From the creation of the American-LaFrance Fire Engine Co. in 1904 through the company's latest deliveries in 2004, McCall provides insight into the company's often complex corporate history with emphasis on the development of ALF motor fire apparatus. Comparisons to its competitors help explain the various development stages in apparatus style and components. Detailed, historic photographs show the wide variety of apparatus produced by ALF over the last century. A color gallery portrays the ALF colorful designs that remain popular for U.S fire departments today. The story wouldn't be complete without a chapter on ALFCO's Canadian Cousin, LaFrance Fire Engine & Foamite Ltd. An appendix explains the various types and series and the time period they were built. An outline of the various names the company went through is also

Fire engines are some of the most beautiful vehicles of them all! They have developed from horse drawn steam powered pumps to flashy chrome, colors, lights and sirens. Fire trucks are all about public service. They come to help you if your house is on fire or an accident has happened. The understanding is that anything 50 to 100 years old is vintage and anything 100 years old or older is considered an antique and our selection is not always precise. We honor all fire fighters and rescue workers on this 4th of July 2023 and hope you will enjoy our selection of photos.

As World War II drew to a close, America's premier fire apparatus builder--the American-LaFrance Foamite Corp. of Elmira, N.Y.--bet the company's future on its radical new cab-ahead-of-engine 700 Series fire engines. In a spectacular gamble to capture the superheated postwar market, all of the company's existing products were discontinued and its customers were essentially told to "take it or leave it." This bold gamble paid off and 700 Series rigs soon filled firehouses across the nation, sweeping aside all competitors and ultimately defining the breakthrough 700 as "America's Fire Engine." This is the first comprehensive history of the game-changing 700. Individual chapters detail not only each of the eight major vehicle types but also the origins, design controversies, manufacturing, and marketing of the 700 and short-lived transitional 800 Series. The book includes a meticulously researched registry of every 700/800 series apparatus delivered, supported by many interpretive tables detailing production, specifications and major fire department fleets.

Magnificent photographs create the first and only photographic history of Ward LaFrance fire trucks.