{"id":6079,"date":"2021-10-30T21:49:04","date_gmt":"2021-10-31T01:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/?p=6079"},"modified":"2026-04-09T14:13:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T18:13:05","slug":"auxiliary-trucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/auxiliary-trucks\/","title":{"rendered":"Auxiliary Trucks During the Forties"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Introduction<\/li>\n<li>Durham&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks<\/li>\n<li>Wilmington&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks<\/li>\n<li>Sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How many cities in North Carolina operated &#8220;auxiliary trucks&#8221; in the 1940s and later? Shown are trucks from Wilmington, Raleigh, and Durham.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The top photo, from a photocopy, appears in\u00a0<em>Wilmington Fire Department 1897-1985<\/em>. More on their auxiliary trucks below. The middle photo is Raleigh&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/ralwake\/raleigh\/apparatus\/special\/special-1948-ford.shtml\">1948 Ford<\/a>\u00a0&#8220;squad truck,&#8221; which replaced a <a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/ralwake\/raleigh\/apparatus\/special\/special-1944-dodge.shtml\">1944 Dodge<\/a>\u00a0destroyed in an accident the year before. The unit was still in service past 1963.<\/p>\n<p>The bottom photo is Durham&#8217;s\u00a01941 Ford, that later served Garner in Wake County, and then Harrell in Sampson County. More on Durham&#8217;s auxiliary trucks below.<\/p>\n<p>Greensboro also operated one, reported a 1951 fire protection report. It was an International truck with a 350-gallon front-mount pump. It was also equipped with a 1,250-watt generator and floodlight, a foam generator with 200 pounds of powder, a foam aspirator with five gallons of liquid, and other &#8220;minor equipment.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6073\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"398\" height=\"646\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux1.jpg 398w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux1-185x300.jpg 185w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Durham&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks<\/strong><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Below is a 1942 excerpt from <em>Fire Engineering<\/em>, about a pair of &#8220;auxiliary trucks&#8221; (my words) added in Durham during the war years. These were a pair of one-ton trucks that were placed in service to handle &#8220;small fires in residential areas.&#8221; Such as car fires, chimney fires, and grass fires. Run cards were updated for &#8220;straight fire alarms.&#8221; Instead of two &#8220;big pumpers&#8221; and a ladder truck, they&#8217;d dispatch one pumper, one ladder truck, and one &#8220;small truck.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The change was made after they analyzed their runs for 1941. They found that &#8220;ninety-eight percent of fires in Durham could&#8217;ve been handled adequately with the ladder truck, one small truck, and ten men.&#8221; Sound familiar, anyone? Such as the midi-pumper concept of a few decades later? (The war also likely inspired the program. Material restrictions prevented many fire departments from adding or replacing apparatus. This placed a premium on existing trucks. Using &#8220;auxiliary trucks&#8221; such as this, departments saved wear and tear on the larger and often older rigs.)<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what they carried:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li>900 feet of 2 1\/2-inch hose<\/li>\n<li>two 2 1\/2-inch controlling nozzles<\/li>\n<li>one set of reverse couplings<\/li>\n<li>one hydrant wrench<\/li>\n<li>three hose spanners<\/li>\n<li>three hose straps<\/li>\n<li>one crowbar<\/li>\n<li>two hand lanterns<\/li>\n<li>one hose clamp<\/li>\n<li>one tarpaulin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li>two axes<\/li>\n<li>two soda and acid extinguishers<\/li>\n<li>one 24-foot extension ladder<\/li>\n<li>one 12-foot roof ladder<\/li>\n<li>two brooms<\/li>\n<li>one 65-foot hand line<\/li>\n<li>one light plant including generator, 200 foot cord, floodlight with 500 watt bulb<\/li>\n<li>one hand operated spotlight<\/li>\n<li>one pike pole<\/li>\n<li>120-gallon booster tank equipped with 250 feet of 3\/4-inch hose with the following type nozzles:<br \/>\none 1\/4- inch straight tip, one garden hose tip, one spray nozzle<\/li>\n<li>one 20-foot length of 3\/4-inch suction hose with strainer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Durham Fire Department might&#8217;ve been the first in the state to implement this concept. Greensboro, Raleigh, and Wilmington also operated &#8220;squad trucks.&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As for Durham&#8217;s trucks, one was sold to Garner in 1952 as their first fire truck. Then the thing was sold to Harrells Fire Department in Sampson County. Here are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/legeros\/sets\/72157650445891149\/\" class=\"broken_link\">pictures of mine<\/a>\u00a0from 2004, of the truck at the Harrells fire station. (What sort of modifications might&#8217;ve been made to the truck, while it served in Garner and\/or Harrells? Don&#8217;t know.)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6074\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux2-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021-10-30-aux2-730x468.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now, notice the top two photos. Upper left is 1942, upper right is 1945. Same truck, but with front pump added? Or two different trucks? To be determined!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-dfd3.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6075\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-dfd3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1145\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-dfd3.jpg 1145w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-dfd3-215x300.jpg 215w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-dfd3-730x1020.