They’ve Been Making Fire Poles For 100 Years

They’ve Been Making Fire Poles For 100 Years FARM HOME Miscellaneous “We probably average two inquiries per month about installing McIntyre slide poles in homes or barns but our primary business is still slide poles for fire stations ” says Arthur Anthony owner of McIntire Brass Works Somerville Mass “We’ve been making slide poles for more than 100 years and we don’t make anything else ” The company’s poles have been installed in some upscale homes and also in barns but most barn installations have been in well-preserved post-and-beam construction barns that were being converted to homes according to Anthony Interestingly Anthony says original slide poles back in the late 1880’s were made of hickory wood but the standard has always been brass or stainless steel “Brass is considered the most desirable because it is the easiest to slide We polish our brass like a mirror ” Brass poles need to be polished at least once a week Anthony says That task generally goes to whoever is lowest on the totem pole in terms of longevity he says “Kind of like the military where the lowliest jobs are given to the private as a way of earning his first stripe ” McIntire sells four models of slide poles ranging from a simple unprotected brass pole to caged models with guards and gates The longest pole ever installed by McIntire was a 54-footer Asked whether a long pole might be a solution for descending fast from a grain elevator leg Anthony cautions against the idea “I don’t recommend it Fifty four feet is a long way to drop no matter what kind of shape you’re in ” Anthony and his wife bought McIntire Brass Works 30 years ago and Anthony continues to show up every day despite recently celebrating his 75th birthday “I’m retired but I still work 40 hrs per week The way I’ve always looked at it when you find something you love to do it’s really not work ” Refurbished fire poles can sometimes be had for as little as $2 000 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Arthur Anthony McIntire Brass Works Inc 14 Horace St Somerville Mass 02143 ph 617 872-1152; www slidepole com

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