TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Just across the street from Tucson Fire Station 10 on the Southside is a workshop surrounded by modern fire trucks.
But inside, there is 35-feet of bare bones from a fire engine dating back to the 1930s.
A team of eight retired firefighters stripped it down in hopes of restoring it to its former glory — They're a part of the Tucson Fire Restoration crew, an initiative revitalized in 2006.
It's a collaborative effort between Tucson Fire, The Greater Tucson Fire Foundation and the local union.
“(We're) trying to just...hold onto some of the past history as they work toward the future,” said volunteer John Roads.
Roads has been retired just two years now, but spent 48 years fighting fires across the country.
"I've never looked at it as a job. It's just a way of life for me."
Roads caught the fire-fighting bug early on.
"When I lived in Illinois, I was always chasing the fire trucks on my bike,” he reminisced. "And when I came out here, I knew that’s what I wanted to do for a career.”
And he's following a family legacy. Two uncles were firemen and his father bought engines for the stations.
Numerous other relatives also followed in their footsteps, with some in the Rincon Valley and Phoenix districts.
His grandfather worked at the Lunkenheimer factory in Cincinnati for 50 years starting at 15-years-old — later bringing on his grand-uncle and great grandfather.
The company made parts for American LaFrance and Ahren-Fox model fire trucks. Roads said he can spot the former factory's logo on the Tucson engines he works on today.
“It’s quite a trip for a firefighter to see these trucks because...these things were dangerous to ride on," Roads explained.
"I mean, there are no seat belts, there are no windows...just a few steps up from the old horse wagon.”
The restoration crew completed three trucks so far. They started the current engine they are working on in 2021. All four were at the scene of the Hotel Congress fire in 1934, which led to the capture of infamous gangster John Dillinger.
Weather permitting, the finished trucks will be on display at the Dillinger Days event this weekend.
RELATED: "Annual Downtown Tucson classic "Dillinger Days" starts Saturday — What to know before you go"
But Roads said there's a chance that the restorations will end after his generation because no one else has stepped up to take their places.
“I’m the youngest one on the crew. And you know, we’re wearing out," he said. "You can’t replace parts on us like you can the firetrucks.”
Mikenzie Hammel joined the KGUN 9 team as a multimedia journalist in the summer of 2023. She graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. With her passion for human connection and visual storytelling, Mikenzie is honored to share the stories of Tucson and southeastern Arizona. Share your story ideas and important issues with Mikenzie by emailing mikenzie.hammel@kgun9.com.
