photos

[rdw]

Sorry I see I posted the wrong date for the engine, 1953 not 1955. Also can someone provide me with a contact person and phone number for Lost Creek?
Thanks for any and all information,

RDW

[wardengine]

Jul 27, 2008 8:52:31 GMT -5 rdw said:

I was recently talking to a friend of mine about the Lost Creek engine and the state of station. He even said the fire museum has tried to get the 1955 International to no avail. Has anybody contacted or wrote the township about the station. Like was stated if this building still has electric, what a big safety issue. Let alone the condition of the building. Can someone provide me with addresses for the local township officials and the local newspapers. If I can I will be up there next Saturday or Sunday. Hopefully I can get there Saturday. I want to get some updated photos if the building is still standing. I can't believe the current members of Lost Creek wouldn't want to preserve some of their memories by saving the engine. Do they have anything in the station, such as company records? Well I better end before I explode. I hate thinking about what can happen to this engine.

RDW

i don't have a contact, suggestion tho if its nice day i'm quite sure the bench guy will be there as he usually is ,in fantasy land awaiting a call NOT as for the press its the pottsville republican/herald newspaper, i'm just hoping the engine is removed before a crane has to remove the rubble off it. the william penn guys told me yesterday the building has dropped a few more inches in past wewek , the told me the wall came out a little more. the bay door for the engine doesn't go up all the way because it hits the beacon & siren that was a few weeks ago let it in there longer what will be next???i don't think i'd attempt to go inside again to get pics now. the wm penn guys gave me description of the back of the building's wall & main roof condition and its worse than the side,if thats possible. rdw i was told the twp is enforcing building codes in the area too bad they don't look at home plate first, last i knew fire dept is part of town government. if they tried to enforce the code on my property i'd have a lawyer there and tell them not until they do something there first

[rdw]

Tom

Thanks for the information and suggestion. I will be heading up there next Saturday. Just hope the building is standing and stays standing when I'm there. I plan to email several media sources tonight to see if I can light a fire in a few people. Hope its ok I plan to copy the photos from this site and send them with my emails. I will give proper credit to the photographers. Well need to end, take care.

RDW

[wardengine]

Jul 27, 2008 16:26:22 GMT -5 rdw said:

Tom

Thanks for the information and suggestion. I will be heading up there next Saturday. Just hope the building is standing and stays standing when I'm there. I plan to email several media sources tonight to see if I can light a fire in a few people. Hope its ok I plan to copy the photos from this site and send them with my emails. I will give proper credit to the photographers. Well need to end, take care.

RDW

RDW
anything that will help save this engine from destruction, i hope it works, let me know how you make out or if we can be of any help

TOM B

[rdw]

Thanks Tom

I just emailed the Pottsville Republican Herald, The Patriot News, WHP CBS 21 News, and WHTM ABC 27 News. I will let everyone know how I make out. I'm sure there is plenty of us who would do anything we can to save that engine. I'm sure if I could get permission to remove the engine, I know I would get plenty of help. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed. Just hope we ain't to late.

Rick Weese

[chief888]

Jul 27, 2008 17:40:29 GMT -5 rdw said:

Thanks Tom

I just emailed the Pottsville Republican Herald, The Patriot News, WHP CBS 21 News, and WHTM ABC 27 News. I will let everyone know how I make out. I'm sure there is plenty of us who would do anything we can to save that engine. I'm sure if I could get permission to remove the engine, I know I would get plenty of help. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed. Just hope we ain't to late.

Rick Weese

You know, sometimes bullying does not work.
I've been working on getting this thing out of that station for close to 3 years now. I have a personal relationship with the "bench guy". I was avoiding having the township condemn the place because I wanted to acquire the truck. I've offered money, I've offered to put it in the Historical Society, I've offered to leave their lettering on it, etc. I've tried to reason with them (there are more than just the "bench guy") and explain that I want to ensure their legacy is more than just a broken down building with a truck in it.
I grew up with this truck. My dad was the Chief when it belonged to William Penn. I've got many great memories of this thing. I went to my first fire on it as a kid.
I feel like you just ruined my efforts. I was trying to avoid bullying them. Even if the building is condemned, we can't force them to turn the truck over to anyone.
I'd appreciate if you'd back off a bit.

[wardengine]

Jul 27, 2008 17:56:43 GMT -5 chief888 said:

Jul 27, 2008 17:40:29 GMT -5 rdw said:

Thanks Tom

I just emailed the Pottsville Republican Herald, The Patriot News, WHP CBS 21 News, and WHTM ABC 27 News. I will let everyone know how I make out. I'm sure there is plenty of us who would do anything we can to save that engine. I'm sure if I could get permission to remove the engine, I know I would get plenty of help. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed. Just hope we ain't to late.

