Evolution

Public safety is evolution - to new technology and new techniques. According to the Louisville Fire Department, it obtained its first “hybrid” vehicle, a gasoline-electric piece of fire apparatus. However, it didn’t catch on quickly, and it wasn’t until 1917 that the Louisville Fire Department obtained its first fully gasoline vehicle. In February, Chief Tierney and Arnold Neurenschwander, representing the Ahrens-Fox Company, that made the “automobile fire engine” put a pump under consideration through its paces, and the big pump pushed out 841 gallons of water a minute , with a nozzle pressure of 50 pounds, for more than two hours. (The water first came from a fire cistern under the street, and then from a fire hydrant.) The pump could support three streams of water, and two of those were combined into one. The test had to stop when it was discovered that cinders and rubbish in the cistern had clogged the valves. It was to purchase that engine later in the same year.

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Finally, in March, 1925, the Louisville Fire Department was fully motorized. As late as March 6, 1925, however, a wreck was reported between Engine 9’s horse-drawn engine and a truck, at the corner of Preston and Madison streets. Louisville residents had their last chance to see the fire horses that had served them faithfully for many, many years, on April 20, 1925, when Major Alex Bache arranged for a parade to show off all the types of fire apparatus that had been used, including hand-drawn and operated fire engines, horse-drawn engines and the heavy motor engines that replaced them. It was noted that “motion pictures” would be taken of the parade by the Louisville Film Company! The last five horses were officially mustered out: Bob, Babe, Ted, Ned and Big Tim. The parade was led off by Louisville motorcycle policemen, followed by the Police Band. The horses marched calmly until a street car bell was “clanged impatiently,” and they pricked up their ears, anticipating the alarm to respond to a fire. Big Tim, it was noted, was 25 years old!

And in a note of continuity, the Ahrens-Fox company still manufactures fire apparatus today!

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The first days