1955 Chevrolet panel truck. Photo Courtesy of Batavia Fire Department
BATAVIA, Ill. (AP) — A suburban Chicago fire department’s sale offer could make someone a regular on the area’s summer parade circuit.
The Batavia Fire Department has a 1955 Chevrolet 3800 panel truck up for sale. The department’s first rescue vehicle has just 23,000 miles.
And as the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports, it runs.
Fire Chief Randy Diecke says his review of a classic automobile website shows they fetch $5,000 or more.
Then-Fire Chief Frank “Bud” Richter suggested buying the vehicle in 1954 in his “Smoke Signals” newspaper column. He said it would be useful in hauling resuscitators and rescue equipment to emergencies. It would save space on firetrucks and spare a trip when a firetruck wasn’t necessary.
The $5,000 to buy the truck and equip was raised privately.
