530Cs at Fort Meade

[530c]

Does anyone know when the 530Cs were first delivered to Ft Meade and if they were originally Olive Drab? When were they finally retired?

Also, on the back of the yellow 530Cs, Crash 3 and Crash 4, there appears to be a large capacity extinguisher with a coiled up hose. Any idea of the size and if they were CO2 or dry chemical? Anyone have any pictures of the back tailgates?

I am restoring a 530C and trying to set it up as a front line (OD green not red) crash unit. Some old supply lists showed the crash set having what looked like a 50lb CO2 extinguisher.

Thanks Jeff Absecon Emergency Management New Jersey

[moatjumper]

The two 530-C's were delivered in 1974 and arrived in OD green. They were painted red as stateside fire apparatus per Dept. of Army (DA) policy. The paint jobs weren't the best and the red began to fade into a pinkish color. In the mid-70's DA changed the policy for apparatus colors and both 530-C's were eventually painted lime-yellow. They were retired in the late 80's when two Amertek MASI crash trucks replaced them.

The extinguishers on the tailboards were 100 pound wheeled dry chemical extinguishers that had been modified for fixed installation on the trucks. These extinguishers were not part of the equipment issued with the 530's and I believe were actually something that was generic to Fort Meade's operations. These extinguishers were removed from the 530-B's that were replaced by the C's and installed on the tailboards before the C's were placed in service. The dry chemical powder was expelled via nitrogen from the cylinder located next to the dry chemical tank.

I have some pictures of the C's but will need to find them and scan them in for posting which may take awhile. Some other Watchdesk regulars such as Rescue 131 may be able to provide some additional info and/or photos.

[530c]

thanks for the info - heres a picture of my 530C, soon to be OD Green.

[moatjumper]

If you look on Page 4 of the "Military Fire Apparatus" thread under the Fort Meade forum you will find a photo of an OD 530-C the ran at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

[530c]

heres a shot of my 530C pumping thanks Jeff

[530c]

another pic with the equipment

[530c]

always liked the camo or OD ones better

[Rescue131]

Moatjumper, Nice to see you back on this board. You pretty much covered the 530-C I think. The Amertek's were delivered in 1987. The term "MACI" is applied to these rigs by some as a manufacturer, but MACI is actually an acronym for Military Adaptable Commercial Item.