VIDEO: A fire truck that once served the River Region is now making a life-saving difference more than 8,000 miles away.
When the Emerald Mountain Volunteer Fire Department received a new truck at the end of 2023, Captain Wes Gunn wanted to make sure their older pumper didnโt go to waste.
โWe get frustrated when we have good equipment that can do somebody good, but may not be useable in our context,โ Gunn explained.
So, the department decided to send the decommissioned truck to a place that needed it most โ the African nation of Malawi.
The effort came after Malawian ambassadors visited Montgomery last year to speak at an event. Gunn says that meeting inspired him to find a way to get the fire engine across the ocean.
What followed was a two-year process that included logistics, fundraising, and coordination with the government of Malawi. The total shipping cost was about $13,000, with another $3,000 spent on new tires to ensure the truck could operate for years to come. Both the department and the government of Malawi contributed to cover the cost.
โIf youโre a volunteer firefighter, you care about people. You care about the community and you want good things to happen,โ Gunn said. โYou want to see other people benefit, whether in your own community or, in this case, around the world.โ
The truck was shipped from Wetumpka, Alabama to Houston, Texas, and arrived in Malawi last week. On Thursday, the government held an official handover ceremony to welcome it into service.
