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This 1500 gpm Crown is one of the last
open-cab fire engines to serve with the LA County Fire Department.
She began and ended her service as Engine 60, assigned to
Fire Station 60 on the grounds of Universal Studios near Hollywood.
Probably Engine 60’s greatest claim to fame was a starring
role in the World Premiere and the first nine or ten episodes
of the weekly television series, "Emergency!"
Engine 60 was a twin of Engine 127 (which
was assigned to the fire station in Carson that served as
the mythical station "51" in the television series).
A duplicate fire station interior was constructed in a sound
stage at Universal. When needed for interior scenes, Engine
60 would be parked in the make-believe station with adhesive
"51" numbers applied. The actors would be filmed
getting aboard the engine, preparing to respond on emergencies.
Film editors would then insert stock footage of Engine 127
(with adhesive "51" numbers applied) leaving the
station. To the viewing public it looked seamless; most didn’t
realize that there were two identical fire engines in two
different locations, a real fire station, and a make-believe
fire station interior involved in these scenes.
About the time "Emergency!"
debuted, the LA County Fire Department was taking delivery
of nearly fifty new Ward LaFrance fire engines. The president
of Ward LaFrance offered to donate a fire engine to be used
in the series. When it arrived, the two Crowns were retired
from their television roles but continued to serve as reliable
firefighting machines.
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