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FIRE TRUCK TO MISSISSIPPI If all goes as planned, on Sunday, February 10, Mike Wilbur, will have at our worship services a reconditioned fire truck, that is being donated by a fire company in Connecticut, to a fire company in Gulfport, Mississippi. Mike, one of our Deacons, a FDNY Lieutenant, and the CEO of Emergency Vehicle Response, a company that trains Emergency Responders, will be driving the engine to Mississippi and then joining our Mission Team in D’Iberville. The truck had been rebuilt by the Connecticut Fire company so it could be donated to Gulfport. But they had no way to get it there, until Mike noted that he was headed to Mississippi as part of Venture Crew 49’s adult leaders. It turns out that the fire company in Connecticut is also involved with a Venture Crew, and both Venture Crews will be working to raise the $1500 in gas money that will be needed to drive the engine to Mississippi (it gets about 5 miles to a gallon.) On February 10th we had planned to dedicate the group going to D’Iberville. Now we will be dedicating a truck and it’s crew as well as they transport a wonderful gift from the people of Connecticut to the people of Mississippi!
MISSISSIPPI MISSION TRIP · The total cost for the trip will be around $450 per person, with each person going giving $150 each. · We have raised about $100 so far for each participant. We would like to raise another $2000. · Contributions for the trip can be made to the church, marked on the memo line “Mississippi Trip”. Be sure to place the checks in a separately marked envelope also marked “Mississippi Trip”.
Mississippi Fundraising
Church Group Venture Crew 49
Many thanks to all those who have given towards the trip, including: the participants, the Women’s Auxiliary, those who attended the Mississippi Pancake Breakfast, those who attended the Venture Crew’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” Fundraiser, all those who have bought Mississippi maps, the JYF Fudge sale, and those who have used the Venture Crew’s Rent-a-Venture Crew. services! Thanks to the Session who gave $500 to the trip this past Tuesday!
THE WOODBURY FIRE DEPARTMENT Hotchkissville and Orenaug Companies 25 Quassuk Road ~ P.O. Box 561 Woodbury, CT 06798 203-263-3100 ~ 203-263-4641 Fax www.woodburyfd.org Janet Morgan, Chief Frank Morgan, Deputy Chief jmorgan@woodburyct.org DeputyChief@woodburyct.org
January 14, 2008
The Woodbury Fire Department had not planned on removing a truck from service but, when the truck was being brought from the Hotchkissville Station to the main station for ladder testing and the engine let go.
Just prior to this time, Chief Morgan had hired Emergency Vehicle Response to perform an apparatus survey for the department. The truck was out of service and the town had to deliberate whether to buy a new truck or put new engine in the truck. The survey came back saying the department was over staffed by one truck. This was the end of the truck. The town was not going make funds available for a truck that was not required.
The members were devastated. It was the first due from Hotchkissville and was in great shape. It had received its annual pump test and besides the engine problem the truck would still be in service.
So here we were stuck with a truck that was going to be sold as is. This all happened between August 2nd and the 8th of 2005. We had resigned ourselves that the truck would end up rotting away in the town yard. Then the unthinkable happened. Katrina hit. Chief Morgan went to the Selectman and asked could we give the truck to a Fire Department down there if we could get it back in working order. The Selectman agreed, BUT only if the fireman raised the funds to buy the engine and could get it down there using no town funds. We set forth trying to find the right engine. Not just any engine could be put in the truck. It had be a specific arrangement number to match the gear and gear ratios. It took us almost 6 months to find the right engine. Gowans~Knight in Watertown, CT was gracious enough to allow their mechanics to spend nights and weekends changing out the engine and they donated all the fluids – engine oil, transmission fluids, etc. It took almost a year to get the truck back in condition. But we had to wait for an open bay for them to work on it. Ok, we could wait.
Chief Morgan attended a conference in which Mayor Brent Warr of Gulfport MS was speaking. At the end of his lecture – Chief Morgan approached him and asked him if he wanted a fire truck. He was amazed – that we would give his town a fire truck. FREE. Here he had been making “money” on a copier, confiscating fuel trucks to keep generators running to keep food from spoiling and doing almost anything to keep his town running. And here we were willing to give him a fire truck.
The weather cleared. Gowans~Knight had the spare time and the truck was back in running order. Now – how to get it there. We called the Council of Governments – dead end, FEMA – dead end, Americare – dead end. The time to send stuff was over. The urgency of the disaster had past and we were on our own if we wanted to still get the truck there.
We started calling trucking companies, with the rising cost of fuel costs and the urgency once again being over – no one would donate the services to get the truck there. We kept calling, tried the word of mouth, and even wrote to different TV stations but the truck still sat.
We finally decided that if we couldn’t find some way to get down to Gulfport, we would sell the truck and try to recoup as much of the $2,500.00 it cost for the new engine. January 1, 2008 was the dead line. Even though we knew they still needed the truck, we just couldn’t get it there.
