1938 South Milwaukee fire truck restoration reaches milestone

SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The South Milwaukee Fire Department reached a major milestone this week in its quest to restore a recently-acquired piece of the department's history.

What they're saying:

A woman in western Wisconsin recently donated a 1938 SMFD American LaFrance ladder truck. City workers were able to get the truck to "cough," a first step in the restoration process, when the engine cranked over.

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South Milwaukee Fire Chief John Litchford joined the Wisconsin Live Desk about the project on Friday. Despite not having any restoration experience or even a spot to put the truck, he jumped at the chance to get it back.

"They asked us if we would want it back and, you know, I thought about it for about a second, and I said, ‘yes,’" he said. "It was one of those things. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you know, is this something that I need in my life? Absolutely not. I don't need an 87-year-old restoration project, but I felt that South Milwaukee, we're really big into our heritage."

Litchford said employees from the city's street department got the old fire truck's lights and sirens to work, too. They hope to have it restored for a future heritage week event.