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Old Keokuk fire truck destined for third-world country
By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
A Keokuk fire truck will be used to put out fires in a community in a third-world country, thanks to a program founded in Iowa 19 years ago.
A group of Rotarians in the Iowa City area founded the Fire and Medical Supply Co. 19 years ago when they discovered that a country in Central American needed a fire truck. The program has grown from that first fire truck to include other donated emergency vehicles and equipment.
Keokuk Fire Chief Mark Wessel replaced the fire department's 1977 American LaFrance pumper earlier this year, and called Keokuk Rotary member Bill Cameron for information about FAMSCO.
“I was aware of the program,” Wessel said. “We really weren't being offered much for the truck and it would have been put in a private collection or something like that. I presented the option of donating it to another country and the city council thought it was a good idea.”
Wessel made arrangements to donate the truck to the Fire and Medical Supply Co., and agreed to store it until shipping was arranged.
“I am honored, along with my fellow Keokuk Rotarians, to be a part of this project,” said Keokuk Rotary President Mary Ellen Pfeifer. “The opportunity to partner with FAMSCO and the City of Keokuk through our fire department is a wonderful experience. We are thrilled to be able to facilitate the donation and transportation of a fire truck from Keokuk to our neighbors in South America.”
Assistant Chief Mark Vogel said the truck has had a remanufactured engine put in and work done on the pump. The still gleaming red pumper has been regularly maintained throughout its time in Keokuk and kept in compliance to fire equipment standards. There are 22,000 miles on the odometer. The truck was purchased new for about $69,000, but today has a resale value of $2,000 to $3,000.
“An equivalent truck today would be a $250,000 truck,” Vogel said.
The old pumper was replaced by a new, bigger truck with more features and a price tag of $390,000.
“We really appreciate communities like Keokuk,” said John Ockenfels, FAMSCO president. “The biggest thing is, if you could see those people in needy cities when they get a fire truck. They have a parade. Think what it means to a city that doesn't have a truck and has to fight fires with buckets.”
Ockenfels said transporting fire trucks and ambulances to other countries is an expensive proposition.
A local Rotary in District 6000 will collect the $7,000 shipping fee while the old truck is being safely stored in Keokuk.
In the meantime, a Rotary Club in Central America or Mexico will be contacted and determine where the equipment would help the most.
“Rotary in South America will find a needy community and arrange training for operation of the vehicle,” Ockenfels said. “We won't ship it there blindly. Right now we have three trucks in storage (one in Keokuk, two in Clinton). We'll load this truck out with additional hoses, nozzles, oxygen tanks and other equipment before it goes.”
The transactions are supervised by Rotary International to make sure the vehicles are delivered to their intended destinations.
The Fire and Medical Supply Co. also routinely collects used medical supplies and equipment, including entire medical offices. Everything is stored until enough is gathered to fill a sea container.
FAMSCO ships out four to five sea containers a year of medical equipment, including items such as portable x-ray machines, walkers, wheel chairs, surgical equipment and trays - all still sterilized, some new and unwrapped.
Ockenfels said University of Iowa Hospitals donated 150 beds after a remodeling project.
“This stuff we take for granted, these people literally are dying to get,” he said. “One maternity hospital in South America had no beds. The new mothers were on mattresses on the floor.”
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana and Mississippi coast, FAMSCO sent a 53-foot semi filled with supplies to the stricken area.
A group of Rotarians in the Iowa City area founded the Fire and Medical Supply Co. 19 years ago when they discovered that a country in Central American needed a fire truck. The program has grown from that first fire truck to include other donated emergency vehicles and equipment.
Keokuk Fire Chief Mark Wessel replaced the fire department's 1977 American LaFrance pumper earlier this year, and called Keokuk Rotary member Bill Cameron for information about FAMSCO.
“I was aware of the program,” Wessel said. “We really weren't being offered much for the truck and it would have been put in a private collection or something like that. I presented the option of donating it to another country and the city council thought it was a good idea.”
Wessel made arrangements to donate the truck to the Fire and Medical Supply Co., and agreed to store it until shipping was arranged.
“I am honored, along with my fellow Keokuk Rotarians, to be a part of this project,” said Keokuk Rotary President Mary Ellen Pfeifer. “The opportunity to partner with FAMSCO and the City of Keokuk through our fire department is a wonderful experience. We are thrilled to be able to facilitate the donation and transportation of a fire truck from Keokuk to our neighbors in South America.”
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“An equivalent truck today would be a $250,000 truck,” Vogel said.
The old pumper was replaced by a new, bigger truck with more features and a price tag of $390,000.
“We really appreciate communities like Keokuk,” said John Ockenfels, FAMSCO president. “The biggest thing is, if you could see those people in needy cities when they get a fire truck. They have a parade. Think what it means to a city that doesn't have a truck and has to fight fires with buckets.”
Ockenfels said transporting fire trucks and ambulances to other countries is an expensive proposition.
A local Rotary in District 6000 will collect the $7,000 shipping fee while the old truck is being safely stored in Keokuk.
In the meantime, a Rotary Club in Central America or Mexico will be contacted and determine where the equipment would help the most.
“Rotary in South America will find a needy community and arrange training for operation of the vehicle,” Ockenfels said. “We won't ship it there blindly. Right now we have three trucks in storage (one in Keokuk, two in Clinton). We'll load this truck out with additional hoses, nozzles, oxygen tanks and other equipment before it goes.”
The transactions are supervised by Rotary International to make sure the vehicles are delivered to their intended destinations.
The Fire and Medical Supply Co. also routinely collects used medical supplies and equipment, including entire medical offices. Everything is stored until enough is gathered to fill a sea container.
FAMSCO ships out four to five sea containers a year of medical equipment, including items such as portable x-ray machines, walkers, wheel chairs, surgical equipment and trays - all still sterilized, some new and unwrapped.
Ockenfels said University of Iowa Hospitals donated 150 beds after a remodeling project.
“This stuff we take for granted, these people literally are dying to get,” he said. “One maternity hospital in South America had no beds. The new mothers were on mattresses on the floor.”
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana and Mississippi coast, FAMSCO sent a 53-foot semi filled with supplies to the stricken area.
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