Out and About - Random Shots (Gettysburg, DC, & Philly)

[xfirefighter484x 234]

I am currently holed up down here in Ashburn, Virginia for a friend's wedding. On the trip down, we made a short side-tour to the Gettysburg Battlegrounds, Museum, and National Cemetery (a must see for anyone who has any interest in the Civil War. VERY tastefully done there).

While visiting a family friend, we went to Gettysburg College, and came upon the Gettysburg FD. They had their aerial set-up, along with their Fire Police vehicle, Campus Safety, and possibly even the Police (saw someone with a uniform on, not sure who he was with), doing fire safety demonstrations (extinguisher demo/usage instruction), recruiting, and other PR.

Gettysburg FD runs 2 Engines, 1 Rescue, 1 Truck, 1 Fire Police, 1 Utility, and 2 BLS ambulances.

Spent a good deal of time talking with the guys there, VERY nice and informative, thanks!!!

So far this was the only FD I have stopped at/spoken with, I passed by the local volly house, but I had to get somewhere and did not get a chance to stop. Here is a few quick shots of the Gettysburg rig. I have shots from the Gettysburg Battlegrounds and sites, as well as some other stops, but the internet here at the hotel stinks!!!

Gettysburg FD is part of the Adams County Volunteer Emergency Services Association

2008 104' Seagrave Pre-Piped Stick

**MORE PICTURES TO COME**

[mfc2257 464]

Ahh my old stomping grounds!!! I was there last week as well.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Ahh my old stomping grounds!!! I was there last week as well.

Where, in VA or PA? Any recommendations? (If so please PM)

[MoFire390 118]

Gettysburg us a great place!!! i absolutly love it there!!! should take the ghost tour when u get the chance its awesome!!!! enjoy ur trip looking forward to seeing more pictures

[mfc2257 464]

Where, in VA or PA? Any recommendations? (If so please PM)

Plenty... In PA MD and VA. You looking for fire or social stuff

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Plenty... In PA MD and VA. You looking for fire or social stuff

When you said it was your stomping grounds, I was looking for where you were specifically referring to. I was more looking for the fire end, as I have company with me on this trip, and a lot of the sites we have already seen has been shared interest spots, but I want some stuff for me!!!!!

I am not yet sure if I will be stopping in Wash DC or not, but at the least will be passing through/by it.

Probably stopping in Philly on the way home!

[jack10562 414]

If you're in Philly, the Fireman's Hall Museum is a nice stop.

Of course you'll have to go down to East Passyhunk Avenue and visit either Pat's or Geno's.

WIT!

You can also see where I got my avatar photo.

[mfc2257 464]

Sorry my phone died last night... And for some reason I can't get it to open the PM function so I'll post here...

My stomping grounds were Gettysburg. I ran my last call there about 10 years ago. With the exception of the ford pickup, they've turned all the apparatus over in the past 10 years. Pretty impressive for a department that pays for it's apparatus by it's own fundraising.

Head up to PG county and you'll find some pretty interesting apparatus. Heavy Squad and Tiller at hyattsville station 1 and Berwyn Heights station 14. Tiller at Chillum Adelphi station 34. Heavy Squad's at Glenn Dale station 18, and Morningside Station 27. Kentland station 33 just took delivery of their new tower and both 33 and Bladensburg station 9 have nicely laid out new pumpers and are really compact E331 and E94.

If you go home by way of RT81 to RT78 in the Harrisburg area, stop and see Progress (forget the station number) with their awesome seagrave rescue wagon and tower.

In Montgomory county, station 8 in Gaithersburg is very busy. In Anne Arundel county Station 23, the jones station, is their special ops facility with a great crew of guys.

In the district, E3 has a unique station with bi folding doors just blocks from the Capitol.

[osufire90 18]

That is a beautiful Seagrave!

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Sorry my phone died last night... And for some reason I can't get it to open the PM function so I'll post here...

My stomping grounds were Gettysburg. I ran my last call there about 10 years ago. With the exception of the ford pickup, they've turned all the apparatus over in the past 10 years. Pretty impressive for a department that pays for it's apparatus by it's own fundraising.

Head up to PG county and you'll find some pretty interesting apparatus. Heavy Squad and Tiller at hyattsville station 1 and Berwyn Heights station 14. Tiller at Chillum Adelphi station 34. Heavy Squad's at Glenn Dale station 18, and Morningside Station 27. Kentland station 33 just took delivery of their new tower and both 33 and Bladensburg station 9 have nicely laid out new pumpers and are really compact E331 and E94.

If you go home by way of RT81 to RT78 in the Harrisburg area, stop and see Progress (forget the station number) with their awesome seagrave rescue wagon and tower.

In Montgomory county, station 8 in Gaithersburg is very busy. In Anne Arundel county Station 23, the jones station, is their special ops facility with a great crew of guys.

In the district, E3 has a unique station with bi folding doors just blocks from the Capitol.

Thanks for the hints I definitely want to stop at some of these places if we have the time!!

Today's travels took us into PG Co., but we were on a tight schedule. My father wanted to visit and pay respects to his father's grave, (located in PGCO).

On the way back we passed DCFD Eng. Co. #19, the guys were hosing some stuff down, so we stopped to shoot the breeze.

Not the best photo, I know, but it was a quick shot with as little traffic in front as I could get!

