NORTON SHORES, Mich. — The Norton Shores Fire Department announced Friday that it welcomed home a long-lost hero— a 1945 Ford fire truck that disappeared from the department’s roster decades ago.
“It’s like going back in time. To have a piece of our department’s history is just incredible,” Norton Shores Fire Chief Bob Gagnon said.
Fire Station #3 held an event Friday afternoon as the piece of history was returned to the department 54 years later.
“This is an exciting day for Norton Shores Fire. We got contacted by a gentleman out in Georgia who happened to have one of our firetrucks from 1945— the year our department was formed,” Chief Gagnon explained. “Wanted to get it back home to its hometown and, of course, right away I’m like, ‘yeah, we’ll take it!’”
The truck once was an integral part of Norton Township Fire’s early days back in 1945.
The fire department says the truck carries not only the weight of history but also the spirit of a community’s dedication to preserving its firefighting legacy.
