FeedsFire department brings ‘Old Betsy’ to life
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‘Old Betsy’ (above) is in pieces now, but she should be up and running some time next year. The Wayne Fire Department will put on a series of fundraisers to finance the restoration of the historical vehicle, which arrived in the city in 1928. PortionsA piece of Wayne history is currently scattered on several shelves and wrapped up in cloth in the basement of the Wayne Fire Department.
An old crank horn rests at the base of one while a freshly painted hood awaits a little more detailing.
‘Old Betsy’ is coming back to life.
“We’re pretty excited about it,” said Firefighter Cindy Boring, who got involved in the project while she was recovering from shoulder surgery.
The assembled pieces are slowly being dusted off and polished up in hopes of bringing the classic fire truck back into action for the 2008 Wheelfest.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do and we’re not using any city funds,” said Fire Chief Tim Reynolds. “But that’s our goal.”
The department will host a series of fundraisers to come up with the money to restore the old truck, which once represented the pinnacle of firefighting technology.
The first fundraiser takes place from 4-8 p.m. on May 11 at the station—a spaghetti dinner.
Old Betsy is an American LaFrance fire engine that came to the City of Wayne in a boxcar in 1928, according to Deputy Chief Mel Moore.
“It was the first fire truck in Wayne County to have a 1,000 gallon-per-minute pump capacity,” he said. It cost $12,000 at the time.
The city used the truck as a firefighting tool for 28 years. After that it was used for 22 years as a public education aid. In 1978, it took a prominent place in the Henry Ford Museum, where it was displayed along with other 1920s era vehicles. The museum ran out of space, though, and returned the truck to the City of Wayne in 2002.
“Not many communities are lucky enough to get back history once it’s gone,” Moore said. “We recognize that and want to preserve our past.”
Some of that preservation has already taken place. In addition to the hood, other pieces have been repainted—courtesy of Sid Stone. Chrome pieces have been filed down and shined up, too.
“A lot of this is just elbow grease,” Boring said.
The engine has been pulled, too. Boring said that it can probably be repaired in its original form—the only thing wrong is that a piston is misfiring.
“That’s our one mystery,” she said. “We don’t know how much that will cost.”
The total restoration effort will probably cost another $20,000, which will be gathered through fundraising efforts. The tickets to the May 11 dinner are $7 for adults and $5 for children younger than 11 and senior citizens.
“We hope we get a good turnout,” said Boring.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call the fire department at (734) 722-1111.
