Mission: To preserve and interpret the history of firefighting and to educate the public on fire safety and prevention. On display at the 20,000-square-foot facility in Lutherville are 42 hand-pulled, horse-drawn and motorized firetrucks dating from 1806.

Latest accomplishment: Last month, the museum opened the Discovery Room, a hands-on children's exploration area. And last year, the museum acquired a Fire Safety House, a scaled-down version of a home filled with simulated smoke that teaches children and adults how to escape from a fire.

About the FMM: Membership: 95 households; attendance: 13,000 annually; operating budget: $180,000; endowment, $90,000.

Where and when: 1301 York Road. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call. 410-321-7500.

Allan B. Heaver, chairman of the board of trustees: "We opened the museum in 1971 to fulfill my father's and brother's [Stephen G. Heaver Sr. and Stephen G. Heaver Jr.] dream of taking their private fire apparatus collection to the public.

Members of the board

Stephen G. Bernhardt

Robert E. Bichmann

Debbie Brown

Harry C. Burch

Gary E. Frederick

Stephen G. Heaver Sr.

Stephen G. Heaver Jr.

Mahlon W. Hessey

Douglas H. Huether

John K. White

Pub date: 5/31/98