LOWELLVILLE Firefighters take nostalgia trip with 1956 truck

The fire engine will never again be used as an emergency response vehicle.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
LOWELLVILLE -- The old red and white fire engine blared its way to countless emergencies over nearly 50 years. Now it's back where it was initiated into service.
The village of Lowellville bought the Ford Sutphen Fire Engine new in 1956. Twenty-two years later, the village replaced the truck with a more modern fire engine, selling the old Ford to New Middletown.
When New Middletown retired the fire engine earlier this year and offered it for sale, no other fire departments -- fire departments were given first consideration -- wanted to use it as an emergency response vehicle, said Joe Cosier, president of The Lowellville Firefighters Association.
"When we finally realized it was part of our history, it was past their deadline for bids," Cosier continued. Nevertheless, the firefighters association decided to try to buy the truck -- not for use as an emergency response vehicle, but for use in parades and other events that honor or promote the village and its rescue workers, and activities that teach children about fire safety.
$400 in donations
The organization collected donations during the Mount Carmel festival, raising $400, Cosier continued, and New Middletown agreed to accept that as full payment.
The sale was completed Aug. 19 when the Lowellville association brought the old fire engine home.
It made its first official appearance Sunday afternoon during the Safety Forces Appreciation Parade, held in conjunction with Lowellville Day. Retired firefighters, some of whom were assigned to the truck when it was in service, were aboard.
Although the truck is in perfect working condition and all of the original equipment -- portable water tanks and ladders, everything except hoses -- was included in the sale, Cosier said the truck will never be used as an emergency response vehicle.
Firefighters plan to replace numbers and logos on the fire engine with those that match how the truck looked in the 1950s as soon as they can find old photos that document the truck, and raise the funds, he said.
Planning shindig
Firefighters are also planning "a big shindig" to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Lowellville Volunteer Fire Department in 2006, Cosier said.
The truck will be stored on private property with the firefighters association assuming all costs for maintaining it.
The village might cover the cost of insurance by adding the truck to its policy for coverage of a fleet of vehicles.
kubik@vindy.com