WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. — The Washington Park Fire Department will soon roll out two additional firetrucks after a generous donation from a department in Pennsylvania.
All of the department's equipment was destroyed last October when a fire destroyed the city’s municipal building.
On Saturday, Assistant Fire Chief Ronnie Harris pointed to the firetrucks in a donated warehouse from where firefighters now respond to calls.
Harris said they came from the Elk Lake Volunteer Fire Company, 800 miles away in northern Pennsylvania near the border with New York.
“It brings us great pleasure to announce we have just donated two of our old fire engines to Washington Park Fire Department who unfortunately lost everything in a fire,” read a post on Facebook from the agency.
“We did the paperwork on our end; they did the paperwork on their end. We met up, and then went and got the trucks," Harris said.
The Metro East fire department responds to about 30 calls per month. Officials said the two donated firetrucks—engines from 1987 and 1989—would give them an opportunity to give their older ones some rest.
There is also equipment and tools on the donated firetrucks that the Washington Park Fire Department did not have on its other two engines.
"We lost a lot of equipment, ... and this is going to be a very big blessing for us," said Deputy Fire Chief Steven Harris.
"We all took an oath to do the same job, regardless of if they are getting paid or their volunteering. We all are here to do the same common denominator. It's to get the job done," Harris added.
The two donated firetrucks are currently getting additional equipment and maintenance, and are scheduled to be in service at the beginning of May.