FIREMEN-TRUCK - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The Waveland Fire Department was in great anticipation 29 years ago at the prospect of its new fire engine. Several of the members had seen an advertisement in the Volunteer Fireman's Association paper for a six-year-old pumper, belonging to the Gallitzin, PA fire department. These people were under Civil Defense and consequently got a new pumper every six years. They needed the space in their fire house so decided to sell their 1947 Diamond T Chassis by Oren Fire Apparatus of Vinton, PA. THe Waveland men only had about a month to gather the needed funds. The asking price was $3,000, but Kenneth Milligan convinced them $2500 was all Waveland could raise. A 1935 Ford How Piston Pumper was the only fire engine available to the town and surrounding community at the time. To coin an old phrase -- "It is better than nothing." (but not much).

Committees were formed to solicit the businessmen and farmers. Individuals donated as well. All were generous and it wasn't long before Fred Bazzani, Larry Dean Servies, Herb Shuler and Charlie Calvert were on their way to Pennsylvania with great expectations. Lee Nevitt, assistant fire chief at the time with the Crawfordsville Department also went with the Waveland Volunteers so he could check the pumper and equipment included to make sure it was worth the $2500.

During the trip to Gallitzin, Herb Shular threw a cigarette out the window and -- opops - missed and it landed in the back seat of Fred Bazzani's brand new Ford. Irony - five firemen and a fire on the way to get a fire engine!

Mr. Nevitt was pleased with the purchase and it was decided Herb and Fred could drive the sparklin engine back to Waveland. In the hills of West Virginia, the clutch went out. Luckily, there was no major catastrophe and Fred and Herb got it temporarily repaired for the rest of the trip home. The Combs Garage at Crawfordsville put a new clutch in the Diamond T and it's still working today.

The Waveland Volunteers has existed in some form since 1896. No major injuries are in their records. The worst was a broken ankle suffered by Charlie Calvert when the Waveland Cleaners burned. The big fires covered by the volunteers have been the Federated Church at Marshall which was a total loss; the Machledt Servies Funeral Home (I remember them moving a body to our neighbor's front porch); a fire in Waveland came close to wiping out a whole block of businesses; several house fires; the Waveland Elavator fires; and a fire of several hundred acres of corn near Russellville.

At present, the Diamond T is occasionally used as a backup for the department, which has a pumper; a Chevy Tanker-pumper and another tanker, but its main function now is for show, parades and sentimentality.

There are 22 active members and two inactive on the Waveland Volunteer Department. Regular drills are held as well as training sessions. Clarhud Moore, long time member of the department is proud of his fire department and said it is likely the Diamond T is the only fully enclosed engine in the state of Indiana.

References: History of Waveland by Virginia Banta Sharp; Waveland Independent article of 11-19-1953 and 4-22-1954; Indiana Volunteer Fireman, October 1981; and personal interviews with Clarhud Moore; Larry Servies; Myron Banta and Fred Bazzani. Photo provided by Fred Bazzani.