When a fire truck is retired, it isn’t gone. It just doesn’t answer calls anymore. Some die a slow death in some lonely field; some meet a scrap heap. But some find their way to loving people who understand their living history and wish to preserve that history for future generations.

The letters SPAAMFAA and antique fire trucks go together—SPAAMFAA stands for the Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Motorized Fire Apparatus in America. The organization began in Syracuse, NY in 1958. Early chapters were concentrated in the East. By 1970, the first quarterly SPAAMFAA newsletter emerged, evolving into “ENJINE! ENJINE!” by 1974. By the time we in Colorado got on board, SPAAMFAA was well-respected and rapidly growing in the U.S. and Canada.

In the Denver area, a small group of fire truck enthusiasts became aware of SPAAMFAA even without formal advertising from Syracuse. Before 1980, there were just a few locals interested in fire rigs. John Bergquist, a longtime fire buff and antique dealer, met with others to form a viable chapter of SPAAMFAA. However, nothing lasting came of that effort.

In early 1980, Bergquist tried again by sending postcards to potentially-interested individuals and volunteer companies, announcing an organizational meeting in Loveland. That chapter, with Bergquist as president, experienced long gaps without meetings or activities. However, those early members managed to craft a set of by-laws.

In March 1985, active firefighters and antique fire truck owners Kevin Sweeney of Aurora and Bart Thorpe of Littleton, revitalized the chapter which has operated without interruption since then. They gathered interested people at West Adams County Station 4. Thorpe became president, and Sweeney, who had just bought his first rig, considered making it the chapter’s focal point. However, other members had their own rigs to work on or were looking to buy one. Despite this, the chapter continued.

The club found lasting focus in 1986 with a fire apparatus muster at Ralph Schomp Automotive’s South Broadway campus in Littleton, thanks to Mr. Schomp’s, daughter Lisa Schomp’s and employee Jim Biner’s enthusiasm and support. The first Muster was dampened by rain, so the following year, a two-day event was planned in July. A parade from a shopping center along Littleton Blvd. to Schomp’s lot became a highlight, with Schomp covering costs. It became an annual one-day event in July, featuring a fund-raising raffle supporting the Children’s Hospital Burn Program.

By the fourth year, the Muster outgrew the dealership’s grounds and was moved to Arapahoe Community College. At its peak in 1992, over 100 rigs from across the Front Range participated in MHHL’s quest to win the Guinness Book of World Records. The Muster included a variety of competitive events, food vendors, and crowd-pleasers like a mock auto crash “Jaws of Life” extrication and a thrilling medical helicopter landing.

Other highlights have included shop-built custom fire trucks; fire-fighting apparatus from Japan and Germany; military firefighting equipment; an aircraft fire apparatus demonstration; sheriff’s department vehicles; U.S. Forest Service wildland teams; Salvation Army and Red Cross disaster assistance vehicles; plus a horsedrawn, coal-powered 1901 Waterous steamer and 1938 Ahrens Fox fire engine from an historic collection housed at the Reliance Fire Museum in Estes Park owned by MHHL member, Doug Klink.

In 1995, Kevin Sweeney was elected president, succeeded by Mike Barth in 1999, Les Benoit from 2000-2002, and others. The chapter hosted mini-musters and joint shows with the Denver Firefighters Museum. Members participated in Denver’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and Parade of Lights, and Commerce City’s July 4th parade. The chapter established the monthly newsletter “THE ROTO RAY,” edited by Ray Bowman and eventually adopted the name “Mile High Hook & Ladder” (MHHL) in 2003.

MHHL enjoyed fire truck “pump-ins” at various parks and fire department training facilities; hosted an annual Christmas party; and held regular meetings monthly, often at firehouses or the Denver Firefighters Museum. Memorial awards in honor of MHHL pioneer members Dave Dollarhide and Jim Biner were established.