New Works Now Available

Just loaded onto our storefront are two new history works. The History of Arlington County Virginia and its Fire Rescue Service also covering Reagan National Airport and Fort Myer and the History of Washington DC and its Fire Rescuie Service (part 2) 1871 to World War II also covering its applicable federal departments. Neither have photos added so anyone wishing to submit (must be credited to pixer) drop me an email.

In other news the Alexandria FD has in service two new daytime staffed medic units. Medic 213 and Medic 214 are kept at Stations 2 and 9 and are in service daytime only from 7 am to 6 pm. When in service both move westward covering as needed calls usually in station 6, 7 and 8's districts. Medic 213 covers Sunday to Wednesday with Medic 214 covering Wednesday to Saturday. BOTH are in serivce Wednesdays as front line units are in training. These new International, Hortons are painted in black over red livery a striking change for Alex.

PGFD Battalions Realigned Again

Just when we got over the October 2010 PGFD Battalion change it reverts back as per the newly appointed Acting Fire Chief. Effective February 13, 2011 the field battalion structure goes back to how it was. That means a return of the 7th in the South County and the 1st back to the Lower North County. Under Emergency Ops Command there remains a Shift Duty Officer plus Northern and Southern Division each with commander and operations commander. There is as well a new Technical Services Battalion under the Special Ops Command overseeing Haz-Mat, Tech Rescue and Water Rescue functions of Stations 12, 14, 16, 45, 47, 49, 56 57 & 58. This includes some unit relocations on January 30 when Haz-Mat 30 moved to 16, Haz-Mat Support 41 moved to 14. The battalion breakdown is as follows.

Northern Division
BC 881 Sta: 5, 6, 8, 30, 33, 37, 38, 46
BC 882 Sta: 16, 18, 19, 28, 39, 43, 48
BC 884 Sta: 1, 7, 9, 12, 13, 34, 44, 55
BC 886 Sta: 10, 11, 14, 31, 35, 41, 49

Southern Division
BC 883 Sta: 17, 23, 26, 27, 29
BC 885 Sta: 21, 24, 32, 42, 47
BC 887 Sta: 20, 25, 36, 40, 45

BC offices in stations underlined. It is beleievd these are daytime only BCs with volunteer chiefs to cover at night. Under the COG numbers the chiefs are designated in the 880s.

Update on the Updates

With all the recent updates and new additions to the storefronmt seems it was not "digesting" them. That has been remedied and the RR Storefront now shows all the latest works and features as it should. We have also just added a back by popular demand item the DC Firehouse Guide. This lists ALL the known firehouses in Washington DC including old vollie sheds and the various federal deprtaments. Under each is a list of assigned companies and units when they came and went. Stay tuned for a new roster covering the Eastern Shore of Virginia that is Accomack and Northampton Counties plus more history ebooks.