DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Dozens of fire antique fire trucks were put on display Saturday at Carillon Park.
People gathered across Carillon Park in Dayton to share the stories of their firetrucks. Some of the stories date back more than 100 years.
“If you talk to a fireman, he’s got a thousand stories,” said Dan Lintz, Miami Valley Antique Fire Apparatus Association president. “These trucks have a thousand stories.”
The 1917 Model T Ford Fire truck was given as a gift to former Seven Mile Fire Chief Gary Gault. Although the firetruck came as a gift, it also came with a catch.
“It was all in a thousand pieces in buckets and baskets,” Gault said.
Restoring the fire engine became a retirement project for him. It took Gault 2.5 years to complete.
“I told my wife, I said, I will work on this every Tuesday, no matter what. And that’s what I did,” said Gault.
The truck joins dozens of other trucks on display at the Miami Valley Antique Fire Apparatus Association Show. Every year the event returns to Carillon Park to educate people about how firefighting has changed over the decades.
“They just see the big trucks today and they don’t realize where all these trucks started at,” said Lintz.
Not only does the event showcase the history of all of these fire trucks, but it also aims to inspire future firefighters. Piqua Assistant Fire Chief Tom Jenkins says the reason he brings his 1957 Chevrolet fire chief’s car out is to make memories.
“Have ’em take a picture,” Jenkins said. “Mom’s got a memory. I got a memory. And maybe some of them someday will be firefighters.”
