Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 14, 1995 TAG: 9501160078
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA GERRARD POTOMAC NEWS
DATELINE: MANASSAS PARK (AP) LENGTH: Medium
Some brave old pumpers spend their final hours watching the grass grow at the local junk yard, dreaming of past glory. Others find themselves crushed to bits until the only thing left is a pile of scrap metal.
Big Red is one of the lucky ones.
About 15 years ago, just as the white-haired guys at the Menoher Volunteer Fire Company, outside Johnstown, Pa., were running out of arguments for its usefulness, a Virginia man adopted the old fire truck and brought it south for a sunnier retirement.
Bob Lichtenfels, 69, decided Big Red could be good publicity for his small fire inspection and equipment business, Omega Fire Protection of Manassas Park.
So after laying down a $1,000 donation to his nephew's fire company, he drove the old truck 200 miles straight into a destiny that, as far as run-down trucks go, is about as good as it gets.
Now, instead of rushing out on emergencies, the 1946 John Bean pressure pumper answers sentimental calls only. Everywhere it roams, caretakers say, it gets cheers and waves.
Strangers whisper memories into its shiny red paint. Children run their hands over its curves and climb aboard to ring its bell.
Sure, Red might not have many years left.
But for now, it's making people happy.
``There have been at least 20,000 kids on here,'' said Bob Carew, who drives the truck on most outings and keeps it parked on his property near Centreville in Fairfax County.
``You can't put something like that in front of people and then say `don't touch,''' said his wife and co-caretaker Lee Stever, a longtime Omega employee. ``It's been a fantastic thing for people to see an old truck like that still running.''
Purchased in 1980 and refurbished over a period of several years, the truck has appeared in local parades since 1988, crossed paths with President Clinton in 1992 and had its picture in Forbes Magazine last year.
Its crowning glory, Carew and Stever said, was driving Mickey and Minnie Mouse in a Haymarket parade in September.
by CNB