HAND  TUBS  
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    Before 1800, fires were fought by throwing water from buckets or squirting small hand held syringes. The invention of the piston pump made it possible to get more water quickly onto the fire, and without having to stand as close. "Hand tubs" consisted of a basin to hold water and a piston or two to pump it onto the fire. The pistons were powered by volunteers rocking long arms up and down on both sides of the machine. If a water source was close by, a siphon hose could be used to draw water. If no source was close, a bucket brigade was formed to refill the tub as the pistons emptied it. It took many people to operate a hand pumper.

 Before restoration