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1915 LaFrance Fire Engine Orlando's first motorized fire engine was converted from a hose and chemical car to a triple combination, hose,chemical and pumper, in 1921

The two-story, red-brick firehouse was initially located on Orlando Avenue (near Dade Street) in College Park from 1926 until 1978.When the new Station #3 was built in College Park, the Orlando Science Center moved the old station to Loch Haven Park. The old station had fallen into disrepair and faced an uncertain future. The Science Center, in cooperation with the Central Florida Fire Chief’s Association, immediately began exterior restoration. The interior renovation that followed transformed the old station into a fire museum.
In 1988, the Historical Society installed a new roof, fire stairs on the north side of the building, and restored the bathrooms. The restored station reopened two years later with a celebration and tours to educate young and old on the history of the Orlando Fire Department.

Hello! My name is Rich Franco and I first joined FAA in December of 2011. I'm a Photographer based here in Central Florida and, like many of others, started out with a "hand me down" camera and no idea what to do with it or even what the camera could do. I was in my early 20's at that time and didn't have a lot of money to spend on books or film. So my first trip was to the local Library and the "photography" section and more specifically, the "how to" shelf. There I found an odd assortment of books that described things and subjects that were way over my head. Then I found my first edition of the Time/Life books on Photography and that's where I started! The library only had the first two editions and I was in a hurry to learn! So I found...