Click here for a gallery of Deuce, a 1964 1000-Series American LaFrance Aerial. >>
By Ron Heal
It’s not that often that a fire truck gets to have a 50th birthday party in the fire station where it was first placed into service. Then again, it isn’t every day that the fire station is observing a 120th birthday at the same time. For the Aurora (IL) Fire Department’s Truck 2, or “Deuce” as it is fondly known, that is exactly what took place on November 19, 2014.
Both the Deuce and the Central Fire Station are long retired. The good news is that the 1964 1000-Series American LaFrance 100-foot aerial ladder truck is still in running order and looks good, even without a full frame-off restoration. The aerial ladder will no longer pass certification because of stress cracks, but otherwise the rig is an important piece in a collection of vintage Aurora Fire Department memorabilia. The department purchased the rig in 1964 for $43,000, and it was delivered in June of that year. Most of its service was at the downtown Aurora Central Fire Station, 53 N. Broadway. Aurora is 35 miles west of Chicago. Current population is approximately 200,000. For many years, Deuce served as the front-line service aerial, responding to all the major Aurora fires until the early 1980s. After a couple of years running as a spare, the aerial went to nearby Sugar Grove, Illinois. Once again the aerial served as a front-line apparatus for several years. In 2000, the rig was retired, returned to Aurora, and given to the Aurora Regional Fire Museum.
The museum is located at 53 N. Broadway—the site of the original Central Fire Station that was built in 1894 and is now 120-years old. By 1980, the Aurora Fire Department had outgrown the then nearly 100-year old fire station. The department built a new five-bay fire station right next door. There is much that could be told about how the old fire station was eventually saved and completely refurbished by the Aurora Fire Station Preservation Corporation, doing business as the Aurora Regional Fire Museum (ARFM). Over a century of use, the three-bay fire station went through a series of updates as the fire department tried to keep up with changes in vehicles and equipment being used in the fire service, but then there was a period of neglect. The preservation group had a huge task, and thankfully it was able to persevere. Today, David Lewis serves as the museum curator and Deborah Davis is executive director. Along with a series of five pieces of vintage fire apparatus displayed on the apparatus floor, there are educational kiosks that display the evolution of tools and technology utilized in the fire service from its very early days. The building’s restoration has recreated an appearance that would be typical of the early motorized era—complete with arched doors and a very distinctive onion dome atop the fire house.
Click here for a photo gallery of the museum through the years. >>
The Deuce is not a regular part of the museum’s apparatus display. To mark its 50th birthday, the museum staff and a crew of volunteers moved out a couple of the rigs that are usually housed in the old fire station. Off they went to a separate storage facility, trading places with the Deuce. The big aerial was placed in the same apparatus bay that it had run out of for so many years. When November 19 arrived, it was time to celebrate both the rig’s 50th birthday and the station’s 120th birthday. A six-foot long birthday cake, complete with 120-candles, was placed next to the big rig. Lewis estimates that more than 200 folks attended the party, with more than 40 attendees being active or retired firefighters. The sight of the Deuce sitting in the old fire station brought back many memories.
The Aurora area is very fortunate to have a quality fire museum. How good that a group of dedicated and hard-working people came together to save the large central fire station. Another important piece is that the Aurora Fire Department and the City of Aurora recognized the importance of saving vintage pieces of Aurora firefighting equipment to be a part of today’s museum. The Deuce is only one of several Aurora rigs now in ARFM custody. Other rigs include a 1931 Stutz pumper, a 1934 Pirsch city service quad ladder truck, a 1942 American LaFrance 500 series pumper, and a 1946 American LaFrance JOX aerial ladder. Currently, the Stutz and a 1918 American LaFrance fire engine on loan from LaSalle, Illinois, are part of the museum’s display. The balance of the rigs remains under roof in a storage facility, waiting a later time for a possible full restoration. At this time, space and funding are not available to expand the museum.
Lewis and Davis do a wonderful job with tours and educational programs for the public. The museum is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. Tours for groups of 10 or more can also be arranged at additional times by contacting the museum. You can check out its Web site at http://www.auroraregionalfiremuseum.org/. Come on out and see more than 1,000 fire-related artifacts, more than 2,000 fire photographs, and five pieces of vintage fire apparatus from hand-drawn to early motorized. You will be amazed at the displays and educational opportunities offered at the Aurora Regional Fire Museum. Sorry, the birthday cake is all gone!
RON HEAL compiles the “Apparatus Showcase” and “Recent Orders” departments monthly in Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment.
