Working as the Asst. Fire Marshal of Lewisville Texas taught me that firefighters love to show off their apparatuses. A massive gathering of new and old fire trucks in Spencer, NC attracted a huge gathering of families and brought out the kid in all of us.
Fire Departments from near and far brought their trucks to wow the crowd.
It was an appropriately hot day to view the shiny machines designed to douse fires.
Kernersville’s 1923 pump and ladder truck
Function over flash is favored as these flat top fire trucks from 1945 illustrate.
Fire trucks have come a long way in providing safety and comfort to modern firefighters.
Spectators were encouraged to climb in and on the big red machines.
Karen takes the wheel of High Point’s American LeFrance.
Firefighters tend to have great senses of humor and patriotism.
Alf at the wheel.
Firetrucks have gotten bigger and much more sophisticated over the years.
Firefighters manning the newer rigs allowed people to don bunker gear and sit in the hot seats of their trucks.
Votes were cast for the best fire truck in the show. Karen and I chose the 1965 Seagrave.
This beast looked like it could consume a fire with all that cool chrome on the front.
The kids at this event could not have been more excited or harder to hang onto.
It’s hard to blame Dad for tethering this avid, little future firefighter.
The Fire Truck Festival was a great event that benefited firefighters and reminded us of the sacrifices they make in coming to our rescue.
A somber reminder of lives lost trying to save others.