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MWCFD Retired

A Page Dedicated to the Rich History and Tradition of the Midwest City Fire Department. Preserving history one memory at a time.

The MWCFD was established in 1943 and this is our attempt of preserving our history and passing on our strong legacy of excellence and tradition. We hope to pay homage to those that have served both living and passed. We hope you enjoy our page as a tribute to our history.

05/29/2026

*** Update from family 6/3/26 ***

Continued prayers to Mama Fennell and her family from all of us at MWCFD Retired and from all who knew and loved her. Mrs. Fennell was placed in hospice care last night.
✝️🙏🏼✝️

*** Update from family 5/31/26 ***

At the doctors suggestion and families request due to Mama Fennell’s condition, all visitors will be restricted from now on except for immediate family. Family also wanted to give everyone a huge hug and thank you for all the prayers and well wishes for Mrs. Fennell.

— Our thoughts and prayers go out to Phyllis “Mama” Fennell after suffering a major stroke recently. Mrs. Fennel is the wife of retired Assistant Chief A. Fennell and mom to to retired Lt. M. Fennell. She’s currently at St. Anthony hospital having more tests and treatment as necessary. I spoke with Mark and he said any and all prayers would be greatly appreciated. Some of us older guys remember her quite fondly for bringing sweets to the stations at Christmas. Mrs. Fennell is also a former President of the Midwest City Firefighters Ladies Auxiliary. ✝️🙏🏼✝️

05/08/2026

******* Fire Truck Friday *******

Featured today is our 1952 Ford F-6 American LaFrance pumper serial number F-2606 delivered on 1/31/1953. She’s the third apparatus purchased by the department behind the 1945 American LaFrance B-675 featured last year and the 1946 American LaFrance Ford COE that will be featured soon. This rig was placed at the new station 2 at the corner of Key and Russell north of the original mile. She had a long service life with the department both as a front line apparatus and as a reserve. She had quite the interesting nickname of “Super Chicken” 🤣. She is remembered fondly is being a fast little rig because sometime during her service life, it had the original Ford engine replaced with a 327 Chevrolet small block. It was apparently quite the little hot rod! The picture here is one of only two known photographs that we’ve been able to discover and it was taken at a parade down Midamerica Blvd by the old Skytrain movie theater in the mid 50’s . The other photo will be in the comments. If you have any photos stashed away somewhere of this rig, could you possibly share them here and it would be greatly appreciated. Current whereabouts unknown.

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o unknown photographer

05/04/2026

****** Monday Memories *******

March 1976 from L to R … D. Leonard, L. Claypool, Chief Canfield, R. Jiles

(Additionally details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o OHS

04/27/2026

******* Monday Memories *******

February 6th, 1992 - from L to R … Capt. J. Bell, J. Williams, and S. Masoner at the scene of an apartment fire in the 1400 blk. N. Midwest. As you can tell, we had quite the variety of bunker gear back then.

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed.)

c/o in-house collection

04/24/2026

******* Fire Truck Friday *******
————— Revisted ——————

One of the current members of the department stopped and grabbed a few photos of our 1960 Dodge / Boardman. Still sitting in a field out in Hammon, OK

c/o C. Straka

04/20/2026

******* Monday Memories *******

ca. 1997 … L to R - M. Womack, B. Lott, D. Perry, Training Chief Richey, J. Metheny

That big yellow box that Chief Richey is pointing to is one of the first Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) purchased by the department. They were placed on Squad 1 and Squad 2 because one of the squads responded on every potential cardiac related incident in the city along with the Engine from that district. By the mid 2000’s every front line apparatus was eventually equipped with an AED.

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o in-house collection

04/13/2026

******* Monday Memories *******

- March 14th, 1957 - Meals at the fire station have always been a vital part of the life of a firefighter. From discussing the days activities at the fire department to telling stories of little league football games or cheer and dance competitions of the loved ones at home. Guys form and strengthen lifelong friendships sitting at the dining room table. Pictured here from L to R are D. Haywood, C. Bryce, Chief Johnson, C. Muscio, E. Orcel, and W. Cox

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o OHS

04/10/2026

******* Fire Truck Friday *******

Pictured here on delivery day is Engine 4. She’s our 11th and final apparatus built by Boardman Fire Appartus in OKC. It’s a 1990 Boardman built on a Spartan Diamond chassis. The rig was equipped with a Waterous 1250 GPM pump and had a 750 water tank and was powered by the Cummins 6CTA 8.3L 6-cylinder inline diesel engine commonly used in medium-duty fire engines at the time. Known for durability, it features a 504 cubic inch displacement, turbocharging, and aftercooling producing 250 horsepower @ 2200 rpm. Pictured in the photo with Engine 4 from L to R are B. Deal, J. Fry, Chief Bower (nice stache chief!), Mayor Weir, and Asst City Manager T. Canfield (former Fire Chief). She was sold around 2000 to Lexington, OK FD. Current whereabouts unknown.

*edit * - currently still serving the state by training future firefighters at the OSU-OKC campus

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o Midwest City Sun article / in-house collection

03/30/2026

******* Monday Memories *******

Early 70’s … left to right … Capt. J. Rhoden, A. Fennel, M. Fuller, J. Webb, W. Hubers

(Note the apparatus behind them says “No. 6” but this didn’t mean that it was “Engine 6” … the numbering system back then was different than it is currently, I’m sure one of the super old 🤣 timers will clarify)

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcomed)

c/o in house collection

03/27/2026

******* Fire Truck Friday *******

This beast right here is the original Truck 1. She’s a 1974 Duplex/Boardman (job # F-2081). This rig was equipped with a Waterous 1000 GPM pump, 300 tank, and an 85' platform. She’s was equipped with the Detroit Diesel 8V71N motor, a legendary 568-cubic-inch (9.3L) two-stroke V8 diesel engine from the Series 71 family, produced starting in the late 1950s. Known for its high-pitched roar ("Screaming Jimmy"). New cost: $134,975. Sold in the late 90’s to Bristow, OK Fire Dept. Current whereabouts unknown.

(Additional details / stories / corrections always encouraged and welcome - which we’re sure there will be a few 🤣)

c/o OSF Museum collection

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Midwest City, OK
73110

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