Retired fire truck finds new home

It can be hard to determine the value of a used fire truck. With their use being much more than a normal vehicle, fire trucks typically can lose half of their monetary value within the first five to seven years of use according to an article found on Fire Trucks Plus Web site. However, it might be even harder to determine the value of one "retired" fire truck from the fleet of Superior's volunteer fire department.

Last Tuesday, June 15, Bruce Gestrin, assistant principal for Joint School District Number 2 in Meridian, Ida., drove over to pick up an old fire truck from Chief John Woodland. Woodland was donating the truck to the school district: a 35-year-old vehicle, which had been out of service for a year and a half.

"We decided the truck was no longer of use to us. It had been out of service and I didn't feel we could recover any money in terms of selling it as it had no value on market," Woodland said. "So after speaking with the rural board chairman and getting permission, we decided to see if we could find someone who could make some use of it."

Woodland said he put a notice in a newsletter that goes out statewide. Jim Baxter, who works as the professional technical administrator at the school, learned of the truck through an individual he knew who works for the state of Idaho firefighters.

Gestrin said that the fire truck will be instrumental in a new program that they plan to offer beginning in the fall.

"We have close to 34,000 kids enrolled in the district," Gestrin said. "It's the largest school district in Idaho and we have the ability to offer a number of specialty courses to students."

One of those specialty courses will focus on the basics of fire training and fire fighting. Gestrin said that as part of the class students will learn how to operate the fire truck as well as learning about fire prevention.

"They'll be out there, hands-on learning how to use this truck," Gestrin said. "We're training them to enter the workforce once they leave college. These kids graduate and they are trained to go out and do skilled labor."

In addition to the fire truck, students also have the opportunity to learn about the work of policemen and EMTs during the course. Gestrin said that they also picked up an ambulance on Tuesday on their way back home after picking up the fire truck in Superior. The class is opened to high school students who are interested in what is being offered.

Woodland said that he couldn't imagine a better place for the fire truck to go or a better way for a program to utilize the truck.

"It was tired. It was on the road for several years and saw several fires," Woodland said. "We hope that it will contribute to some kids choosing fire fighting as a career. I think it's a perfect use for the truck. I think the program will get some positive use out of the truck."

Gestrin said that they were grateful for the Superior Fire Department's donation as it will complete the program.

"It's a great truck," Gestrin said. "It's in good shape yet. It makes the curriculum complete. Budgets are tight have the money to go out and buy a fire truck. This is something that the kids will actually go out and practice on. It's great. I just want to thank everybody there in Superior. This is a wonderful gift."

Gestrin also said that he feels that it will be a good use for the truck that was otherwise decommissioned and out of service. He said that the truck's use will contribute to the training of potential firefighters.

So while the old fire truck had no monetary value in the marketplace, it has the potential to train someone who could one day save someone's home or more importantly, someone's life.