SPAAMFAA national membership peaked at 3,584 this year, and two more new chapters – the Carolinasand Oklahoma – were welcomed aboard. Hummelstown, Pennsylvania member Edward Peterson took over the President’s chair from Bob Potter, who had finished out his two-year term of office. Ed somehow managed to balance his national leadership responsibilities with his other position as SPAAMFAA Archives Chairman,

The Valley Of The Sun (Phoenix) Chapter hosted the 2001 Winter Convention in balmy Phoenix in mid-February. Highlights of this well-attended midwinter meet included visits to the Phoenix Fire Department Shops, Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport Fire Department and a return visit to the Hall of Flamefire apparatus museum. The Indiana Chapter hosted the 2001 Summer Convention/Muster in Indianapolis in July. The busy tour program featured visits to the Conway Fire Museum collection in New Albany, Ind. and the Indianapolis Speedway Museum and fabled Indy 500 track. More than 100 rigs participated in the big muster at the Wayne Township Fire Training facility, including Rodger Birchfield’s 1927 Magirus aerial and the Indianapolis Fire Buff’s 1927 ALF water tower.

Sponsored by the Catskill Chapter, the first President’s Award was presented to George Valrance, SPAAMFAA‘s longtime Corresponding Secretary and Special Events Coordinator.