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Saulsbury Fire Apparatus of the New York City Fire Department

On The Book Shelf
By John M. Malecky, April, 2023


Saulsbury Fire Apparatus of the New York City Fire Department
By John A. Calderone
Available from:
FSP Books & Videos 
433 Main Street, Suite 2A
Hudson, MA 07149
1-800-522-8528
E-mail: support@fire-police-ems.com
www.fire-police-ems.com


Price: $29.95


This book is soft cover, measuring 8 ½ by 11 inches, with 48 pages. Like the book reviewed in the last issue, this one is authored by an avid apparatus enthusiast and also a personal friend through the same amount of years. His interest is just about all aspects of the fire service, but especially apparatus. In my opinion, he is one of many experts in the New York City Fire Department from which he is retired. The text reflecting some history of Saulsbury and the years that the fire department used their apparatus is accumulated in three large pages. Within these pages are trucks assigned with intricate details which followed them through reassignment, repurposing and refurbishment and sadly enough, destruction of some at the World trade Center. The rest of the book from page 7 through 47 are large color photos of the different types of apparatus with these bodies which include rescue units, tower ladders, satellites, brush units, foam trucks and other specialized units, some of which you may not have realized were constructed with this body. One unique truck is the thawing apparatus of which two had a Saulsbury body. This type truck had a steam generator enclosed in the body and hard rubber hoses that were used to thaw frozen hydrants. From my early days of reading about this fire department I was aware that they had thawing apparatus, but never came across any other fire department that I knew of that had them. However this is an interesting rig on page 18. I should also mention that these Saulsbury bodies were mounted on a number of different chassis, not just one make. The last page of the book lists the apparatus and their types. The back cover has three smaller color photos. So, I recommend that you treat yourself to another one of Jack Calderone’s masterpieces. You will not be disappointed!

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John MaleckySenior Columnist

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