nozzle that was monstrously heavy ! Witnesses who saw it in action claimed that it could pump as far as 60 feet away .
Another gem in the collection is the Goodwill , built in 1825 in the Allegheny area of Pittsburgh near the National Aviary . It was used in the Great Fire of Pittsburgh in 1845 . Greensburg bought this truck in 1854 .
A more recent truck is the 1949 Seagrave , which won the Bishop ’ s Choice award at the Diocese of Greensburg Car Show in June . All the trucks in the museum have been beautifully restored to near-mint condition .
The museum also houses the Charles Horan Toy Room , which has more than 1,100 toy fire trucks and fire-related toys . Horan was a firefighter , and his widow bequeathed the collection to the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum . This room is especially popular with children , but adults will enjoy these historical items as well .
And besides just touring the museum , children receive goodie bags with coloring books , and are educated about fire safety . They are also treated to time sitting in the historic trucks , ringing the bell and operating the siren .
The museum is open the second Tuesday of the month from 6 to 8 p . m ., and the fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a . m . to noon . It ’ s also open at other times by appointment and for group tours by messaging the museum on Facebook at Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum , or by calling 724.832.7904 . Admission to the museum is free , but donations are appreciated .
Hartung adds , “ The most important thing is preserving history for our community . There is truly something for everyone at the fire museum .” n
The Greensburg VFD is looking for volunteers .
Besides fighting fires , the fire department assists with vehicle extrication rescues , performs missing person searches with bloodhounds , operates a dive team that assists with missing person searches and evidence recovery , and has a marching band that participates in six to eight parades and events each year . If you would be interested in volunteering with the department , visit the website at gbgfire . org .
GREENSBURG SALEM ❘ FALL 2022 17