[AT] Had to read this twice

[Steve W.]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cecil Bearden" <crbearden at copper.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 8:05 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Had to read this twice


> Since I bought these fire pumps, I have noticed something unusual
around
> here.    We are in a severe drought with a high fire danger nearly
every
> day.  I have offered rebuilt firefighting pumps, and these were built
to
> withstand firefighting use, for about 1/4 the price of new.  I have
also
> built a complete unit with hose and nozzle to set on a truck or
trailer to
> fight fires with.  It is not fancy, but would do the job.  I also
painted it
> safety red ( something I rarely do!).  I have had about 20 calls over
a 6
> week period of advertisement.  All but one call was from volunteer
firemen.
> The one individual was from a fellow who had just won a bunch of money
in
> the scratch off  lottery.  I should have cultivated that call, but I
was
> really sick with respiratory illness and could barely talk...
>
> I would have thought that anyone in a rural area would have wanted to
have
> some method to save their home in case of a fire.   I built a trailer
> mounted pump and tank over 15 years ago. and bought a new pump to put
on it.
> Just happened to be one of those Briggs engines with the Magnetron
ignition
> that can't stand to be left outside uncovered..   The flywheel magnet
gets a
> little rust and won't work....
>
> I sold 2 pumps to a volunteer unit in the southern part of the state,
and I
> have another one to go to a small community in the estern part of OK,
and it
> is being bought by a rancher...  Then I probably will use the rest for
spray
> pumps....
>
> Everyone just waits on the poor old firefighter whose unit only
receives
> $2000 per year from the State of OK to take care of all expenses....
>
> Cecil in OKla

Not really unusual. The same attitude is all over this state. It has
been getting much worse with the yuppies moving in from the city though.
They seem to be under the illusion that fires just can't happen to them.
We give training sessions twice a year on fire prevention and knocking
out SMALL fires to prevent them from spreading. Hardly have enough folks
show up to run a class. We also are always looking for younger folks to
join, they all like the idea until they are told it's VOLUNTEER. Same
problem with many other volunteer outfits. Nobody want to be involved,
they all seem to think it's not their problem.

Steve W.