Intercourse Fire Co.
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Lancaster County Station 44
Organized in 1911, the Intercourse Fire Co. serves Leacock Township, a primarily Amish farming community that is a popular tourist destination in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Fifty five volunteers (including many members of the Amish community) answer an annual average of 120 alarms in their 15 mile response area. Originally equipped with two 45 gallon Obenchain Boyer hand drawn chemical engines, Intercourse Fire Co. has been known as pioneers in the Lancaster County volunteer fire service. These accomplishments include the use of high pressure fog in the 1940’s, utilizing the first tanker in 1954 (a converted gas tanker)
and in 1997 when placing one of the first large capacity tankers in service (the company has run three tankers since 1954 each with a progressively larger tank and pump). An interesting story from the early days of the company tells of the firefighter who tripped while pulling a hand drawn rig and was run over by the apparatus
- he quickly got up and continued following the rig to fight the fire - now that’s dedication to duty!
Engine 44-1 - 2011 Pierce Impel PUC 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
Assigned to respond to “local boxes” including auto accidents, this rig replaced a 1989 Ford F350/Emergency One mini-pumper that now serves the Poquoson FD in Virginia. Seating eight (seven with SCBA, all equipped with portable radios), it features a 20 kw diesel generator, 12,900 watts of scene lighting (fixed and portable including a 5,400 watt light tower) and a TFT® Crossfire deck gun with 18” riser and 1,250 gpm nozzle. Its’ firefighting complement includes three 200' pre-connects (1-3/4”and 2-1/2”), 300’ each of 3” attack line with an automatic nozzle and a BlitzFire® portable monitor, two 300’ lays of 1” forestry hose and 1,400’ of 5” LDH supply line. In addition, it also carries a multi-gas detector, thermal imager, RIT pack, chimney kit, assorted ventilation saws, 20 gal. of AFFF foam, a floating strainer, 30’ of 6” suction hose and a five port manifold with 3” Storz adapters. For basic vehicle rescue, it is equipped with a Holmatro® combi tool, cordless DeWalt® battery powered hand tools (drill driver, reciprocating and circular saws), cribbing, Junk Yard Dog® struts, standard and metric toolboxes and BLS equipment including an AED. For heavy entrapment, the neighboring Ronks Fire Co. provides mutual aid as one of three designated heavy rescues in Lancaster County Zone 4.
Engine 44-5 - 1990 International/Emergency One 1250 gpm/1000 gal.
Formerly the primary suppression unit for “local boxes” (first due area), this rig is now assigned first due for brush fires, water rescues and cardiac arrest calls. Seating five, this well equipped rig features a 6 KW diesel generator powering two 500 watt scene lights and a NightScan® light tower. It is outfitted with a top mount/portable 1250 GPM deck gun along with two 200’ 1-3/4” crosslays, 200’ 1-1/2” and 3” rear mounted attack lines, dual 300' lays of forestry hose
and 1,300’ of 5” LDH supply line. Its' equipment complement includes three SCBA, 24’ of 6” suction hose, a five port manifold, water rescue gear (throw bags/PPE) and an AED.
Tanker 44 - 1997 Kenworth/New Lexington 1750 gpm/3500 gal.
Featuring multiple LDH discharges and three extendable electric dump chutes, this rig is set up as a “cushion tanker” supplying attack units on local boxes and can also be used at a dual dump site. Seating three, it is equipped with two SCBA with spare cylinders, 32’ of 6” suction hose, drafting equipment, a 4,000 gallon “porta-pond” and 49’ of ground ladders including a 35’ extension ladder. When originally delivered, it featured two reels above the pump panel holding 200’
of 1-3/4” attack and 100’ of 4” supply line - having proved troublesome, members of the company fabricated crosslays which hold 200’ of 1-3/4” and 3” attack line as well as 600’ of pre-connected 5” supply line (this rig was the first - and for a long time
the only - rig I had ever photographed that had a 5” pre-connect - definitely unyque!).
Squad 44-1 (Retired) - 1994 Chevrolet Kodiak/Emergency One
Entering service in 2002, this rig was replaced in 2017 with a 1999 International/Marion walk-in style heavy rescue that formerly served Albertville, Minnesota. A former ambulance, it was modified for personnel transport and traffic control. Equipped with seating for 10, this rig carried six seat mounted SCBA, a thermal imager, RIT pack, chimney kit, command vests, BLS medical gear as well as equipment for salvage, water rescue
(PFD’s, throw bags and ring buoys) and traffic control.