A LITTLE CRANKY
Antique fire truck is the only one of its kind east of Ontario that still runs and pumps water
‘Nancy’ is marking her 100th birthday and as re engines go, you would swear she was still in her prime and ready to answer the call with the Truro Fire Service.
TRURO, N.S. – For Steve Neil, taking a spin with Nancy is truly his second love.
Nancy is the Truro Fire Service’s century-old firetruck. It’s still in roadworthy condition and can even pump water through its hoses.
“It feels amazing actually, I’m so glad I was trained on it,” said Neil. “My wife makes fun of me and says it’s my 100-year-old girlfriend.”
Today, Neil and his colleagues can switch Nancy’s engine on by push of a button. In the old days, firefighters had to hand-crank the engine to start the truck and the lever can still be seen on Nancy’s front.
The crank handle still works today, but Neil has never quite mastered what firefighters had to do every time they drove Nancy 100 years ago.
“I don’t know what it was like back then, but geez, I can only get half a turn,” quipped Neil.
“Back then” for Nancy meant 1919, the year she was built by American Lafrance in the United States. Nancy received her name at the factory as she rolled off the production line.
The truck was shipped to Toronto, where it was purchased and sent east to Truro, entering service in May 1920.
Nancy was the TFS’S first motorized pumper truck, replacing the much slower horse-and-wagon teams used prior.
The truck could fit two firefighters up front and had a small water tank for its hose system, but mostly used hydrants when called out to blazes.
While the truck was an improvement on the wagons, firefighters in it were still exposed to the elements, as its cab was not enclosed. Firefighters a hundred years ago also lacked safety equipment taken for granted today, such as modern breathing apparatus and portable air tanks.
The only safety gear used by Neil’s firefighting forefathers were thick greatcoats, helmets and rubber boots.
“Basically, the firefighters today are spoiled, compared to what they used to be,” said Neil. “Back then they had it tough.”
Nancy was officially retired in 1960 and placed in storage. Restoration work on her was carried out in 1972 and again in 2005.
NANCY’S DRIVING SCHOOL
Firefighter Colton O’neill joined the TFS out of respect for those firefighters who came before him.
Learning how to drive Nancy also gives him a greater appreciation of equipment that is still reliable after 100 years.
“History is important to everything,” said O’neill. “It shows people that old things still work and we don’t need new things all the time.”
But driving the truck is no picnic. The steering wheel is on the right of the vehicle, as it was built when some parts of Canada still drove on the left. Gears must be shifted manually.
When Nancy is driven, she can reach a top speed of about 20 mph. While she is still technically capable of firefighting, Nancy is used only for town parades such as the Pride event, as well as open house days at the TFS headquarters at 165 Victoria Street.
Helping Neil and O’neill with Nancy are retired TFS members Dwayne Hartlen and Vince Weatherbee.