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Steam pumper fire engines were used from 1860 to 1920 to pump water on city fires. Large urban fire departments would invest in fire brigades, or engine companies, to assist in fire fighting. Concomitant with the steam engine would be a house, horses and dalmatian dogs (used to guide and calm the horses). The growing cities in the US west would invest in steam pumpers usually after a devastating fire that would destroy large parts of the wooden frontier town.
The vertical fast firing boilers, while heavy, was an effective fire fighting equipment. For a few years, c. 1910-20, the horses were retired and the steam pumper was hauled by a gas tractor.
Small two wheel units for hand movement were built in England to help fight incendiary fires during the Luftwaffe Blitz.
A few builders were American, Waterous, Merryweather, Amoskeag, and Shand and Mason.