Original Snorkel to be restored by Smeal

From The DesPlaines Valley News:

A historic piece of firefighting history has been saved from the scrap heap. The vintage Bedford Park Fire Department Snorkel, which was reportedly on its way to being scrapped, is now in good hands after being rescued by a fire apparatus company.

Fire Chief Sean Maloy shared the news that the truck, originally built in 1959 and delivered to Bedford Park on March 31, 1960, will be donated to Smeal Fire Apparatus in Snyder, Nebraska. “They plan to fully restore it to its original condition as it was when it first arrived,” Maloy said. “It will be displayed in their museum and taken to various fire equipment shows.”

Smeal recently acquired the rights to the Snorkel name from LTI, and they’re planning to start manufacturing new models. “They want to showcase this original truck at fire conferences, and it will definitely serve as a marketing tool,” Maloy explained.

The truck will retain its original Bedford Park name and markings. “We’ll send them photos of the original so they can get every detail right,” Maloy added. While the village will receive just $1 for the truck, the restoration is expected to cost around $60,000. Despite that, the village board is thrilled to see the Snorkel go to a good home.

“This is an important part of firefighting history,” Maloy said. “I’m glad it won’t be forgotten.”

Interestingly, the first Snorkel was actually based on a tree trimmer. However, the first original model was produced by Pierce in 1959 for the Chicago Fire Department. “For some reason, they didn’t take it, and it ended up in Bedford Park,” Maloy said. “I heard they got a great deal on it.” For two decades, the Snorkel served the department in both firefighting and parades.

Maloy also thanked the newspaper for playing a role in helping to preserve this piece of history.

Thanks, Drew

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