Did you know?
The recent edition of the The Manchester Cricket referenced a great piece of Manchester Fire Department history from 1936, and we thought it would be fun to share a “then and now” comparison of the Fire Chief’s vehicle over the past 90 years.
In 1936, Manchester’s Fire Chief, Manuel S. Miguel, was the proud recipient of a Packard convertible sedan gifted by summer resident Ulray Conway to serve as the department’s “Chief’s Car.”
Back then, as it is today, the primary purpose of the Chief’s vehicle was to provide transportation for the Fire Chief to respond to emergencies and support operations throughout the community. However, today’s command vehicles are far more than just a means of transportation.
Chief McNeilly now responds in a fully equipped Chevrolet Tahoe command vehicle (“Car 1”) designed to function as a mobile incident command and communications center. Modern command vehicles provide interoperable radio communications, firefighter accountability systems, mobile data access, electronic pre-plans, mapping technology, weather and incident monitoring capabilities, and access to critical reference materials that help coordinate emergency operations seamlessly alongside regional mutual aid partners.
From a simple Packard sedan in 1936 to a technologically advanced mobile command platform of today, Manchester’s Fire Department continues to evolve while remaining committed to protecting the community.
Some things change — but dedication to public safety never does.
