The forest fire apparatus bell in America appeared in 1803 on a hose wagon owned by the Philadelphia Hose Company No. 1. A spring-operated clapper rang the bell as the wheels turned and acted as the warning device. Fire engines to this day are still built with the historic fire bell. This bell came from an American LaFrance fire engine and is from one of two such fire engines the department took delivery on in 1961 and 1964, which stayed in service fighting fires until 1986 and 1991, respectively.