Description
Author: Walter M.P. McCall, Hardbound, 304 Pages, ISBN: 9781583882030 - First published, 2007
From Abbott & Downing to Zwak, this comprehensive volume combines company histories, innovations and hundreds of photographs to present the story of American fire engine manufacturing.
The objective of this book was to compile as comprehensive and complete a list as possible of the known players—the hundreds of companies that produced more than just one or two fire trucks, and which operated as continuous fire apparatus manufacturing and sales enterprises.
The focus of this compendium, therefore, is on the established known companies (as well as some not so well known) that have actively engaged in this unique vehicular industry over the past one hundred-plus years.
In the main this book is an alphabetical listing of dedicated motor fire apparatus builders—companies that designed and built pumpers, ladder trucks, rescue and other types of motor fire apparatus in their own factories—from the frame-up on their own custom chassis or on commercially-available domestic truck chassis.
You will note that we have also included a number of commercial chassis makers such as International, Freightliner, Kenworth and Peterbilt which forged special alliances with various fire apparatus builders, and which sometimes made and marketed fire apparatus under their own names.
This encyclopedia is a vital reference source for libraries, fire stations, historians, fire apparatus enthusiasts, and anyone involved in or enamored with the fire apparatus industry.
Walt McCall began chasing fire engines around Toronto, Ontario in the early 1950s. His lifelong love affair with fire engines has never waned.
Upon graduation from high school, Walt went to work as a reporter/photographer on the St. Thomas (Ontario) Times-Journal. He later joined the editorial staff of The Windsor Star where he served as Auto Editor for nine years. In 1961 he received a National Newspaper Award, Canada's highest journalistic honor.
In 1972 McCall joined the public relations staff of the Chrysler Corporation of Canada Ltd., and after stints in news and community relations and product PR retired in 1997 as Manager - Corporate Public Affairs.
Walt McCall was Editor of The Visiting Fireman, the worldwide annual directory of fire buffs for nine years (1969-1978) and served as Editor of Enjine!-Enjine!, the quarterly magazine of the Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America, Inc. for 25 years, from 1978-2002.
He has edited the Great Lakes Chapter's newsletter for 35 years. One of few people to hold active membership in all three of Detroit's fire buff clubs, McCall is a founding member of the Ontario Fire Buffs Association and has been Editor of the OFBA's Third Alarm newsletter for 34 years.
He has also written numerous articles for fire service magazines and antique vehicle publications in the United States and Canada.
Walter M. P. McCall was awarded the William L. Robinson Memorial Award—SPAAMFAA's highest honor—as well as the Great Lakes Chapter's Robert J. Barber Memorial Award. In 1978 he was named the International Fire Buff Associates' Fire Buff Of The Yew., and received similar honors from the Ontario Fire Buffs Association in 1996.
Over the years Walt has owned a number of vintage fire engines and funeral coaches. He resides with his wife, Denise, in Windsor, Ontario. They have two grown children.