Rick Weese

You know, sometimes bullying does not work.
I've been working on getting this thing out of that station for close to 3 years now. I have a personal relationship with the "bench guy". I was avoiding having the township condemn the place because I wanted to acquire the truck. I've offered money, I've offered to put it in the Historical Society, I've offered to leave their lettering on it, etc. I've tried to reason with them (there are more than just the "bench guy") and explain that I want to ensure their legacy is more than just a broken down building with a truck in it.
I grew up with this truck. My dad was the Chief when it belonged to William Penn. I've got many great memories of this thing. I went to my first fire on it as a kid.
I feel like you just ruined my efforts. I was trying to avoid bullying them. Even if the building is condemned, we can't force them to turn the truck over to anyone.
I'd appreciate if you'd back off a bit.

chief, i understand what you are saying but it is time ,for what little is left before there is no time for the engine to be underneath the rubble but as you had said you tried for 3 years now, well wouldn't you think its not working this long lets try something else??? 3 years ago the bay door opened up with clearance now it wont open, it certainly wont wait another 3 years. good luck RDW i hope you get farther,this is my opinion. we are doing this for you

TOM B

[chief888]

The bottom line is that you can't force the truck away from these folks. Bringing in the media is just going to make things worse.
These guys were dedicated to this company and they were closed under some pretty tough circumstances. They still have money in their treasury that they use to pay their electric bill. They are also paying someone to brace up and secure the inside of the building. This building and truck are all they have left of something that they put their lives into. Yes, it's time to get it out of there. When they are ready, they will.
Do you really think that bringing in media to embarrass them is going to accomplish what we want? All it's going to do is inflame the situation.
As far as the garage door not clearing the beacon, that information from my guys originally came from me. I told them I "thought" we would have to remove the beacon to get the truck out, but it's not definite. The only reason they were not opening the bay door on that side was because they didn't want to weaken anything.

[radicalron]

Chief888, I think I have to side with you on this. It is THEIR Station, THEIR truck, and THEIR PRIDE that is at stake. (What would YOU {TB, RDW or any one else} do or how would you feel if this was happening to you. The normal human reaction is to "shut down" and go into a defensive mode. The bad press, and resulting bad relations do none of us in the fire service any good. It can only come back to haunt us. Some things take time, even if it seems you are running out of it. Tact and diplomacy would best serve everyone, although due to the building's condition, expediency would be best. Instead of trying to force them out, work with Senator Rhoades' office [ www.senatorrhoades.com/ ] and get them an emergency grant or something to set up a pole barn or even a temporary tent to protect the rig from the elements, and have the structure repaired or razed. I think personal greed is coming in to play here just to acquire a truck.

[rdw]

First to set the record straight, I'm not bullying anyone. What is my interest in this, plain and simple to help a fire company save some of their history. I have NO interest in owning their engine. I think the best place for it would be for the fire museum, not the junk yard after it gets crushed when the building falls on it. I do understand we can NOT force them to give up the engine. BUT maybe if more of us show them we are interest in helping THEM save a little of their history, just maybe they would put the engine in the museum.


Radicalron

You question how I would fill if this happened to me and a fire company I belong to? It would SUCK!! My fire company was forced into a merger. Is my fire company really around today, NO! Do to reasons beyond my control, after volunteering for our township for twenty years, I was forced into being an unactive member. I can't have no involvement. Our company has a 1934 Dodge Brothers Buffalo engine which is suppose to sometime someday end up in the Hanover fire museum. Which is no doubt the best place for it, because less face it the younger members will not take care of it.


As for getting the press involved, just maybe if they wanted to they could use it for their side of the story. Which yes the Republican Herald would like to do a story. Maybe they could raise the issue about getting Senator Rhoades' office to get them a grant to build a pole building. Now to play the devil's advocate, how can it be justified to the general public to issue a grant to a fire company that is actually out of service? A grant for a temporary tent or building. Really they don't need a temporary building or tent, I'm sure the museum (no I don't speak for the museum) would house it for them temporary. Well I need to end. I will read my post again tonight and see if I missed anything.


My final plea, if there is anyone on here that would like me and let me pass along your name and phone number pleaseeee PM me. Anyone who can provide me with a contact name and phone number for who is in charge at Lost Creek pleaseeee PM me. I will pass this information on to the Republican Herald. Like I said maybe they can use the media for their good.

