Back in the days before the arrival of professional fire-fighting, the story goes, “bucket brigades” were formed in case of emergency.
One person scooping water from a well or river into a bucket. Another neighbor passing that on, from person to person, to the source of the blaze until it was out. In time, pressurized hydrants, sophisticated trucks and communications equipment, modern chemical suppressants, and protective gear, made aspects of the firefighter’s job somewhat easier.
Nonetheless, firefighter’s lives are lost every year. To honor that reality and the dedication the job requires, fire departments — especially volunteer organizations like Cheshire’s — still maintain a strong link between past and present.
One way to celebrate the past and share the fellowship of a common mission comes in the form of parades. Back in September, the Cheshire Fire Department participated in the 2023 Connecticut State Firefighters Association Convention and Parade, held in Thomaston. This was the event’s 140th year. Departments from around Connecticut gathered to display their historic vehicles, which are subject to strict evaluation by a panel of judges.
This year, Cheshire’s 1913 Ford Model T took First Prize in the category of Antique Motorized Apparatus, having missed that mark by a fraction of a point at other events.
“For us, it’s like winning a Grammy,” commented CFD Captain Brian Owen.
The Model T was purchased in the 1950s from a collector living in Orange who had rebuilt it from pieces. Since its arrival in Cheshire, numerous individuals have participated in further restoring and maintaining the vehicle. Mike Roke, one of the Department’s Lifetime Members, mentions Dave Budd, who worked on rebuilding the wood body, and Ken Clark, who worked on some of the mechanical aspects.
Pointing to the wheels’ hickory spokes, Roke mentions that the pre-World War I technology “wasn’t that far removed from carriage making.”
The Model T is started by foot and boasts a 20 horsepower engine and a two-speed transmission. Its headlights would have provided gas-powered illumination. A pump apparatus that could dispense soda acid was added later, as were the front seats.
“(The Model T) was a very popular model in earlier years, because it was inexpensive and dependable,” Roke said.
For years, the truck was transported to events such as parades on the back of a customized 1960s-era Chevy pickup. That truck, which will someday seem as far removed from automotive tech as the Model T does now, is stored in a garage near fire headquarters.
Although 1913 seems distant, 1912 was a pivotal year in Cheshire fire history, as the Department’s website explains. Following a fire that destroyed the Waverly Inn in early 1912, the Town of Cheshire decided to organize its first fire department. A 60-gallon chemical cart and hook and ladder truck, both “hand-drawn,” were purchased. The first vehicle was secured in 1916, at a cost of $1,085. That Oldsmobile was delivered a year or so later.
In 2023, keeping its regular fleet running requires plenty of hours of work. And while smoke detectors, home security systems and other improvements have made homes and businesses safer in the past century, Cheshire Fire answered over 100 incident calls in September alone, per the Fire Chief’s monthly report to the Town Council.
In early November, the Department hosted its annual Life Members event, as it has since 1977. The collective total of community service represented there was over 1,065 years, Owen estimates. Firefighters can become life members after 20 years of service.
After showing off the Model T late last week, Owen and Roke drove off in it to attend the wake of another Life Member, John Bates, who had recently passed away at the age of 93.
“He was a great guy and he loved this truck,” Owen shouted, over the engine, as the Model T headed off down Maple Ave. at a steady pace in the autumn sun.