Hose Reels - Bangor, ME
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 44° 48.350 W 068° 45.600
19T E 518979 N 4961409
Hose House No. 5 is now a museum and was one of the few open when we visited. As a result we were able to tour the place under the guidance of a very nice and informative fireman/tour guide.
Waymark Code: WMQBDH
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 01/28/2016
Views: 2
The firehouse was built in 1897 and served until 1993, when it was retired in conjunction with the opening of a new firehouse on Hogan Road. Originally designated Hose 8, the station became a fire museum after its retirement and now houses a multitude of cool old fire fighting related paraphernalia. To an old gearhead such as myself, the most interesting items are the 1917 Garford Pumper, the 1939 Seagrave Pumper and a 1966 Mack C pumper.
As well as self motivating fire apparatus, the museum has a pair of human powered pieces of apparatus. Prior to fire trucks, prior to steam powered fire engines pulled by teams of horses, hose reels such as these represented the front line of fire fighting equipment. They were pulled to the scene of a fire by teams of men on a dead run, the hoses unreeled and connected to (hopefully) a nearby hydrant. If the city had sufficient water pressure on that day and the water lines and hydrants weren't frozen, water would then be sprayed on the fire, quickly extinguishing it (hopefully).
One of the most enjoyed forms of entertainment at county fairs and similar events in times of yore was the hotly contested hose reel race, with combat taking place among various nearby fire departments. Each department would enter a team of its strongest, fastest firefighters who would try to get their reel to the "fire", unreel their hose and get water on the "fire" quicker than could the opposing teams.
