Fire Engines Photos

Despite its many narrow streets and tight turns, Boston seems to get away with a fleet pf quite long tandem axle straight-frame ladders and towers, like this example. The city may have a few tillers, but I have never seen any of them, even in photos.

Added by Rob Johnson on 14 August 2014.

Boston has switched to KME, new engines, rear-mount aerials, and a aerial tower have been delivered this year, with more coming.
BFD has not had a tillered aerial since around 1989, the legendary Commish Leo Stapleton replaced all of BFD'S tillered aerials with E-ONE 110' rearmounts starting in 1984.
The last models in service were 1976 Seagrave 4-dr. cabs w/ 100' aerials, and 1973-74 Maxims with 100' aerials.

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 14 August 2014.

Thanks Warren. As usual, you are a diamond mine of information! Knowing Boston quite well, I admit to being surprised that Chief Stapleton got rid of all the tillers.

Added by Rob Johnson on 15 August 2014.

Commissioner Stapleton was not a traditionalist in apparatus matters.His 2nd book ("Commish", 1990)went into detail on the situation he inherited in early 1984 when he assumed command; i.e. 50% of the BFD's apparatus classified in poor condition and also a cutback in manpower. Stapleton had a limited replacement budget, so he desired a fleet of compact, standardized rigs, he also enforced delivery clauses and extended warranties from manufacturers.
I speculate he may have been influenced by Chicago FD, since a visit to CFD is mentioned in the book during this process. CFD had already begun replacing their tiller fleet with E-1 rearmounts.
The BFD had 93% of its 1st-line rigs replaced by 1990, and only 1 Sutphen quint remained on the otherwise 100% E-ONE BFD 1st line roster by 1994.
Are you familiar with Commissioner Stapleton's writing career?

Added by Warren W. Jenkins on 29 August 2014.

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