While a retired fire truck from Armstrong's time in Canada has come to an end, the engine has a new purpose since arriving at its new home.
The retired ladder truck was recently transported all the way to San Marcos, Guatemala, after spending three decades with the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department (ASFD).
Acquired in 1992, the 50-foot tele-squirt apparatus was the first ladder truck in the department’s fleet and was used for 30 years before being aged out.
Faced with the question of what to do with the retired engine, the fire department and the local communities began working with a disaster relief organization to donate the fire truck, which did not meet operational requirements for Canada, but still had some life left in it.
“The Pierce Tele-Squirt Aerial fire truck has served both of our communities well for many years,” said Armstrong Mayor Joe Cramer.
“We are glad to see a country, such as Guatemala, greatly benefit from this donation.”
The truck’s arrival on April 9 was met with a parade, a traditional baptism of hose streams and a blessing from a local priest.
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“To know that we can provide support to another community and region in another area of the world gives us great pride,” said Mayor of Spallumcheen Christine Fraser.
“It’s a big job to be elected officials in two communities who are voted in to represent our residents and to know that this decision reflects how fortunate we are to live in an area of the world that we can be in a position to donate such integral infrastructure in another country is fantastic.”
