Department of Public Safety

Life of a Rescue Vehicle

Squad 1 retired from service after an outstanding 43-year career of front-line service.

February 1, 2012 | 2 min reading time

This article is 13 years old. It was published on February 1, 2012.

(1) Squad 1 - 1968 Seagrave, body by Welch 250
Photo by Brian Justice, Greenbackville, VA Vol. Fire Department Title: Photo of Rescue Squad 1(1968 Seagrave 800-KC, body built by Welch)
Source: Brian Justice, Greenbackville, VA Vol. Fire Department

The Department of Public Safety received word last month from Greenbackville, Virginia Volunteer Fire Department that one of its former units, Squad 1 (1968 Seagrave Rescue) was recently retired from service after an outstanding 43-year career of front-line service.  The apparatus served three different fire departments -- St. Louis, MO; Blades, DE; and Greenbackville, VA.

Here's the brief history.  St. Louis originally took delivery of the red 1968 Seagrave 800-KC that had a squad body built by Welch.  From St. Louis the squad was sold to Blades, Delaware, where it ran as Rescue 71-6.  It was repainted white with lime while at Blades.  In 2002, Greenbackville purchased the squad from Blades and had the lime portion repainted to red. Rescue 2 was equipped with a variety of equipment, including a four-bottle air cascade system.

The unit will be privately owned by Thomas Sharpley, Sr., of Vintage Fire Brigade, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Sharpley plans on eventually restoring the unit.  He already owns three Seagrave pumpers.

Department of Public Safety

City of St. Louis

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