In the pilot movie at the tunnel, we see a white Long Beach Civil Defence truck. This is based on a retired Seagrave pumper unit.
In "Publicity Hound" the boys respond to a little girl stuck in a hole in a construction site. Fired up for assistance in the rescue is a yellow Gradall. The G80 Gradall was built by Warner and Swasey, and featured a boom that rotated 270 degrees left and right on a rotary rack and pinion. This made for very flexible movements of the bucket. The Gradall was made for light to medium duty digging for trench work. The Gradall was also used for landscaping and levelling. It could be found in many civic departments, and many highway departments had them. It was fully self-propelled as the equipment can be moved from the operator cab (it had controls to move the truck carrier fitted in the rear operator cab). The Gradall’s grader unit was powered by a small Detroit Diesel engine such as the 6V71.
Tanker 44
In one of the more major brush fires Station 51 attends to, Mike Stoker reports to Captain Stanley that Tanker 44 has arrived. We see just a glimpse of the forward cab of the tanker. She was a 1967-1969 Dodge CNT series conventional.
Tractor Carrier ("Brushfire")
In "Brushfire", one of the stock segments features a truck carrying a tractor. This is an International 4000 Transtar, which has a large split windshield. The 4200 superseded the 4000 series and 4300 series, which then gave way to the Navistar Eagle which can be seen on the road today.
Old and new equipment come and meets in the movie "The Convention". At the laboratory fire, a yellow old timer arrives on scene. This is a really old White 1000 cab over, a relic of the 1950’s with her well-rounded face. The White 1000 was used for milk and local delivery. Behind her is a water wagon based on a Peterbilt 359 Conventional Cab and Chassis.
Late model Crowns and American LaFrance equipment can also be seen at the laboratory fire.
Rescue 2 (San Francisco)
Rescue 2 is based on a late 1960’s early 1970’s GMC cab over medium duty cab and chassis fitted with rescue apparatus body.
Paramedic Units (San Francisco)
The Paramedic units featured in both "What’s a Nice Girl Like you" and "The Convention" are based on Dodge Tradesman cab and chassis with an ambulance body built for the San Francisco Public Health Department. Note the specialised body goes over the cab as in a van conversion motor home. There are a few instances of a ride along to and from runs.
Fire Apparatus
"What's a Nice Girl Like You..." and "The Convention"
(San Francisco)Fire Apparatus in San Francisco is from the manufacturers known to both fire chiefs and wide-eyed boys of every age American LaFrance. The units are distinctive with their trademark-split windows.
"Most Deadly Passage" (Seattle)
Fire equipment in Seattle and featured in this movie were Kenworth W900 conventionals with fire equipment apparatus. Seattle is the home of Kenworth and much of Seattle’s fire equipment at the time was Kenworth. Some are still used, but Seattle uses a mix of fire apparatus.
Of particular note regarding Seattle rescue locations is that the Kingdome (located west of I-5 and the hospital) is scheduled for demolition sometime in late March.
Footnotes
Why were fire engines made with open cabs? Contrary to popular belief, it does rain in southern California...
Crown originally made the Crowns with the option of open cab configurations in the 1950's. These vehicles came with a convertible top that folded over the top of the firemen left and right seats, and the Engineer and Captain's seat. But left the sides open. The top was held up with two aluminum bars in an "X" configuration. If you saw "Volcano" the LA City Fire Department Crowns were there at the lava flow, and a few had the convertible top. Crown eventually did away with the open cab and produced the hardtop. At one time, the fire chief could opt for either one in a Crown Fire Coach.
Up until the late 1950s, open cabs were the norm throughout the entire United States. In general, Fire Departments only started covering or enclosing the cabs in
large numbers after the civil disturbances that took place in the U.S. during the 1960s. People would throw trash and bricks from rooftops; covering the cabs was the easiest way to shield the firefighters.Only within in the last 5 years has fully enclosing the crew compartments become an accepted standard. If you see an engine or ladder with a partially covered cab, it is a safe bet it was built prior to 1995.
One last thing, LACoFD Station 127 (which was the station shown as Station 51) has never had a paramedic squad. It has Engine and Truck 127 and a battalion chief's suburban. Station 39 is the nearest medic squad.
(Paul wrote) From what a friend of mine who actually maintained LACoFD equipment told me there wasn't physically that much of a difference in basic configuration, other than Station 51's WLF had a smaller capacity booster tank. Aside from that, the radio gear and siren was real, but not actually used, and there were fitting to mount cameras aboard (namely just behind the engine cowl in the center where Chet and Marco sit). She was fitted out as a real fire engine, and is current in service at Yosemite Park. And is due to return to the LACoFD Fire Department museum to retire there.
In regards to the ambulances...
The Chevrolet panel van type yellow and white ambulance that featured "Chevrolet" across the center band in the grille dates from 1970-71.
Later, the ambulances from Chevrolet featured a grid type grille with the bow tie in the middle. This particular model dates from 1972 to about 1974. It’s based on a Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup body (having the same body and front end) with larger frame to carry up to a ton.
Some of the Ford vans were Ford Econoline vans not SuperVans. The difference was mostly cosmetic as the Econoline was meant for commercial purposes, the SuperVan was marketed to consumers as an all purpose HOV.
The Cadillac ("Caddie-hack") ambulances were Fleetwoods (also could be Eldorados, but probably Fleetwoods, the Eldorado was a bit bigger). There's a good view of one of these in "Mascot" as the ambulance arrives at Rampart, drives towards the camera, and backs in.