The Fort Ostell Museum society was founded in 1967 with their first museum housed in a wood frame building. It moved to their current location in 1987.
This is an interesting museum with displays divided into topics: sleigh display, nurses at PMH (Provincial Mental Hospital), creamery, original Fort Ostell, World Wars, early bridal dresses, a school rooms and many household appliances. Near the entrance is a guest book and a timeline highlighting events from 1867 to 2017.
Outside the building, near the entrance, is this chemical cart, complete with a length of hose. One would be forgiven for presuming that the cart was once a front line piece of firefighting apparatus of the Ponoka Fire Department, for it wasn't. The Provincial Mental Hospital was opened in Ponoka in 1912 and it was several of these massive and very heavy extinguishers that were pushed or pulled around the grounds or buildings to battle sudden fires.
Intended to be pulled to the scene of a fire by two or more firefighters, we notice that on the cart were mounted rather wide wheels. This would indicate to us that the hospital anticipated that, on occasion, it would be necessary for the cart to make its way along soft, wet and muddy pathways or equally soft grassed areas.
If you've ever wondered about the actual chemicals used in chemical carts and, later, chemical tanks on fire engines, as well as how they work, read on.
FIGHTING FIRE WITH CHEMICALS
In the mid 1870s, fighting major fires with the use of chemicals began to be popular. It is said that once established in the USA alone, over 80 percent of all fires were put out using chemicals and their specialized equipment.
The primary use of chemicals lasted for about 50 years — well into the 20th century — even though they were eventually found to be not as effective as they were originally claimed to be!
Sulphuric acid, when combined with bicarbonate of soda forms a chemical reaction which produces carbon dioxide. When mixed, the pressure created forces the mixture out of the chemical tank and propels it onto the fire. This is the basic function of most hand-held fire extinguishers. However, fighting a major fire required much larger, specialized apparatus like the “chemical engines” that came into use.
Though widely touted as being a more effective way to put out a fire — up to 40 times more efficient — the fact is they were found to be no more effective than using plain water. Their advantage was, that being self contained, requiring no hookup to a water source, they were ready to go at a fire scene allowing firefighters to get extinguishing chemicals on a fire faster than ever before.
Chemical equipped fire engines, first steam-powered, later gasoline powered, quickly became the equipment of choice with fire companies in cities and towns of all sizes — in some places they were used right into the 1930s. Even after motorization, chemical tanks were still a common accessory on fire trucks. Chemical tanks were gradually replaced with “booster” tanks which were found to be easier and less expensive to use. These used a booster pump to propel water from a tank onto the flames and variations of this are used to present day. The last chemical engine was produced in 1934.
From the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum