Firefighters are trained to rescue those in need in their community. But the City of Roswell’s Fire Department is coming to the aid of a town more than 900 miles away.
The north Fulton County city is donating one of its fire trucks to a New York town nearly washed away by Superstorm Sandy. A week from Monday, a bright red fire engine will be on its way from Georgia to New York, Roswell fire Chief Ricky Spencer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“We’re getting the truck ready now,” Spencer said Thursday afternoon. “We’re tickled to death.”
The volunteer fire department in Island Park, N.Y., lost an ambulance, two chiefs vehicles, and thousands of dollars worth of equipment when the epic storm rolled through the town of about 5,000 late last month. The headquarters for the Island Park firefighters filled with at least 6 feet of water during the mega storm.
When the Georgia chapter of the Terry Farrell Firefighters fund, named after a New York firefighter who was killed on 9/11, announced it was seeking assistance for storm victims, Spencer said he knew it was a good opportunity for his department to help.
Typically, trucks no longer needed would be auctioned off, Spencer said. But Spencer had another idea for the 1991 model.
“Let’s don’t auction this off,” Spencer said. “Let’s give it to those folks in New York. They need it and we don’t.”
And Roswell city leaders agreed, voting unanimously to donate the truck at a Wednesday night city council meeting.
The truck is still in great condition, thanks to being well cared for during the past 21 years, Spencer said. It’s getting a good cleaning before it’s driven north following the Thanksgiving holiday. The word “Roswell” will be covered up on the side of the truck until its new owner can have its own logo put on, Spencer said.
The Island Park Volunteer Fire Department shared news of the gifted truck on its Facebook page, where it also thanked the City of Roswell.
“It will be used until a new truck is ordered and delivered, which could take up to a year,” the department posted. “We will then work with the Terry fund and Roswell and perhaps have another department in need use it.”
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