By 1960, Bower Hill was responding to more ambulance calls than fire calls, and both the 1942 White pumper and the 1948 GMC Squad and Ambulance were beginning to show their age. Fortunately a local builder had a solution. Michael Malenock had a garage in nearby McKees Rocks, and built vehicles that were a combination of a squad, an ambulance and a booster car. He built examples for Bower Hill's closest neighbor, Kirwan Heights, Oak Ridge, and many others. This was exactly the solution for Bower Hill. The 1948 GMC was traded on a new 1960 GMC Panel Truck, and it was sent to Malenock's Garage for conversion. The 1942 White was sold to another fire department.


This vehicle was probably Bower Hill's signature piece through the 1960s. Its photo graced the department's letterhead for many years. There was something definitely "right" looking about the vehicle. Its styling and proportions, its color and lettering all combined to make it really quite attractive. It was also very functional.