Jeffrey Butts 1976 P Series
This 1976 "P" Series serial #73525 was originally sold to Washington County (Oregon) Fire District #1. It ran out of the Progress Fire Station in tandem with an American LaFrance Ladder Chief. It was put into reserve in the mid-1980's and then retired by the Department (now known as Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue) in 1999. The owner is a retired volunteer firefighter who has seen service on this Engine as a driver and as a company officer. He bought the vehicle in May of 2001.
In 2001 the engine was completely stripped of all its equipment and fittings to have some significant rust and general body work repaired. After many hours of hard laborious work, Jeff has cleaned the engine up nicely.
( Examples of what Jeff was faced with )
Surplus equipment assistance has come from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Portland Fire Bureau, and out of Jeff's pocket.
It runs and pumps well and has been resurrected to its original first due assignment.
Way to go Jeff!
This P-series Seagrave, F73525, was originally purchased by Washington County Fire District #1 (now Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue) in 1976 for a cost of $74,852 including all equipment and fittings. Washington County is located just west of Portland, Oregon.
Originally assigned the designation Engine 3, and then Engine 253" (E253), it was stationed in the Progress neighborhood near the Washington Square Shopping Mall.
Many firefighters may remember this Fire Department from a very tragic accident where a firefighter was burned while operating at a fire in the Beaverton High School. Below are the pictures and story of the events.
"In March of 1979, during Spring break, fire broke out in the cockloft of the gymnasium at Beaverton High School. Some students had constructed a hidden room above the gym floor and the wiring they had rigged up was the cause of the fire. The first alarm assignment included Engine and Truck 267 from the old Beaverton Main station on SW 5th. Also included were Engine and Truck 253 from the Progress station and Engine and Truck 254 from the Jenkins Road Station. The fire eventually went to three alarms bringing extra apparatus including, Engine 255 from Cedar Mill on Cornell Road, Engine 251 from West Slope, and Engine 252 from Aloha, along with multiple Rescue Companies. Crews from the truck companies worked to ventilate the roof to aid in the discovery of the seat of the fire. Engine companies had hose lines in the building. The ventilation from the roof caused the fire in the hidden spaces to "flash over", seriously burning firefighter Terry Bowman, assigned to Truck 253. Almost simultaneously, the truss roof failed and caved in, nearly taking with it other crews on the roof. Engine company crews in the gymnasium ran for their lives as the debris fell in.
In the first
photo, Engine 253 is laying a supply line from Truck 267 on the SW Erickson side
of the gym to the corner of SW 2nd.
The second photo shows the driver of Engine 253 making his hose connections to the pump. Beaverton’s Engine 267 can be seen in the background with a firefighter carrying a line in the gymnasium door.
In the third photo, the fire in the attic space has broken through the roof. Other apparatus is parked in the staging area on SW 2nd. Engine 253 can be seen, partially hidden by the trees, hooked up to the hydrant at the corner and supplying water to Truck 267 in the background. Truck 253 also has its ladder up and is prepared to flow additional streams".
When it was replaced with a new engine in the late 1980’s, it saw additional service as a reserve engine in Aloha as E252R. From 1990 until 1998 it served as a volunteer engine in Tigard (E231). During 1998 and 1999 it was used for a Training Division engine.
In May of 2001, Jeff purchased the Seagrave. As a volunteer from 1980 until 1998 Jeff had the chance to work with this engine when it replaced the departments Western States Ford during maintenance periods. Jeff has acted as both apparatus operator and officer on this rig.
When Jeff planned to retire he wanted to purchase a 50’s vintage rig for a hobby. Through a strange set of circumstances, he heard about the sale of three Engines and a Truck. Jeff had answered alarms on two of the Engines (both Seagrave) and the ALF Truck and realized he may never again have the opportunity to own a fire engine that he had served on.
Jeff and son Scott.
The purchase price was minimal due, Jeff believes because of his history with the department. Restoration was out of the question due to costs, but he felt "preservation" was a suitable alternative and set about to bring the Seagrave back to the way she looked in the early 1980’s. Although there is more to do, and there will always be more to do, E253 is pretty well set up with hose and hand tools. The pump is functional and plenty of polish and elbow grease make this a good example from the late 1970’s. Jeff has found that the firefighters from the area have enjoyed seeing the Seagrave again and the kindest compliment of all came from the Chief who originally bought it as he said, "When I saw it on the pad I thought it was still in service."
Jeff and his family all have fun aboard the Seagrave.
