Elmira Built Fire Trucks for America — Then American LaFrance Left Town

American LaFrance built some of the most recognizable fire engines in American history — and for generations, Elmira, New York, was where much of that work happened. The company’s roots reached back to the age of hand and steam fire engines. In Elmira, the LaFrance brothers helped build a company that moved from horse-drawn steamers to motorized pumpers, ladder trucks and the influential cab-forward 700 Series. At its peak, the Elmira plant covered more than 48 acres. In 1957, nearly 1,000 people worked at the plant itself, and the factory was finishing roughly two trucks a day. Then, in 1985, American LaFrance left New York. The company survived elsewhere for years, changed owners, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 and finally shut down in 2014. But Elmira had lost the work almost three decades earlier. This documentary follows the machines, the workers, the factory, the final Elmira-built truck and what remains of American LaFrance today. If you enjoy original documentaries about American factories, workers, towns and the industries that built everyday life, subscribe to When the Work Left. #WhenTheWorkLeft #AmericanLaFrance #Elmira