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1145px) 100vw, 1145px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Durham&#8217;s trucks were also shown in this advertisement from\u00a0<em>The American City<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>in April 1945.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux4.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6076\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"544\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux4.jpg 544w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux4-204x300.jpg 204w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Wilmington&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Reported the Wilmington Morning Star on June 10, 1945, a pair of &#8220;auxiliary booster trucks&#8221; were built at the fire department garage under the supervision of Fire Chief Luddie Croom.<\/p>\n<p>They were constructed from a pair of International one-ton pick-up trucks purchased as &#8220;auxiliary equipment in connection with wartime civilian defense.&#8221; Each carried 165 gallons of water, 200 feet of 3\/4-inch booster hose with a &#8220;Panama booster pump,&#8221; portable five-gallon &#8220;Indian pumps,&#8221; a 24-foot extension ladder, a 12-foot ladder, and axes.<\/p>\n<p>The trucks were used to &#8220;extinguish grass fires, wash gasoline off the street, and furnish additional water to trucks answering alarms outside the city limits.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After building the two smaller trucks, three additional shop-built fire engines were constructed using Dodge trucks purchased at the &#8220;Army Discarded Equipment in Fayetteville.&#8221; Here&#8217;s the complete story:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux5.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6077\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux5.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux5-730x548.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux6.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6078\" src=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"861\" height=\"1600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux6.jpg 861w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux6-161x300.jpg 161w, https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015-02-16-aux6-730x1357.jpg 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Much of this content appeared in earlier postings, on the prior Legeros Fire blog site:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legeros.com\/ralwake\/photos\/weblog\/pivot\/entry.php?id=1873\">Magazine Ad &#8211; 11\/23\/08<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legeros.com\/ralwake\/photos\/weblog\/pivot\/entry.php?id=3998\">Wilmington&#8217;s Auxiliary Truck &#8211; 01\/19\/11<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legeros.com\/ralwake\/photos\/weblog\/pivot\/entry.php?id=6812\">Durham Adds Auxiliary Trucks &#8211; Fire Engineering, 1941 &#8211; 02\/16\/15<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div data-animation=\"no-animation\" data-icons-animation=\"no-animation\" data-overlay=\"on\" data-change-size=\"\" data-button-size=\"0.7\" style=\"font-size:0.7em!important;display:none;\" class=\"supsystic-social-sharing supsystic-social-sharing-package-flat supsystic-social-sharing-content supsystic-social-sharing-content-align-left\" data-text=\"\"><a data-networks=\"[]\" class=\"social-sharing-button sharer-flat sharer-flat-8 counter-standard without-counter facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Facebook\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Flegeros.com%2Fblog%2Fauxiliary-trucks%2F\" data-main-href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u={url}\" data-nid=\"1\" data-name=\"\" data-pid=\"1\" data-post-id=\"6079\" data-url=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php\" data-description=\"Auxiliary Trucks During the Forties\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-mailto=\"\"><i class=\"fa-ssbs fa-ssbs-fw fa-ssbs-facebook\"><span>Share<\/span><\/i><div class=\"counter-wrap standard\"><span class=\"counter\">0<\/span><\/div><\/a><a data-networks=\"[]\" class=\"social-sharing-button sharer-flat sharer-flat-8 counter-standard without-counter twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Flegeros.com%2Fblog%2Fauxiliary-trucks%2F&text=Auxiliary+Trucks+During+the+Forties\" data-main-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url={url}&text={title}\" data-nid=\"2\" data-name=\"\" data-pid=\"1\" data-post-id=\"6079\" data-url=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php\" data-description=\"Auxiliary Trucks During the Forties\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-mailto=\"\"><i class=\"fa-ssbs fa-ssbs-fw fa-ssbs-twitter\"><span>Share<\/span><\/i><div class=\"counter-wrap standard\"><span class=\"counter\">0<\/span><\/div><\/a><a data-networks=\"[]\" class=\"social-sharing-button sharer-flat sharer-flat-8 counter-standard without-counter pinterest\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Pinterest\" href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/link\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flegeros.com%2Fblog%2Fauxiliary-trucks%2F&description=Auxiliary+Trucks+During+the+Forties\" data-main-href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/link\/?url={url}&description={title}\" data-nid=\"7\" data-name=\"\" data-pid=\"1\" data-post-id=\"6079\" data-url=\"https:\/\/legeros.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php\" data-description=\"Auxiliary Trucks During the Forties\" rel=\"nofollow\" data-mailto=\"\"><i class=\"fa-ssbs fa-ssbs-fw fa-ssbs-pinterest\"><span>Share<\/span><\/i><div class=\"counter-wrap standard\"><span class=\"counter\">0<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contents Introduction Durham&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks Wilmington&#8217;s Auxiliary Trucks Sources Introduction How many cities in North Carolina operated &#8220;auxiliary trucks&#8221; in the 1940s and later? Shown are trucks from Wilmington, Raleigh, and Durham.\u00a0 The top photo, from a photocopy, appears in\u00a0Wilmington Fire Department 1897-1985. More on their auxiliary trucks below. 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