Historic Hallowell

The oldest fire dousing technology were buckets that the fire department used. When there was a fire in Hallowell, the fire department would make a note on a bugle, which would have all the volunteer firemen go to the fire department. Everybody would carry the leather buckets to the Kennebec River, fill them with water, and lug them back up to the burning house to douse the fire. After the buckets came the invention of the hand pumper. To work the hand pumper, someone would pour in water while a second person would pump a handle to throw water up to the fire quickly. The first fire engine was made in 1819; it was the Cascade Hand Tub. The fire hydrant was invented in 1869 by Birdsill Holly. Finally, in the 1960’s and 70’s, the fire department used whistle blows to alert the volunteer fire department members that there was a fire. For example, when there was a chimney fire, the person would call the fire department, and they would blow the whistle one time. Or if school was canceled, there would be two, long blasts at 7:15am to let everybody know. On January 4, 1918, Augusta needed Hallowell's help since motorized equipment was first installed in Hallowell.The fire department used lots of technology, but these were some of the most prominent.