The History of Fighting Fire
The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum may be the only fire museum located in southwestern Pennsylvania . BY PAMELA PALONGUE
Operated solely by volunteers , the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum is worth a trip , for both kids and adults .
It explores the early days of the department , which dates back to the early 19th century . The advances of firefighting methods expanded from horse-drawn wagons with bucket brigades to the more efficient pumpers of the 20th century . Visitors can see the actual vehicles that were used by these brave men who fought to protect their friends and family in the community — a tradition that continues today .
Michael Hartung , the curator , is also an active volunteer firefighter who drives the trucks and operates the pumpers . Greensburg has six fire stations , which are also staffed completely by volunteers . Station 4 , located at 416 South Main Street behind City Hall , houses the museum . It was decommissioned as an active fire station because its location was difficult to reach with large fire trucks .
Hartung says the oldest truck in the museum ’ s collection was built in 1805 in Philadelphia by Pat Lyon . It was the City of Pittsburgh ’ s first firefighting apparatus and was bought by Greensburg in 1852 . It could be drawn to the fire scene by horses or by people . It had a hose that was only about 20 feet long with a seven-foot brass
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