[wardengine]

an emergency grant for what? thats ludicris use money/grants for fire cos/depts still in service of which this no longer is(its over, been like that for what 10+ years now???). also paying the electric bill for ?? the are/have been officially closed, another idea let the members go/join where the engine goes to.

my last comment on this , i will sit back and watch, let it fall , hopefully nobody gets hurt in process, but the term greed?? is totally WRONG . i will post the pics of it when the building comes down on it for those interested, times awasting, i can't wait to see who will have the task of attempting to shore up the delapidating mess. that may be the final straw for the whole thing by the looks of it.at least i can say i tried to save the engine along with rdw.but for now in my book what happens happens.oh and radicalron yes i have had things go on in my dept i didn't /don't like but life does go on.dont waste any more good money on something that is gone,unfortunately the only thing salvageable is the (re-)movable piece inside for a little while anyway. rdw sit back and watch i am. maybe we can borrow the bench

[rdw]

Tom

Before I forget, THANK YOU!! Strange how it seems you and I and our thinking is wrong for trying to help. Hopefully someday I can meet you in person. I do belong to the fire museum in Schuylkill County. I will be at their next muster out at the fire school. I think you have wrote somethings in here I was thinking the same way about which I will go into later. Needless to say I lost some sleep last night thinking about this fire engine and the postings on this board. I DO NOT AND WILL NOT get into a bicth session or arguement over this or other topics.

It was mention in a post about bad press. Think about this and I hope and prey it doesn't happen. Innocent lives were lost today in Lost Creek when the Lost Creek Fire station collapsed on them. I can see it in large bold black letters in the paper: FIRE FIGHTERS FAIL TO MAINTAIN THEIR FIRE STATION. What may not get printed maybe, is the Lost Creek Fire Company has been out of service for years. Imagine the bad press then for all the area fire companies. Imagine the law suits against the township. IMAGINE THE LAW SUITS AGAINST THE OFFICERS OF THE FIRE COMPANY. Yes fire company officers can and do get sued. Yes I know that for a fact, because I was caught in some legal issues when I was a fire company trustee, etc. This is something a lot of fire fighters don't think about when they run for an office. They just think whooppie I need to be an officer.

Tom, I agree what you said in reference to the grant. If I were to push for a grant I would prefer it going to Wm. Penn fire company instead of Lost Creek. Yes I know what Wm. Penn has for a fire station. One thing I can honestly say about Wm. Penn is they are serving the public.
As for the comment about greed, not sure where this comes into play. I have nothing to gain. There are plenty of other antique fire apparatus to look at and to take pictures of.

Tom like you I will be washing my hands of this. I have one final email to send to the press and then I'm done. As for the bench it may not survive the crunch. We can go together and get pictures of the collapse and then we will go to Frackville for dinner, my treat. Thanks again Tom.

[chief888]

It's clear you all don't understand the full situation. We are all interested in saving the truck, preserving their history, etc.
It's a delicate situation that has to be handled just right. I've talked to the "bench guy" as have some others about putting the engine in the museum, selling it, etc. Bottom line is they are not ready to do so. Everything you claim to want to do to save this truck, short of using the press, has been tried. You are offering nothing new, again, other than the press. I just think using the press will inflame the situation, feelings will be hurt and who knows what will happen to it then.
I've been working on this in a very thought out, precise way and felt like I was slowly making progress. They already know that there are "many" who would like to see the truck saved and would like to ensure their history is preserved, but this is their decision so far. No amount of bugging, bullying, asking, pleading, etc. is going to change it right now. I wish it were different.
Tom, I know you for a while now and I like you. I consider you a friend and hope this situation does not hurt that.
rdw, I don't know you, but I share your concern and passion about this situation. I have personal ties to this truck and don't wish to see it buried.
Both of you need to know that I am doing what I reasonably can to save this piece of history. Maybe I'll succeed and maybe I won't. Time will tell....

[rdw]

Chief888

I think I do fully understand the situation at hand. Till recently I came from the Hanover area. In the Hanover area in the last couple of years there has been three fire companies forced to end their services and my company was forced to consolidate. I fully understand what Lost Creek has probably gone through. I'm glad there are which I figure there were a lot of people interested in saving this engine. I just hope like you someone can say the right thing needed to convince Lost Creek to save their history. As for you wanting the engine, I can understand why you would want it. I know where my dream fire engine is at. When I was a kid, dad would always take us to see the black fire engine in his home town in Elkins WVA. Yes I would do anything in the world to own that engine.
On a side note Chief888, a friend of mine last night informed me that I had met you before. You were at your station when we stopped to take pictures. To everyone trying to save this engine, THANK YOU! Hopefully someone or several people can succeed with it. Chief888, if there is anything I can do to assist please just ask.

Thanks
Rick Weese

[rdw]

I know this is off topic, but I will ask anyhow. The Citizen Lost Creek 1953 International, does anyone know who manufactured the body?