2013 DelMarVa Parade

 

Photo by Rusty

Saturday May 4 visited Parksley, VA for the 84th annual Del-Mar-Va Association Convention Parade. This is the 13th time it has been held in this Accomack County town. Some highlights: Parksley VFCo's latest addition a 2013 Pierce "Velocity" 2000/1000 as Engine 7-3.  

Photo by Rusty

Photo by Rusty

Tower 9 from the Onancock VFD is this 2012 Pierce "Arrow XT" 100' that like the previous engine saw much action over the last few months in the areas rash of arson fires. 

Photo by Rusty

Another veteran of the recent rash of fires is Rescue Engine 8 of the Tasley VFD is this 1996 Pierce "Lance" 1250/500/40 previously ran with Ashburn Co 6 in Loudoun County VA. 

From the Greenbackville VFD is the latest  Truck 2 their 2012 Pierce "Saber" 1500/500 75' rear mount placed in service this past February. This like their tanker and ambo are painted in the unique slate grey over red scheme.

Photo by Rusty

Photo by Rusty

The Rescue Fire Co of Cambridge MD brought Haz-Mat 1-1, their 2007 Freightliner, Hackney. 

The Ocean City FD brought their long serving 1983 Pierce "Arrow" 1500/200 with 1965 Pitman 85' Snorkel. Known as Snorkel 7-5, this previously ran as Snorkel 11 now shop 711 and will be replaced soon. The boom was previously on a '65 Ford "C-950" that became recently retired Engine Tanker 1501 with the Allen VFCo in Wicomico County, MD. 

Photo by Rusty

Photo by Rusty

Another glad to see was this 1975 Hahn 1250/1000 Engine 51-5 from the Hartley VFCo in Kent County DE. 





The not too distant Bowers FCo brought Quint 40 their uniquely painted 2009 Ferrara "Intruder II" 2000/400 with 75' rear mount. 

Photo by Brandon

Photo by Brandon

Last serving the Millsboro VFCo of Sussex County DE, this 1982 Ford "C-8000", E-One 1250/500 with Tele-Squrt is now Ladder 6 of the Bloxom VFCo of Accomack County. Their only other engine is a 1986 Pierce "Arrow" previously of Selbyville DE. 

One surprise attendee is this 2009 International, Horton A122 of the Ocean Park VFR in Virginia Beach VA.

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.

New Roster Added

In our ongoing effort we have just added to the RR Storefront a new roster. This is for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland covering Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties. Yes that includes Salisbury and Ocean City. We will likely keep the individual Ocean City Roster available as well. To order and download right now visit our RR Storefront. Stay tuned to this site for more to follow.

Lower Shore Station News

Here's some local goings on that have been sitting in my 'to do' box far too long. Back in May, the Ocean City FD vacated Station 5. That is their West Ocean City house on Kyser Point Road north of US 50. Opened in 1974, this metal building with brick facade was expanded in 1991. The assigned engine and probably one of the tankers are next door at the Public Works Yard. The truck, other tanker and possibly reserve ambulance and boat are at Trimper's warehouse reportedly somewhere off Route 611 near the Ocean City Harbor area.

The vacated firehouse was subsequently razed. Construction is currently underway to build a new and much larger 5-bay station on site. This will certainly be far more accommodating of assigned units and the many volunteers running out of this house. This general area is where most of the OCFD's membership live and there has long been talk of a sort of alternate Headquarters here. Of course during the transition period when the OCVFCo merged with he OCDES and became the OCFD, the volunteers threatened at one point to leave the island (Stations 1-4 to the city) setting up from this location.

In other news just to the west in Wicomico County, the Parsonsburg VFCo Station 6 is about to move to its new more accommodating digs just east of the previous on Route 346 east of Parsonsburg Road. This 6-bay metal building has two drive through bays on left plus a large community hall at rear. Expected to open soon, this replaces their outdated circa 1927 facility they have so long occupied. For more on this, log onto parsonsburgfire.com.

Continuing west into Dorchester County, it seems the East New Market VFD Station 21 is also moving soon to a new 5-bay metal station. This replaces their much smaller 1948 occupied brick building at 101 Main Street at Railroad Avenue. That building was previously Neighbors Tavern, People's Service Station and originally Millenson's Department Store built about 1913 or 14. The location of the new house is as yet confirmed, believed to be south of town along Route 392. More to follow on this one. For info log onto eastnewmarketvfd.com.