I didn't even get the chance to get any info on this engine, as within 2 minutes of getting there, they got an alarm and had to run.

The above engine is due for replacement in the next few weeks, here is a Spy Shot of the NEW DCFD E-19!!

[tdt560 1]

Leesburg, which is right near Asburn, has a nice Seagrave tiller. They also have a 1929 Seagrave pumper. I have not affiliation with them but I work for a NOVA department.

Another place to visit would be the Frienship firehouse museum in Alexandria. George Washington was an early member here. Great historic firehouse. http://alexandriava.gov/FriendshipFirehouse

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Leesburg, which is right near Asburn, has a nice Seagrave tiller. They also have a 1929 Seagrave pumper. I have not affiliation with them but I work for a NOVA department.

Another place to visit would be the Frienship firehouse museum in Alexandria. George Washington was an early member here. Great historic firehouse. http://alexandriava.gov/FriendshipFirehouse

tdt560, thanks for the suggestions! If we had more free time I would love to dedicate a full day to just fire station tours, "sadly" the main reason I was down here was for a wedding, and all the other stuff was just 'on the side'.

So much to do, so little time haha!! I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind for the next time I am down this way, and I will HAVE to come back down, SO much more I wanted to do/see, SO many good suggestions!!

If I pass by any of the above mentioned places on the trip back I will try and stop, but my next stop on the trip home will probably be Philadelphia!!

If you're in Philly, the Fireman's Hall Museum is a nice stop.

Of course you'll have to go down to East Passyhunk Avenue and visit either Pat's or Geno's.

WIT!

You can also see where I got my avatar photo.

Jack, I have a friend that lives in Philly, and asked them what to do/see, and they mentioned those 2 food joints as well!!

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Got home a short while ago, long trip back with lots of stops in between.

LOTS of pictures to be uploaded tomorrow, including from Philadelphia and Gettysburg!!!!

[FightingIrish 7]

Wait is DC moving from seagrave to pierce now?

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Wait is DC moving from seagrave to pierce now?

I don't know the background, the crew that was there was very friendly, but had a run right after I got there, and there was no one else in the building, so we had to step out, and being on a tight schedule, we did not wait around for them to come back.

But... that being said, that seems to be what the picture is implying, so I would venture a guess 'yes', if not just partially...

[mfc2257 464]

DC just recieved several Pierce engines. Not a surprise as Pierce, just as seagrave, has a very strong showing in the DC metro area.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

So, the last stop on my trip, on the way home, was Philadelphia. We decided to check out the Historic District, and were very pleased. We got to tour Independence Hall, see the Liberty Bell, and a couple other historic buildings along the way.

While in the park, I heard a jake brake kick on, and ran to get a picture, but, being as I had a borrowed camera, I had it set on the wrong mode, and missed the best photo opportunity. I did get 2 mediocre shots of Philly FD Rescue 1 passing by:

At the recommendation of a passing tour guide, we went to the first due station to the Historic District, Engine 8 & Ladder 2.

I want to thank the very cordial, friendly and informative guys from the PFD!! I still want some patches though if you ever get them back in!!!!!!!!!!

After talking with one of the firefighters, we found out that Engine 8 was disbanded 5 years ago due to the City cutting companies. They currently run with a Snorkel, but was was out for repairs, and they had a reserve piece in the station (a tiller). Also inside the station was a reserve engine, just being used for storage, not an active piece.

Normally housed at this fire station is Ladder 2, Medic 44B, and Battalion 4 (IIRC):

In-service Reserve Ladder 290

OOS Reserve Engine 302

[xfirefighter484x 234]

The next stop on my quest for patches (since L2 did not have any), at the recommendation of the guys at L2 were to try the guys at Engine 11 (which did not have any patches either, so I was a triple strike-out on this trip and really bummed)...

IIRC again, this station houses Engine 11, Medic 21?, and they had an OOS reserve engine in the back of the other bay, but with the poor lighting my shots did not come out.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

A couple other random shots:

Independence Hall was under a lot of exterior renovation, which disappointed me, but I got a halfway decent shot of one side (scaffolding and a fake dropcloth with a painted representation were on the other side):

Always good to pre-plan and know the construction of your first due area. Parapet, or bow-string??:

The old cobblestone streets (a PITA might I add lol):

Looking up inside the skirt and into the crack (giggity) of the Liberty Bell:

A poor point, shoot, and hope for the best, shot of the Liberty Bell with Independence Hall in background:

A Philly PD car's insignia:

[xfirefighter484x 234]

More shots of my Gettysburg tour to be uploaded and posted a little later!!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

On the way back we passed DCFD Eng. Co. #19, the guys were hosing some stuff down, so we stopped to shoot the breeze.

http://dcfire.com/

[JBE 328]

I went down to Ladder 2 a few months ago, when they were running the snorkel. They wouldn't even budge at pulling it out for pictures. Looks like they got the tiller they wanted, spare or not.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

I went down to Ladder 2 a few months ago, when they were running the snorkel. They wouldn't even budge at pulling it out for pictures. Looks like they got the tiller they wanted, spare or not.

I didn't even bother to ask anyone if they would pull any rigs out. I am a buff, don't get me wrong, but I am not up to asking guys to set up for photo shoots lol!!

[MoFire390 118]

hope u had a good trip. DC, Philly, and Gettysburg are awesome places