Bower Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Scott Township - Allegheny County Station 255
Scott Township - Allegheny County Station 255
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Bower
Hill VFD
161 Vanadium Road
Bridgeville PA 15017-3025
161 Vanadium Road
Bridgeville PA 15017-3025
Emergency Dial 911
Business Phone 412-221-3497
Fax 412-221-3990
Hall Rentals 412-221-9073
e-Mail bhvfd255@yahoo.com
This Page Last Update:
December 10, 2007
Made with:
Best with: 
1942 Triple Combination Pumper (1944 - 1960)
During World War II, fire apparatus and vehicle manufacturers devoted themselves entirely to supporting the war effort. All requests for civilian equipment needed approval from the War Production Board (WPB). Bower Hill VFD, in desperate need of a new engine, began to seek this approval in mid-1942, when the International Chemical Car and Hose Wagon began to have frequent mechanical failures.
The WPB first suggested that the department mount new pumping equipment on the 1926 International chassis. This rather missed the point.
The department got several letters of support from local businesses involved in defense production.
The Allegheny County Defense Council and the Allegheny County Fire Marshal also sent letters and telegrams of support. The Scott Township board of commissioners did not. Still dominated by representatives from the Glendale neighborhood, the commissioners still refused to support anything or anyone associated with Bower Hill.
Finally, the WPB gave its approval on May 4, 1944 and the chassis was sent to the apparatus builder on May 17th.
The completed apparatus was delivered in June, just after the D-Day invasion began in Europe. It served Bower Hill until June of 1960, when it was sold to the John A. Irwin Fire Company of Evans City, PA, who used it as a first-response piece to protect a portion of the town that was isolated from the main fire station when long freight trains passed through.
| Year: |
| 1942 |
| Chassis Manufacturer: |
| White Motor Company |
| Chassis Model: |
| WA-114 |
| Builder's Number: |
| 291160 |
| Vehicle GVW Rating: |
| 15,000 Pounds |
| Engine Type: |
| White Model 100AC-L10 251CID (4.1L) 6-cylinder inline, gasoline, 90HP |
| Vehicle Wheelbase: |
| 157 inches |
| Transmission Type: |
| Four-speed manual |
| Apparatus Type: |
| Triple Combination Pumper |
| Apparatus Manufacturer: |
| American Fire Apparatus Company |
| Apparatus Model: |
| Suburban Pumper |
| Pump Type: |
| Barton-American single stage centrifugal |
| Flow Capacity: |
| 500GPM |
| Tank Capacity: |
| 300 US Gallons |
| Hose Load: |
| 1200' x 2.5" (supply) (2) x 10' x 4.5" (hard suct.) 200' x 2.5" (attack) 250' x 1.5" (attack) 200' x 1" (booster reel) |
| Date Delivered: |
| June, 1944 |
| Purchase Price: |
| $5,644.50 |
| Purchased From: |
| Chassis: White Motor Company, Pittsburgh Sales Office, Pittsburgh Apparatus: Porter Fire Apparatus Sales, McKees Rocks, PA |
| Current Status: |
| Retired, June 1960 |
| Dispostion: |
| Sold to John A. Irwin Fire Company, Evans City, PA, for $375.00, June 1960 |