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Independence, MO —
Terry Brown’s father was a firefighter for North Kansas City.
When he passed away, Brown felt there needed to be something said beyond the routine.
So on the day before Father’s Day, Brown brought out his 1930 Chevy fire wagon and displayed it at the Independence Fire Fest, an annual event that brings awareness to the profession and its issues, and aims to get most of those attending wet at some point during the day.
Brown showed his wagon last year, but he’s made some improvements. While many of the features on it are modern, it remains conspicuously antique.
“It’s a great machine, pretty cool,” he said. “The kids love it.”
He found it in a Harrisonville junk yard after an Independence firefighter told him it was there about five years ago. At the time, he wanted to do something to honor his father, and what better way than to refurbish an old engine?
When he discovered it, it was in bad shape. The engine had locked up because of disuse and some of the exterior parts and shells were rusted.
But research and determination proved beneficial. Brown snagged a few pieces here and there, including on the Internet.
On Saturday, as more and more people began arriving for the event, Brown rolled up his sleeves and readied for the show. With a flick of his wrist, he cranked out a hand siren wail from the small device bolted near the passenger seat.
“It’s a unique vehicle,” he said. “No windshield.”
Unlike the modern fire trucks, Brown doesn’t mind if children play on his.
“That’s what it’s here for,” he said.
Brown wishes he had more history on the wagon.
“Don’t know much about it,” he said. “Wish I did.”
He was told that a 1949 Ford fire wagon that he saw on eBay was Harrisonville Fire Department’s first fire wagon, though he has his doubts. The Internet is a marketplace for exaggerations, he admits.
What started as an overcast day quickly turned hot, which fit the program nicely. Over at the open water tank, which old timers used as a kind of pseudo-hydrant before there were hydrants, firefighters readied themselves for a demonstration using an old LaFrance wagon.
At one point, the hose tore away from its handler and sprayed the crowd, sending people running in all directions. Once under control, with people wiping their glasses and laughing, firefighters opened the valves and let water stream out of one of the mounted hoses.
Many activities, from rescue demonstrations to K9 units, were on display for people to watch and participate in.
Kelly Davidson of Independence came with her two sons, Mark and Sam, to watch the trucks and water demonstrations.
“It’s free and that’s what I was looking for,” Davidson said. “The boys love the trucks.”
Terry Brown’s father was a firefighter for North Kansas City.
When he passed away, Brown felt there needed to be something said beyond the routine.
So on the day before Father’s Day, Brown brought out his 1930 Chevy fire wagon and displayed it at the Independence Fire Fest, an annual event that brings awareness to the profession and its issues, and aims to get most of those attending wet at some point during the day.
Brown showed his wagon last year, but he’s made some improvements. While many of the features on it are modern, it remains conspicuously antique.
“It’s a great machine, pretty cool,” he said. “The kids love it.”
He found it in a Harrisonville junk yard after an Independence firefighter told him it was there about five years ago. At the time, he wanted to do something to honor his father, and what better way than to refurbish an old engine?
When he discovered it, it was in bad shape. The engine had locked up because of disuse and some of the exterior parts and shells were rusted.
But research and determination proved beneficial. Brown snagged a few pieces here and there, including on the Internet.
On Saturday, as more and more people began arriving for the event, Brown rolled up his sleeves and readied for the show. With a flick of his wrist, he cranked out a hand siren wail from the small device bolted near the passenger seat.
“It’s a unique vehicle,” he said. “No windshield.”
Unlike the modern fire trucks, Brown doesn’t mind if children play on his.
“That’s what it’s here for,” he said.
Brown wishes he had more history on the wagon.
“Don’t know much about it,” he said. “Wish I did.”
He was told that a 1949 Ford fire wagon that he saw on eBay was Harrisonville Fire Department’s first fire wagon, though he has his doubts. The Internet is a marketplace for exaggerations, he admits.
What started as an overcast day quickly turned hot, which fit the program nicely. Over at the open water tank, which old timers used as a kind of pseudo-hydrant before there were hydrants, firefighters readied themselves for a demonstration using an old LaFrance wagon.
At one point, the hose tore away from its handler and sprayed the crowd, sending people running in all directions. Once under control, with people wiping their glasses and laughing, firefighters opened the valves and let water stream out of one of the mounted hoses.
Many activities, from rescue demonstrations to K9 units, were on display for people to watch and participate in.
Kelly Davidson of Independence came with her two sons, Mark and Sam, to watch the trucks and water demonstrations.
“It’s free and that’s what I was looking for,” Davidson said. “The boys love the trucks.”
