Cape Cod Brush Breakers

A Special Presentation
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CAPE COD BRUSH BREAKERS

* A PICTORIAL HISTORY *
By Britton Crosby
January 2001
(Updated May 23, 2008)

New photos of 1949 Ford County Breaker No.4 Go To
and Robert Winston Article

Page 1
1920's - 1930's

The "First" of Cape Cod's Brush Breakers.
Built by the Town of Barnstable Forest Fire Department in 1937 on a Ford Chassis.
It was built at Carl Starck's Garage on Main Street, Osterville.
Designed by T.O.B. Forest Warden and Centerville-Osterville Fire District Chief Bernard .S. Ames
it had all wheel drive, an 800 gallon water tank, steel bars, and a Leonard fire pump.
This unique apparatus was badly damaged by its first major fire, in Hyannis on May 5, 1937,
even before it was officially in service. It was rebuilt and served until 1952 at the
Osterville Fire Station.

The Town of Barnstable 1937 Ford Brush Breaker - Cape Cod's first.
The design using welded heavy steel bars and all wheel drive permitted the apparatus to
physically drive off road and even through pine forests to access and extinguish fires
in forested areas. Note large hose reel behind cab.

The Osterville Fire Station in late 1930's.
C-O FD's 1926 Maxim 500 gpm pumper Engine 1 on right.
Town of Barnstable's 1938 Ford Fire Patrol Truck in middle.
The 1937 Brush Breaker is on the left.

The 1937 Ford brush breaker was called to one of its first fires before it's paint
had even dried. This fire in the Ridgewood Avenue area of Hyannis on May 5, 1937 burned
over 2000 acres into the Cummaquid area of town. This newspaper clipping
shows the raging fire as it destroyed the brand new brush breaker.
The truck was rebuilt and served until 1952.

The Osterville Fire Station served as the Town of Barnstable Forest Fire Department's Headquarters.
This photo shows the 1937 Ford Brush Breaker, a 1922 Dodge fire truck which served as the town's
first patrol truck, and the 1938 Ford Patrol Truck. Missing from this photo is C-O FD's 1926 Maxim Pumper.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Forest Fire Services operated a number
of these 1939 Ford 1-1/2 ton cab over fire trucks. Each truck had a 400 gallon
water tank and a PTO pump, and carried about 2000' of hose. The Sandwich
truck remained in service until 1966.

Several of the State trucks were assigned to the Cape area. One in Brewster
at the state forest, one in Sandwich, and one on the Vineyard. The Sandwich
truck was later stationed at the Buzzards Bay Fire Station c.1941. (above).