08/29/2026
Morning history. From Robeson County, here's a neat story from June 5, 1977, about East Howellsville Fire Department "fighting inflation" by building their own tanker using a new Chevy C-65 two-ton chassis. Here's the article text, full clipping in comments:
The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C. — Sunday, June 5, 1977
These Volunteer Firefighters Are Also Fighting Inflation
Firefighters are in business to fight fire quickly, safely, and efficiently.
The latest move by the East Howellsville Rural Fire Department to upgrade its firefighting capability also resulted in a roundhouse punch at inflation.
The department decided it needed another tanker truck to supply water to pumpers already in service for the department, says Chief Bill Bryan.
But with finances being what they sometimes are, and the cost of a truck like they wanted pushing over $15,000 from a supplier, members decided they might fare better doing the job themselves.
So with a lot of planning and design and calling on the talents of members in plumbing, welding, drafting, electrical installation and other skills, the move was made to build a firetruck.
Starting in March of 1976 with a new C-65 (2-ton) Chevrolet cab and chassis, purchased locally, members started a project that would keep them very busy until January of this year.
A 1400 gallon tank was welded together and fitted on the chassis, bringing the total length of the truck to a little over 20 feet.
Plumbing was devised for installation of a single stage centrifugal pump with a 500 gallon per minute capacity. The pump gives about 100 pounds per square inch water pressure.
The pump is capable of transferring water from the 1400 gallon tank to other trucks within the department, using regular flexible fire hose.
The truck is also fitted out with two pre-connected, 150 foot, one and one half inch fire hoses and outlets. It can and has fought fire alone with no assistance from other equipment.
At one fire call answered by the department, the tank truck approached a burning building before the regular pumping truck. A felled power line then blocked the way of the pumper and the tanker was successfully set up to supply two water lines to combat the blaze.
Firemen fill the tanker either from rural hydrants or other water pump supply since the truck cannot draft water from reservoirs.
The pump they normally use to fill the truck can fill the tank in about seven minutes.
The department realized a substantial savings by building the truck themselves.
Bryan estimated the cost of a similar body unit, aside from the cost of the cab and chassis, to be no less than $8500 from a fire equipment supplier.
Doing it their way, the department put about $1000 into construction of the tank, storage cabinets, hose connections and pump for this truck.
It works so well, the chief said he wouldn’t hesitate to build another one.
Photos & Story By Bill Price
Photo caption:
Clockwise from upper right: Vera Kinlaw puts the final whisk broom touch on the cab; Gerome Kinlaw attaches the red light and siren; A lot of fitting and planning go into the internal workings of a firetruck; Dennis and Gerald Kinlaw find seats in custom storage bins; Lawrence Patterson drains a fire hose and some of the bits and pieces remain to be sorted; and finally, above, The Finished Product.
