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The Blairsville Volunteer Fire Company operates five apparatus and a water rescue boat and dive trailer.
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Engine 121 is a 1991 FMC 1250 gallon per minute pumper. It features a 750 gallon booster tank and is equipped with 1200 feet of 4" supply hose. It also carries 600 feet of 1 3/4" and 450 feet of 2 1/2" attack lines. Engine 121 is equipped with a thermal imaging camera which utilizes pictures of infrared heat to allow firefighters to see in poor visibility conditions such as heavy smoke or darkness. Engine 121 seats six crew members and is first due for all fires and vehicle accidents. Engine 121 is distinct as the last piece of apparatus produced by FMC before the company discontinued its fire apparatus division.
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Engine 123 is a 1981 American La France 1500 gallon per minute pumper. It features a 1000 gallon booster tank and is equipped with 1200 feet of 5" supply hose and a 100 foot 4" pre-connected supply line. It also carries 300 feet of 1 3/4" and 500 feet of 2 1/2" attack lines. Engine 123 is used primarily as a water supply engine. It seats seven crew members and is second due at all fires. Engine 123 won first place for best appearing pumper in its class at two PA State Fire Conventions - in 1984 and again in 2002! Engine 123 is a crowd favorite at parades because of the distinctive La France styling. It has won numerous local awards and trophies, but is also a dependable and hard working fire engine.
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Rescue 125 is a 1985 GMC / Ranger walk-in rescue. It features a complete Hurst hydraulic rescue tool set (the "Jaws of Life"), air lifting bags capable of lifting 50 tons and various other rescue tools and equipment. The interior of the rescue can be used as a command post or a rehabilitation area for firefighters. Another important feature of Rescue 125 is a four 6000psi-bottle cascade system for filling breathing air bottles. These bottles are used by firefighters with Self Contained Breathing Apparatus to allow them to operate in toxic environments. Rescue 125 seats a crew of 12 and responds to all vehicle accidents and fires. It is frequently requested by neighboring fire companies to provide breathing air at fire scenes.
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Extreme Service 124 is a 2000 Ford / KME light rescue. It is built on a Ford 550 Super Duty four wheel drive chassis. Service 124 features a Hurst Maverick Hydraulic Rescue Tool. This unit also provides ample light at any scene with a 3000 watt light tower. Various other tools and salvage equipment allow this flexible apparatus to serve as a back-up rescue and as a service truck for the many types of public service details the company is called to. It seats a crew of five and is used to provide manpower and equipment at all types of alarms.
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Utility 122 is a 1995 Chevrolet one-ton four wheel drive pickup truck. It features a portable 500 gallon per minute Hale pump and a 250 gallon booster tank. Utility 122 seats a crew of three. Its portable pump can be deployed in rural settings to provide water supply for fighting structure fires from nearby streams or ponds. The unit also features a 1" booster line on a powered reel which is used to combat brush fires.
Shown with Utility 122 is the fire company's water and dive rescue trailer. This trailer has storage lockers and a preparation area where swift water and SCUBA equipment are donned by rescuers at a water rescue scene. Equipment includes SCUBA gear, wet suits, dry suits, exposure suits, personal flotation devices, boots, helmets and various rope rescue bags and equipment. The company has a water rescue team comprised of 6 rescue divers and 7 swift water rescuers. The trailer is heated and air conditioned to allow for rehabilitation of personnel and a comfortable environment for changing into water rescue equipment.
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The fire company's water rescue team operates a rescue boat. This inflatable boat has a 30 hp Mercury jet motor capable of navigating the sometimes shallow Conemaugh River. The boat also has a rigid platform that is excellent for dive operations. This boat can be used for swift water and dive rescue missions. The boat and rescue trailer saw extensive use during the flood conditions following heavy rains in September 2004.
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