PHOTOS: In a true blast from the past, an antique, 1938 hook and ladder truck that once served the Rome Fire Department for more than 30 years has been returned to the city from a collector in Canada.
The bright red fire truck is in “fantastic condition” after years of maintenance and “drives like a charm,” said Deputy Fire Chief Timothy W. Reilly, who helped organize the donation. The city’s firefighters hope to use the truck in future parades and other events after a little restoration.
“There was no way we were going to pass this up,” Reilly stated. “We are never going to have this opportunity again.”
According to Reilly, the truck was purchased by the City of Rome in 1938 as the city’s first motorized ladder truck.