VIDEO: Repairs are underway for a piece of history in the Star City, a fire truck from the 1950s dubbed โThe Grey Ghost.โ
Right now, the Roanoke Firefighters Association is in the middle of taking it all apart to see which parts need to be rebuilt or replaced. The restoration of engine three is being led by a 19-year-old firefighter, Jacob Fariss. Heโs working with current and retired firefighters to bring the truck back to life.
โItโs been a blessing to be part of the younger generation and being able to enlighten the people of my generation of this history and bring them into it,โ Fariss said.
Fariss grew up around the department, with his dad working at the Cave Spring station, where he volunteers when not serving in the city.
Station 3 of the โGrey Ghostโ fleet was the longest serving truck, from 1950 to 1977, finally retiring in 1992. The truck answered around 1,000 to 1,200 calls a year.
