The Dyer Fire Department is asking for the community’s help to restore a historic fire truck.
A GoFundMe page has been created for the department’s 1939 Seagrave engine that worked as the first-line apparatus until the early 1970s when it was officially removed from active service. Since then, the department has used the engine for parades, funerals and other community events. Time has taken its toll on the historic engine and now it is in need of serious repairs to keep it road-worthy, said Dyer Fire Chief Thad Stutler.
“It’s old and needs help,” Stutler said.
“It’s a great tool to showcase our department and people have loved it over the years because it is so old. You don’t see engines like this anymore. We’ve done a good job of taking care of it, but like everything else as it gets older, it needs some repairs.”
Many parts needed to restore the fire engine are no longer available, Stutler said, and will need to be fabricated or machined. Those parts include the brakes and motor.