PROJECT: EMBER

Vital Statistics and History

Vital Statistics:
- 1981 Mack Type: MC611F12 (Chassis #1077) with Mack bodywork.
- Mack ENDT673, ETZ673, E6-260 Thermodyne 672ci 260HP
- One of 183 trucks built for use as fire apparatus on the MC611 Chassis
- One of 321 total trucks built on the MC611 Chassis between 1979 and 1986.
- One of 756 total Mack MC fire trucks built on the Mack MC chassis between 1978 and 1990.
- 1250 GPM Pump / 500 Gallon PolyTank
- Cab over Engine
- Manufactured in 1981 at the Mack Plant in Allentown, PA.
- Youngstown Fire Department Shop Number 1215.
- Gross Weight: 33,200lbs
- Height: 8 1/2 ft, Width: 8 1/2 ft, Length: 25 ft.
- Originally built for Winchester, Virginia.

History:
Youngstown was a city based on steel. It was thanks to these mills that Youngstown grew and prospered and it was also these mills that caused Youngstown’s demise. The 1970 census gave the city’s population as 139,788. The income received from the mills and it’s work force during the 1970’s allowed the city operate 13 stations. The city purchased a 75 foot Baker Aerialscope on a Mack CF chassis in 1973 and several Mack CF pumpers in 1974, 77, 78, and 79. In 1970, Youngstown’s Steel Mills employed 32,325 people. On September 19, 1977, a day dubbed ‘Black Monday’ by people in and around Youngstown. The Youngstown Sheet and Tube announced its city mill would close putting over 4,000 people out of work. The Youngstown Sheet and Tube closings were followed by the closing of the U.S. Steel mills in 1979 and 1980, and the bankruptcy of Republic Steel in the mid-1980s. By 1980, that number of employees the mill had dropped to 16,358. In 1980, the city’s population dropped to 115,427. The city relied on the tax money from the mills and its workers and had never diversified its tax base. As a result, the city was faced with the problem of having more services than it could afford. The end result was layoffs, wage freezes, closings and denied equipment requests. The fire department, although now seeing an increase in vacant house fires, was forced to close 3 stations. Station 2 (lower east side), station 3 (north side), and station 14 (south side) were all shut down due to budget problems dropping the city’s total to 10 stations. With the exception of the 5 Mack CF’s purchased during the 70’s, the city’s firefighting apparatus complement was 20+ years old. The department was left with a money shortage, an aging fleet and an increasing fire load. Getting city council to allocate money during this time was quite difficult, if not impossible. In April of 1981, City Council approved $300,000 for the purchase of 15 police cruisers, sanitation equipment and a new fire truck thanks to the passing of a 1% income tax increase. The truck was not to exceed $110,000.

The fire department was looking for something they could take immediate delivery of knowing fair well that the city could take the money allocation back at any time. In October 1981, the city checked out a 1981 Mack MC at R&R Mack. The truck was one of four units that were ordered by another municipality. According to a Youngstown Vindicator article from 10/29/1981, the municipality could only afford to buy 2 of the Mack MCs they ordered. The third truck was sold. The final truck met all of the Youngstown Fire Department’s specifications, and so the city purchased it for $99,300. The truck featured a 1250 gallon per minute (GPM), a 500 gallon tank and a white over red color scheme.

Above: The truck in it’s early years with the city of Youngstown.

The 1981 Mack MC was assigned to the downtown station (Station 1) at 420 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. It was replaced the following year by the department’s second Mack MC, a 1982 rig with a 1500gpm/750gal tank. The 1981 Mack MC then went to Station No.6 at 1817 Shehy on the East side. There it remained for the majority of its life. The Mack MCs never backed down from a fire and there were very few fires in Youngstown in the 80’s and 90’s that one or both of the Mack MC’s didn’t help fight. The 1980’s and 1990’s were the city’s war years. The city was in a downhill transition. Arsons and for profit fires were skyrocketing. The mass exodus from the city was in full swing. The city’s population continued to drop and in 2000, Youngstown’s population had dropped to 85,000. Streets were full of vacant homes. Vacant storefronts lined the main thoroughfares and filled the central business district. Vacant industrial mills and buildings lined the Mahoning River, a grim reminder of what a major steel player Youngstown once was.

Fire History:
The 1981 Mack MC’s first major blaze was at Ben’s Modern Appliances at 801 Market Street on December 2, 1981. The 2- alarm fire did $115,000 damage to the building. The following is a partial list of other major fires that the 1981 Mack MC responded to:

January 24, 1981, 2-alarm fire burned the LaClede Food and Beverage Market at 400 W. LaClede.

March 5, 1984, a 2-alarm fire hits the Mansion Restaurant at 2540 Market St.

On April 27th, 1984, a fire was reported at Idora Park, a local amusement park. Before the day was over, fire crews managed to save the parks historic carosel and one of the two world famous roller coasters.

On April 29, 1986, a 3-alarm fire causing $1 million damage to the Koppers Co. Inc at Logan and Andrews Ave.

Above: April 29, 1986 - Engine 6 supplies lines at the Koppers Co fire.
Photo from the Youngstown Vindicator.

May 4, 1986, fire again strikes Idora Park dealing the final blow to the struggeling local amusement park.

August 27, 1988 - A 2-alarm fire rips through the Recycling Center on Pyatt St. Damage was estimated at $20,000.

December 23, 1988 - A 3-alarm destroys the Newport Value King at 3730 Market St.

January 16, 1989 - A 3-alarm fire hits the Sentco Paint Manufacturing Co. at 1301 N. Meridian Ave.

March 4, 1992 - 3-alarms are sounded for the List Lumber Co. at 537 Williamson causing damages of $200,000.

October 13, 1995 - Fire destroys Partner’s Jazz Lounge at 732 Oak Hill.

September 12, 1996 - A multiple alarm fire strikes Candy Max Inc. at 1453 South Ave.

Above: October 4, 1997 - Engine 6 and crew working at the
Messiah Holiness Church of God in Christ fire on Elm St.

After serving for many years as Engine 6 on the East side, it was transferred to Station No.15 on the West side and served as their main response vehicle.

Above: The 1980 Mack MC as Engine 15.

It’s last active role on the Youngstown Fire Department was as Spare Engine 1.

Above: March 3, 2000 - Spare Engine 1 supplies a line
to Ladder 24 as firefighters battle a 2-alarm fire.

Above: August 15, 2004. The 1981 Mack MC running as
Spare Engine 1 was one of the trucks sent on the 3rd alarm at 904 Tod Ave.
It was staffed with off duty firefighters.

The 1981 Mack MC and its twin, the 1982 Mack MC have gradually been moving down the front line unit list. On December 31, 2006, the 1981 Mack MC which served the city of Youngstown for 25 years was decommissioned from active service. The department removed most of the equipment they could salvage from the truck. It was parked behind the downtown station for several months as it awaited its fate.

Above: The truck after decommission.

A second chance:
In March, I began making arrangements to receive a bid packet for the City Surplus auction held in the summer. I wasn't sure if the truck would be auctioned off but I wanted to have that base covered. Sometime in the end of March or beginning of April, the truck was moved from behind the downtown station and I lost track of its location. A very observant friend of mine on his way home from YSU spotted the truck off Andrews Ave and the next day, I stopped in at the truck repair garage where the rig was located. I was hoping to be able to take some photos of the truck in its current state. The result was even better. The owner of the truck asked if I was interested in buying it. The price was right and later that afternoon I returned check in hand. The date was April 12, 2007.

Above: The truck as purchased on 4/12/2007.