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Fabricated by Rumsey Pump & Fire Engine Company in 1889, this hand-drawn hook & ladder wagon was operated by Hose & Ladder Co. No. 1 at the Massillon State Mental Hospital in Massillon, OH. The Massillon State Mental Hospital, like many hospitals and communities of the time, chose hand-drawn equipment because it did not need the more capable and expensive steamer engines or horse-drawn apparatus.
This hook-and-ladder wagon carried many items for firefighters, including ground and roof ladders made by the Combination Ladder Company, hooks, chains, rope, axes, pry bars, and leather fire buckets. The roof ladder had spring-loaded hooks that, once turned perpendicular, allowed the ladder to lie flat on the roof. This extra leverage mattered for firefighters moving around the top of the building, especially on steeper surfaces or in wet conditions. The “hook” in “Hook and Ladder” was used for pulling down damaged walls or chimneys to create a firebreak, preventing the fire from spreading further. Firefighters used axes to cut holes in the roof to create vertical ventilation, allowing gases and smoke to escape the building. This ventilation made it much easier for firefighters to enter through the building's ground floor.
