The Pine Lake Fire Truck

Back in the day, Pine Lake had its own volunteer fire department, let by Ernest Harrelson. This is the venerable fire truck. It was stations in front of the clubhouse.

The truck had no starter, or if it had a starter, the starter didn't work, so whenever there was a fire everyone jumped on board and the driver aimed it down the hill and bump-started it when it had attained sufficient speed.

There were a LOT of fires. Post-WWII many of the city's homes were rented by absentee landlords, and there was no shortage of "mysterious" fires. The dire department was a busy one!

I was told that during the war, when the men were fighting overseas, most of the firefighters were women-- but the writing on the photo says the department wasn't organized until 1945. Another Pine Lake mystery!

The engine was retired (and the F.D. presumably closed) in October, 1964.