When the fire whistle blows, people automatically assume the local fire department will respond. But 1836, firefighting was more the responsibility of the people themselves.

That was the year the town of Beaver bought what is believed to have been its first firetruck: a secondhand wagon from Philadelphia.

The truck was a hand-pulled wagon as opposed to models that were horse drawn. When a fire broke out, neighbors would race to the borough garage to get the truck and transport it to the fire.

People formed a bucket brigade, pouring water into the wagon. A crank attached to a hose allowed them to crank the water through the hose into the fire.

Today, that same old, red pumper is used at parades and fairs.

Right now, however, it's on display at the Beaver Area Historical Museum as part of a History of Firefighting in Beaver exhibit.

The one-room display, sponsored by the museum in cooperation with the Beaver Volunteer Fire Department, includes two mannequins dressed in firefighter regalia, one circa 1950s and another in present-day equipment.

"One really gets the sense, when comparing the two, of the tremendous advances made over the years to protect the safety of the firefighters," said Mark Miner, a museum trustee.

In addition, there are breathing apparatuses and oxygen tanks. "

Some are old-fashioned, some more modern. A visitor can see the differences," Miner said. Fire extinguishers and various fire hose nozzles are part of the show.

Youngsters, especially, are invited to stop by and browse.

"There's a bell on display the kids can ring. It was mounted on a firetruck, probably dating from the late '30s, and it's been transferred to succeeding firetrucks," Miner said.

Vintage photographs show some of the more devastating fires in the Beaver area, one of the best known being a 1932 blaze at the Beaver County Courthouse. A workman using a blowtorch to remove paint ignited a fire that destroyed the building. A new courthouse had to be built and was dedicated the next year.

Visitors will find the museum at 1 River Road, Beaver, housed in an old freight station formerly owned by the P&LE Railroad. It's open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Starting May 1, doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays.

Admission is free. In addition to the fire equipment display, museum-goers may view memorabilia from Beaver's history, going back to the fur trading days of American Indian tribes and to the Revolutionary War period.

After the war, when the federal army was disbanded, Fort McIntosh in Beaver became the first home of an American standing peacetime army regiment.

The show on firefighting runs until mid-December, when the museum will close for the winter.

Miner said this particular exhibit was chosen because firefighters often have not been given enough credit "for the vital role they play in not only putting out fires but for preventing them before they occur.

"Sadly, I believe that the horrific 9-11 tragedy just drove home to everybody the importance of the firefighters' role in today's society."

The museum is a project of the Beaver Area Heritage Foundation, which in 1999 was given a national award, the Albert Corey Award, for its success in running its operations on all-volunteer efforts.

The award was presented by the American Association for State and Local History, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.