Museum Owned Fire Engines
(upd: Oct 2024) These engines are titled and insured by the CDF/Cal Fire Museum and intended to be available for parades or static displays. As our museum staff ages, we find a constant need for additional assistance to help maintain the fleet. Although many hours have been put into finding and restoring these beautiful pieces of Cal Fire heritage, they are still in danger of being lost due to neglect, decay and lack of attention. The CDF/Cal Fire Museum welcomes any and all offers from volunteers interested in assisting with fleet care and maintenance (or even helping us track the required paperwork and documents). Help Us Preserve Your Heritage!
This 1930 Ford Model A firetruck was originally built by the CA Department of Highways shop in Sacramento. A beautiful example of the second generation of State-designed and built rural firetruck. It served as a lighter, speedier alternative to the larger well-known Moreland model. This restored version is stored and maintained in the Nevada Yuba Placer unit.
Our 1935 Chevrolet, housed at Coulterville station and known as the “Shimer” engine is cared for by the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit. It served in front-line service in Mariposa and Coulterville, was purchased and restored by John Shimer at teh end of its service life, and was donated to the Museum in 2020.
“Big Jimmy” is a 1939 GMC cabover completely restored and housed at the Ramona Air Attack base in San Diego Unit.
Recently featured on our newest challenge coin, this 1942 Mack is housed at Santa Rosa in the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, and was one of the first engines purchased for war-time protection of the homefront by a rapidly growing Division of Forestry.
The 1948 Dodge crew truck housed by the Amador El Dorado Unit at El Dorado station is known as the “Fox” engine. After serving CDF, it was sold to a local fire district, then obtained by retired Associate Ranger Everett Fox from Shasta Unit. The truck was donated to the Museum in 2008 and restored by Growlersburg camp.
Our 1956 International Model 1, came from old CDF Region 5, then was purchased by the Smartsville FPD. Retired CDF’er Jack White purchased it and fully restored the engine before selling it to Allen Columbro who gifted it to the museum upon his death. It is currently housed at Hornitos, by the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit.
Our 1963 Chevrolet Model 1, known as the Bud Lewis engine, served in Julian as a front line engine and later did reserve duty at Oak Glen. Currently out-of-service due to transmission issues. Housed by the San Bernardino Unit.
In addition to the rigs shown above, the CDF/Cal Fire Museum holds title to 17 other rigs and chassis in various states of repair or restoration, housed at a variety of locations throughout the State. (SCU, BDU, TCU, Davis, MMU & AEU) If you would like to help serve as a caretaker, assist with oversight, recordkeeping or help us make progress in bringing these vintage examples of our mobile equipment history back to life, please contact us at: Admin@CalFireHistory.com