Yesterday morning I went with the Big Guy on our regular weekly grocery outing, and — as we often do — we saw firefighters from the nearby station doing their own shopping, with two of their big shiny modern red trucks parked out in the lot. Seeing them reminded me it was time to feature this episode which I’ve been saving for awhile now. Originally aired in April 2002, it’s a fun and fascinating look at the historic machines and the men (and animals) who defended early 20th-century cities from fiery destruction. While Huell clearly enjoyed himself checking out the wide variety of retired fire engines, it was the steam-powered pumps that gave yet another meaning to the expression “fight fire with fire.”

Huell travels to the 2002 National SPAAMFAA Winter Convention in San Bernardino. SPAAMFAA stands for “Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America.” This get together was a wonderful place to get glimpse of our state’s fire-fighting history. There were all kinds of apparatus from small hand pumpers to elaborate steam driven engines from the turn of the century.

The highlight of the day was Dave Hubert’s lovingly restored rig, the “Reno #1”, which served the city of Reno, Nevada from 1902 to 1922. Dave pulled out all the stops and did a “full steam” and a run behind special horses that are trained just for this purpose.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)