100-year-old fire truck visits Elmira and Pine City elementary schools

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – A 1923 fire truck made in Elmira by American LaFrance hit the road again Monday. The Chemung County Historical Society deployed the vintage pump to visit elementary schools in Elmira and Pine City.

“We have a traditional fire bell, you pull the rope. We also have this hand crank siren. said Bruce Whitmarsh, director of the Historical Society.

The truck is back in action after being on display for a year at an exhibit celebrating 100 years of the Chemung County Historical Society. The Brockway Torpedo fire truck visited Riverside Elementary in Elmira and Pine City Elementary.

“What was the reaction of the students? » asked journalist Nick Dubina.

“The children all had big smiles and waved at us, it was a lot of fun for us to go and see all that. We were only able to get to two schools today, unfortunately we had some mechanical issues, as you would expect with a 100 year old truck,” Whitmarsh said.

“We arrived in Riverside and Pine City this morning. Diven and Fassett, those two schools were going to try to reschedule to give those kids a chance to see it too,” Whitmarsh added. “You know, there’s nothing really complicated about driving, other than the stick shift.”

Whitmarsh says the 1923 pumper is a relic from a time when Elmira and Elmira Heights were the center of the fire truck industry.

“American LaFrance was actually here in Elmira for almost 100 years,” Whitmarsh said. “The business was located where Elmira High School is today, on the south side of the city. They built fire engines there until the mid-1980s, when they were purchased and moved elsewhere. There was also another business, Ward LaFrance, located in Elmira Heights and part of the same family. So yes, this area has a long tradition of building fire trucks all over the country, and even the world,” Whitmarsh said.

“It’s a great piece, we hope to get it out there more and promote the museum and also get it out there so people can see and celebrate this wonderful piece of history.”