1949 Bickle-Seagrave
1949 International KB-7 / Bickle-Seagrave Pumper (No. 1) | |
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Builder | Bickle-Seagrave, Woodstock, Ontario |
Type | Commercial Pumper, 3-Stage High-Pressure Fog Unit |
Serial # | 1187 |
Pump GPM | 500 GPM (Imperial) |
Tank Size | 440 Imperial Gallons |
BC PEP # | VI 118 |
In Service From | 1949-1982 |
"Duncan's International High-Pressure Fog Unit . . . Built by Bickle-Seagrave"
-Robison Service, 1953
This is the newly restored truck by DFFHS: No. 1
It is 1949, the commercial fire apparatus builders ruling the Canadian firefighting landscape are Bickle-Seagrave, Pierre Thibault, American Marsh and LaFrance-Foamite, amongst local homebrewed fire trucks across the country.
Duncan VFD chose Bickle-Seagrave to construct a pumper, along with picking an 1949 International KB-7 chassis to install the fire body on through Robison Service, the local dealer for International Harvester. 3 firemen were picked to drive the truck home from Woodstock, Ontario, when it was fresh off the factory floor, traveling across the country and crossing the border into the State of Montana in order to bypass the Rockies before arriving in Duncan.
As with the Model T, the truck marked the turning of a new chapter in Duncan firefighting history, as the fire hall on Ingram Street was completed that year. After 5 years in service, Duncan Iron Works modified the truck, furthering its customization for firefighting use. The most notable differences between the original look of the truck and the modifications were the addition of cabinets to the box which was done in 1954.
Its services were gradually reduced to "third truck out" by 1975, by then the truck was slowly being phased out out service, finally being struck from the roster in 1982. It was leased to Thetis Island Volunteer Fire Department from 1982 to 1997.
In November 2009, DFFHS embarked on restoring No. 1, by conducting an "off-frame restoration" and completed the job in June 2014.