The District of Columbia has a long history of operating its own wreckers to tow the department’s apparatus. The latest one has a 60-ton lifting boom that can rotate to the sides for added versatility.

Lt. Tim Jones of the DCFD sent this photo of their new unit. It is built on a Peterbilt Model 357 chassis and is equipped with a Miller 60-ton rotating boom and a 12.5-ton rear underlift. There are five-ton receivers on each side to act as anchor points for winches. As with many heavy-duty wreckers, the chassis was specified with a liftable pusher axle to accommodate additional weight on the rear when lifting and towing apparatus. In keeping with the fire department’s tradition, the wrecker also has an apparatus bell.

In the future, the department plans to train certain members of the department on how to use the wrecker in heavy-rescue operations.

The District of Columbia has used its own wreckers for more than 80 years, and Jones reports that he found a letter from Ernest Holmes, a pioneer in the wrecker business, regarding a unit operated by the department in the 1920s.