A unique piece of Addison Township history needs your help or it could be lost forever.
The township’s very first fire truck, a 1949 GMC FC-454 (affectionately nicknamed ‘The 49er?), is in desperate need of major restoration.
‘It’s getting to the point now where we’ve decided that we either have to do something with it or sell it to somebody who wants to restore it,? according to Marilyn Zost, a full-time Addison firefighter/paramedic and currrent president of the Addison Township Firefighters Association.
Delivered in November 1949, the truck remained in active service until 1987, when a new tanker replaced it, according to Fire Chief George Spencer.
A Jan. 20, 1950 newspaper article noted Addison’s first fire truck featured a special body built by the Detroit-based General Fire Truck Company, three-stage centrifugal high pressure fire pump that can supply three lines of hose simultaneously and a 500-gallon water tank.
The Association is seeking donations, fund-raising ideas and volunteers to help generate the estimated $3,000 it will take to repair and replace basic, yet vital, items on the truck such as tires, brakes and the manifold.
Purchasing six tires for the old truck ? something it’s in ‘dire need? of ? is the top priority right now. The approximate cost for these is $1,200.
‘We can’t take it out if we don’t have good tires and good brakes,? Zost said ‘Then it becomes a safety issue.?
Once the basics have been restored, Zost said the Association would like to get the water pumping system fixed and give the truck a fresh paint job.
But that’s only if the basics get restored.
So far, the Association has only collected $39 for the new tires. Steady rain and low attendance led to few donations at the Strawberry Festival this year.
Zost said the Association doesn’t wish to dip into its funds to restore the truck because that money is primarily earmarked for helping local needy families and individuals pay utility bills in the winter and purchase Christmas gifts for their kids.
‘It’s people before things,? she said. ‘That money is intended to go back into the community.?
Right now, the truck is only used once a year at the Strawberry Festival to give kids rides around Leonard.
Just to get it running for that one Saturday in July, Zost estimated it costs between $200 and $500 per year.
‘It varies from year to year depending on what we have to have done on it,? she said.
The rest of the year it sits parked outside behind Station #1, only coming inside during the winter months.
Zost said it would be beneficial to restore the truck and use it as an ‘educational tool? during fire safety demonstrations and visits to local schools.
‘It would be nice to show kids this is how we used to fight fires,? she said.
Community support and interest in the truck’s restoration ? be it through contributions, ideas, volunteer efforts, ‘anything they can do? ? is absolutely critical to its future as a public historical item.
‘If we don’t get enough interest, we need to sell it,? Zost said. ‘We don’t want it to just sit out there and rot.?
‘There are people out there who are interested in restoring these old fire trucks and just having them because they think they’re cool.?
But once ‘The 49er? is in the hands of a private collector, Zost said the people of Addison will have lost a valuable and scarce piece of their local history. ‘Once it’s gone, it’s gone. We can’t get it back again.?
To learn more about the restoration effort and how you can help call the Addison Fire Dept. at 628-5600.