By Bill Adams
There’s an old saying that a watched pot never boils. White hairs believe pots must be stirred occasionally to keep stuff from sticking to the bottom. When there’s too much unstirred kitchen talk in the firehouse, troops can develop sedentary mindsets. That’s when brains coagulate and start sticking to the skull.
A sedentary mindset means things are running smooth; don’t rock the boat and keep all ideas of changing things to yourself. Addressing sedentary mindsets is the solemn obligation of the raisin squad. Bringing up the past might trigger the new breed’s thought process, although most newbies cringe whenever old timers show up for morning coffee.
The attached photograph of a 1954 semi-cab American La France pumper was brought in to stir the pot. I proclaimed its major improvement over older rigs was mounting the air packs on the front of the pump house so firefighters could stand and pack-up en route. There weren’t any seat belts getting in the way. Besides, if you were on the fluffy side, you hardly fit in the jump seats. The young guys were flabbergasted.
Both photos via author courtesy of Jim Burlingame.I mentioned safety concerns led to purchasing an enclosed cab with open jump seats in 1974. But the Warner & Swasey cab had less jump seat room than the La France. Its Waukesha gas engine ran so hot you didn’t dare rest a bare arm on the treadplate engine enclosure. Although you still had to stand to pack-up en route, I said at least they improved the air pack holders by enclosing them with vinyl covers. That convinced the young guys us old people are beyond repair.
Most firefighters have an inherent compulsion to complain; it must relieve stress. I’ve done my share: First they put doors and roofs on our ap