A ladder truck that once belonged to the Fleming Fire Department is now aiding life-saving efforts in Ecuador.
The truck was donated to firefighters in the Ecuadorian city of Machala through the Gear Up Foundation, a Westchester County-based organization that donates equipment and training to firefighters in South American countries, after Gear Up founder Vincent Forras had a chance meeting with former Fleming fire Deputy Chief Andy Campbell who was working as a state trooper in New York City.
The nearly 30-year-old truck, while still in working condition, was becoming expensive and difficult to maintain and insure because of its age, Fleming Fire Department Chief Scott Kehoe said.