Dear Editor,
I have a burning question for the citizens of Fairfield Texas. WHERE IS THE SIREN FROM THE OLD FORD FIRE TRUCK?
This old truck is the original fire truck of the Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department, originally bought from the Chevy truck dealer in town. After years of faithful service to this city and surrounding area, followed by several years of neglect and deterioration while on display at the Freestone County Historical Museum due to the lack of funds, the old truck has been brought back to life through contributions of local citizens and businesses and the expert mechanical abilities of Bill Green and Carol Embry.
I grew up about a half a block from the old fire station, which is now the entry to the Fairfield Police Department. Many times I would find the door up where the truck was parked and would climb up into that cockpit and bump the button, located on the floorboard of that old truck, just to hear the chrome plated, bullet shaped siren, which was mounted just outside the driver’s seat, come to life.
Of course, it only took a- – few seconds for Mr. Willy Frank Tate, the City Manager, to come and see who was playing on the truck..
Anytime that truck went out to a fire, the first indication was to hear that huge siren on the old water tower screaming the warning that the fire truck would be coming shortly after.
I remember my daddy would stop cutting hair or shaving someone, grab the red flag from behind his barber chair and run to the intersection of Hwy. 84 and Mount Street, to stop traffic so the old fire truck could come through that busy intersection, making its way to wherever the fire was.
As soon as that siren started up the scale and down, men from all over town dropped what they were doing and made their way to the fire station.
The first indication that the truck was on its way, was the sound of that old fire truck siren, wailing its warning that the truck was on its way.
As the truck was being worked on, hoping to get it running for the 2017 Freestone County Fair and Rodeo Parade, I dropped by Bill Green’s shop just to see how things were progressing.
As I walked around the old fire truck, I noticed that the siren was missing. When I asked Bill about it, he didn’t realize that the empty bracket just outside the driver’s seat, once supported a siren. Since then, I’ve inquired of many about what might have happened to it.
No one seems to know how, why, when or who might have removed it from the old fire truck.
The hand, cranked siren you all heard coming from the old fire truck in the parade, this year, was purchased and installed by Bill Green and Carol Embry, the men who were responsible for the work that was done to bring the old truck back to life.
They knew that no fire truck should be without a proper siren.
Now, the question remains; WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL SIREN FROM THE OLD FIRE TRUCK?
If you have any information that might help us locate that siren, or know who might have that old siren, please contact me at 903/389-3368.
I am on a quest to find that siren so it can be repaired, if necessary, and replaced on the old fire truck, where it belongs.
Thank you, ahead of time, for any help you can be to make the old fire truck complete.
The old fire truck is now on display at the Freestone County Historical Museum. Go by and check it out.
Don Thornton
Fairfield, Texas
