WEFR’s 1947 Ford Rescue Truck

No major incidents occurred on this date in history involving the Shippensburg Fire Department.

Sometime between 1959 and 1960 the West End Fire and Rescue Company purchased a 1947 Ford rescue truck from the Barren Hill Fire Department in Pennsylvania (WEFR had the rig by June 1960 at the latest). The exact date and amount paid for the rig are unknown. The unit was already painted red when the company purchased it and only a few minor changes were made to the lettering. This would become the company’s second rescue replacing the first rig the department ever had. The unit was designated C-109 by Franklin County. In August 1963 the rescue was removed from service being replaced with the 1954 GMC featured on this site earlier. Having trouble selling the rig it was taken to Naugle Motors in September 1964 for them to try and sell. As of March 1965 the rig was still not sold and a minimum price was set at $300.00 at the company meeting. I am not 100% percent of this but using company minutes and the local newspaper it is believed that in April or May 1965 the company traded the unit to H & H Chevrolet for a pick up truck. From this point the whereabouts of this rig are unknown.

Presently I have a gentleman from the Barren Hill area with ties to the fire service trying to help me fill in the gaps and gather additional information on this rig and the 1950 Ford Maxim engine that may have come from Barron Hill. Thanks George.