by justin strawser
TREVORTON - A renovated Trevorton Fire Company truck will proudly be displayed today at the parade that's part of the inaugural Trevorton Heritage Days.
"We want people in town to know where their money went and to show what a good company we are," said Donna Reed, fire company president.
"It's a good thing. We need it," said Chief Ed Reed.
The 43-foot-long 1980 Haan Quad, used as a tanker, engine, ladder truck and fire hose, has been out of service since February because it was too broken down and rusted to pass inspection.
"It was a mess when I first got it," said Dan Billig, owner of Affordable Offroad, of Shamokin, who oversaw the restoration project.
It was rusted from the inside out. It was so bad the passenger door could not be shut.
A brand new truck would have cost the company $360,000, and renovating the 30-year-old vehicle to 2011 specifications would have cost $109,000. Because the truck was grandfathered in with previous standards, the fire company was able to renovate it for less than $15,000.
The reconstruction was paid for with a combination of money from a $9,500 state grant from the Volunteer Fire Company, Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program of the Pennsylvania State Fire Commission, a truck fund from Zerbe Township, and public fundraisers.
Larger federal and state grants are not available to the village fire company because of its small size and relatively low call volume, about 100 per year, Reed said.
Biggest job ever
Billig said the truck went through extensive structural and body work to be brought up to standards that would pass inspection. The floor, side structure, steps, battery box, side panels and tank were all replaced.
"This is the biggest job I've ever accomplished," said Billig.
There were six workers who put more than 400 hours into the effort, including Billig and his employees, and fire company members Bill Breinick and Lt. Carl "Pizza" Yocum.
Rick Derk allowed his garage along Trevorton Road near the Sunoco A-Plus to be used for the work.
"It weren't for Dan and everyone, we probably would have had to take it out of service forever," said Donna Reed.
The parade will start at noon today near the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Shamokin Street (Route 225), and will head west for approximately a mile to the Trevorton Athletic Association fields. The parade consists of the Line Mountain High School Band, sports teams, fire companies, mining equipment, Victorian Highwheelers and floats, including those representing a coal hill, old trains and a coal buggy.
Trevorton Heritage Days continues Sunday.
The Trevorton Fire Company was established in 1900 and has 20 active volunteer firefighters. In addition to the newly refurbished truck, there is another engine and a tanker.