Then our good friend, Mike Wilber came to visit. Mike, a New York City fireman is not new to tragedy, he understands the system and how not all fire departments are wealthy. We scrounge for a lot. In November, he was coming to our area to teach driver training and when he saw the decommissioned truck still in the station he asked how come. We explained the situation to him and without a moments hesitation he said he would take it. He was going to MS with his venture crew and he would get the truck there, even if he had to drive it. We explained with the rising fuel costs it just wasn’t possible – he said not to worry about it. He would get it there. We could not believe it. We had been trying for over 1 year to get someone to take the truck and he just walked in and said he would do it.
I called Chief Sullivan and he was thrilled to hear the truck was finally going to head South. He is going to share the truck with several other communities that are in need and the truck will be put back in service once again.
So, here we are polishing the truck, getting it ready to go!!!! A small thought of helping – finally coming true.
Volunteers venturing south
Mike Wilbur, a Katrina volunteer from Otisville, is driving a firetruck to D’Iberville, Miss., from the fire department that is donating it in Woodbury, Conn. Times Herald-Record/SHELDON SCRUGGS
The Otisville-Mount Hope Presbyterian Church and Venture Crew No. 49 are teaming up to send volunteers to Mississippi to help Katrinia victims rebuild their homes. From left, back row, Jon Yourman, Brian Christensen, Jen Miedema, Mark Frank, Bill Demerest and Allison Wilbur; front row, Malorie Yourman, Rachel Swingle, Sarah Ketcham, Liz Demerest, Katie Farley, Rebecca O’Loughlin and Ben Cooper. Times Herald-Record/SHELDON SCRUGGS
By Times Herald-Record January 29, 2008 Otisville — Hurricane Katrina blew through the Gulf Coast more than two years ago. Thousands of families are still homeless. Two organizations in Orange County are planning to send volunteers to D'Iberville, Miss., to help rebuild some residential homes. "I thought this would be a great project for our Venture crew," said Allison Wilbur, one leader of Venture Crew 49. Venturing is part of the Boy Scouts of America and is for young adults, male and female, ages 14-21. Wilbur, a resident of Otisville, said she was looking for a worthwhile activity to involve the crew in. Venture's meetings are held in the Otisville-Mount Hope Presbyterian Church, which is also sending volunteers. However, both groups will go to Mississippi together. "We have about 37 adults and teens, from Venture and from the church, who are going to sacrifice their time and money for their stay in Mississippi (Feb. 14-19)," Wilbur said. She said the group will live with volunteers from other states in a volunteer village supported by the D'Iberville Volunteers Foundation, whose primary purpose is to rebuild the 1,250 homes that were destroyed in August 2005. According to the foundation, only 405 homes have been completely rebuilt.
Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:40 am (PST)
I have heard from Mike and he has arrived
in Lexington, Virginia at 6:50pm. He had snow from Scranton, Pa to
the Maryland border. A fuse blew in the truck so he had no fan (to
blow the heat or defroster) and no inside or outside lights. He
wrapped a blanket over his legs and drank lots of coffee. He had a
slight scare when a truck slid across the median into his lanes,
but he was able to miss him and the driver regained control and
got back on the correct side of the highway. He traveled 481 miles
and spent $188.86 in gas and will top it up in the morning and
head into Roanoke, where a Pierce Fire Truck plant will look at
his fuse problem. He is safe and sound in Lexington VA firehouse
and has already washed the truck for tomorrows Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:52 am (PST)
An update on the fire truck. The fire
truck would not start at all this morning. So the Pierce mechanics
arrived around 8:30am they are still working on the fire truck.
They believe it needs a new alternator. So Mike is waiting
patiently for the repair, it's not like NY they work slow and
steady!! So as soon as he is on the road I will let you know! It
is raining lightly in Virginia and 43 degrees. Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:28 pm (PST)Mike is finally back on the road at 2:15pm. They rebuilt the alternator and all is working well, Pierce donated time and parts. Mike gave them a NYC Fire Department T-shirt and we will be sure to add them to our thank-you's. He hopes to arrive in Alabama at about 11:00pm tonight. We will keep you posted.
Wed Feb 13, 2008 1:46 pm (PST)I am suggesting that all of tonight's activities be canceled. The ice around the church just keeps forming and I believe will be even worse tonight. Until this rain stops, we can't even effectively use salt or sand, both are washing away.
Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:16 pm (PST)Mike is just out side of Knoxville, Tenn. Truck is running good, he thinks he has about another 3-4 hours to go. Wednesday 8:00pm.
Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:51 am (PST)Allison reported this morning (before she and the 1st Mississippi crew left) that Mike was on the road for about a 350 mile trop to Gulfport. He should, if all goes well, arrive their about 4:00pm this afternoon. Will let you know when we hear for sure. Our next crew leaves for Mississippi at 3:00am tomorrow morning (or really late tonight depending on how you see it!)
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