Sunday, May 30, 1999
S. Lebanon ladder truck to aid Ky. fire department
BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
SOUTH LEBANON — What seems like a leftover to one person can be gold to another.
That's the sentiment of an assistant fire chief in rural southeastern Kentucky after his fire department received a retired Union Township ladder truck for $1.
“This helps us tremendously,” said Tony Lewis, assistant chief of the financially strapped Hyden (Ky.) Fire Department. “This will provide us with some more much-needed coverage.”
The Kentucky crew picked up the truck in South Lebanon on Wednesday.
The 1965 ladder truck, which has been serving Warren County for more than 30 years, originally belonged to Lebanon before being sold to the township about five years ago. In addition to the 75-foot ladder, the truck carries water and is a pumper. It is operational, but the ladder needs repair.
Union Township Fire Chief Gary Arnold said the department hardly uses the truck, and it would have cost too much to bring the ladder up to standards. Also, there are several nearby ladder trucks that can be called in an emergency.
“We were originally going to auction it off,” Chief Arnold said. “When we found out this department could really use it, we decided to basically give it to them.”
The Hyden Fire Department, 16 miles west of Hazard, covers about 60 road miles and 95 percent of its area is rural, assistant chief Lewis said.
The department operates on a bare-bones annual budget of about $12,000, funded by a state grant and what the firefighters can raise themselves. It has little new equipment, but Mr. Lewis believes the department can repair the truck's ladder and bring it up to par.
Chief Arnold said he learned of the Kentucky department from another Warren County firefighter.
“They were very excited about the opportunity of getting it,” Chief Arnold said.
Ladder trucks are vital for quick rescue from fires. and are becoming increasingly useful in protecting firefighters who work on roofs of burning buildings. The nearest ladder truck to Hyden is in Hazard, a 20-minute drive, Mr. Lewis said.
Union Township “is a blessing in disguise,” Mr. Lewis said. “I've always said fire departments across the country are all family.”
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