Code 3 Honolulu Crown Pumper - 14 w/Surfboard (12955)

This is Item #12955

Scale: 1/64
Release: June 2000
Edition Quantity: 5,000


The Honolulu Fire Department consists of a combination city-county department protecting the entire island of Oahu. The department responds from 38 stations covering 604 square miles. There are 38 engine companies, 11 truck companies, 2 rescues, and special units manned by 971 firefighters who protect the lives of 718,000 people and routinely answer 11,000 calls per year.

A strange fact of this department that is quite uncommon for state capitol cities is that each of its 38 stations are named as well as numbered. The names indicate the location on the island that each firehouse protects. Since the Hawaiian alphabet consists of only 19 letters the names are all very similar. Places like Makiki, Kaimuki, Kauakini and Kaaawa are the norm here and unless you are a native, you better go by the numbers!

The apparatus of this city is slightly mixed with the bulk of the department being Crown. There are twenty eight Crown built apparatus on the roster which makes Honolulu one of the largest users of Crown fire apparatus. Twenty one of these are pumpers, two are rescues, four are tankers and one is a tractor drawn aerial. Ten American La France and sixteen Seagrave units make up the remaining pumpers except for two Hendrickson/Superior rigs.

Regular and spare ladder trucks include six Seagrave tractor drawn aerials, two Seagrave quints, three American la France quints plus an American La France snorkel and the already mentioned Crown. The aerials on some of the trucks are in bags - yes bags - to help stop the effects of corrosion from constant exposure to salt air and sea water.

Because of the rural areas on the island and the lack of hydrants in certain areas the department makes use of six tankers, four of which are custom built open cab Crown apparatus and two are military style units on loan from the State of Hawaii.

The apparatus color is about equally divided between traditional red and chrome yellow with most recent rigs being yellow. Some cab modifications have been done to provide cabs for the companies on the rainy side of the island. Some apparatus are equipped with surf boards for use in water related rescue operations.

Honolulu also maintains a small fleet of museum pieces, one of which is a 1937 Seagrave pumper riddled with bullet holes from the Pearl Harbor Attack in 1941. The museum pieces are located at various houses and still run.

Recently phased out but still around are five 1952 Chevrolet/Bean high pressure fog units. In addition to the two Crown rescues, there is a spare International rescue. Two Seagrave rigs provide foam and salvage functions. The only other specialized unit in the department is the 'Abner T. Longley' a 1951 Albina 9000 GPM 87' long fireboat.

Honolulu is definitely an interesting department. In many ways, the apparatus seems to be quite typical of the average American department, yet certain characteristics make them quite unique. As unique perhaps, as the state of Hawaii.