Old Montgomery & PG County Pics

Burtonsville VFD Station in 1955. Photo by Martin Best.

Some great 1950s and 60s pics of Montgomery & P.G. County have been posted on Rusty's Rosters Facebook page. 

These include stations and incidents of a by-gone era. Please go and "Like" the page. The link is facebook.com/pages/Rustys-Rosters/119074768163990. 

Plans are to add more of these over time so check back here and on the Facebook page. Feel free to comment and or add info on what you see.

UPDATES

Fairfax County Station 25 Reston

Arlington County Station 5 Crystal City

Just uploaded to our storefront are updates for the following. The Baltimore Annapolis Roster -a few changes especially in Baltimore County. The NoVa Metro Roster -some new ambulances in Fairfax County. History of Aerial Trucks in Fairfax County -brought current with the latest Tower 436. DC-MD Metro Roster update to follow soon with new Montgomery ambulance assignments plus various updates for DC.

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.

New & Updated Rosters

This is to let everyone know we have updated the DC Maryland Metro Roster as well as added the Southern Maryland Roster. Other updates (Baltimore Annapolis, NoVa Metro) and new releases (DC History, Arlington County VA History plus Lower Delmarva Roster) are to follow so stay tuned. Log onto the RR Storefront or check back here.

New Station Openings

The Washington DC suburbs are seeing a rash of new station openings. In Montgomery County Maryland, Station 34 opened on September 11 in the East Germantown Area. Known as the Milestone Station it is located at 20633 Boland Farm Rd off Route 355. Boland Farm is actually the old Route 118. Assigned is Engine 734 one of the many new Spartan Crimsons, a new Ambulance 734 plus Truck 734 currently from reserve. The rumor mill has either Tower 729 or the recently deactivated Truck 712 TDA going there. Soon to open is the rebuilt Takoma Park Station 2 still at 7201 Carroll Ave. This has a new and larger 3-bay apparatus room seperating the living sections that have used some of stone taken from Sligo Creek for the original 1928 castle-like station. In addition to Engine and Ambulance 702 living in a nearby temporary facility, this will likely bring back Truck 702 eliminating Truck 716 that replaced Truck 712 in July. It is uncertain if we'll see a return of Truck 701 so stay tuned.

In Prince George's County, Tuxedo-Cheverly Station 22 closed at the end of August to be replaced by the new Saint Josephs Station 6. Located at 2901 Saint Josephs Drive at Ardmore-Ardwick Road in Sprindale this was scheduled to open on August 29. The dedication ceremony took place August 31 with Reserve Engine 22 as the new Engine 806, joined by the re-assigned Rescue Squad and Technical Rescue plus Ambulance 806 and Battalion 801 (now 802). Issues with the building prevented it from actually going in service with the displaced units from Station 22 placed at nearby stations. Station 6 formally went in service on October 26. Station 22 will return to service by next spring with an engine or the quint and an ambulance. Stay tuned on this one.

To the south in Prince William County Virginia the new River Oaks Station 23 also opened September 11 at 16530 River Ridge Blvd east of US 1. Not too far from Potomac High School this, a No 3 substation of the Dumfries-Triangle VFD and Dumfries-Triangle RS, splits the gap between Station 3 and Station 12. It is assigned Engine 523 using what was Engine 503B plus one of the ambulances from Station 3 EMS.

In Washington DC, plans to renovate the circa 1916 built Cleveland Park firehouse on Connecticut Ave & Porter St NW were accelerated when issues were found necessitating its closure.  On November 9, Engine 28 and Truck 14 moved north to Engine 31's with Ambulance 28 east to Engine 21's. Renovation plans have reportedly been approved but no bids solicited.


For updated station apparatus rosters covering most of the above new stations (one for Prince Wiliam is in the works) go to Rustys Rosters Storefront or click on the links list at right.