Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
When the Warsaw Fire Department wanted to come up with a unique way to educate children about fire safety, firefighter Kerry Stogsdill had an idea.
About two years ago, Stogsdill decided he could combine reading and fire safety in a fun way: a bookmobile made to look like a fire truck.
And so the journey began.
A committee of people involved with the two Warsaw fire departments was formed to take on the project that is meant to promote safety in the community. Committee members Matt Warren (chief, Station Two), Ed Kipker (assistant chief, Station Two), Tim Hood, Shirley Fetro and Craig Warren took on the task, first deciding what materials to use to make the contraption. The idea of wood was tossed around, but then one of the firefighters suggested making the bookmobile out of metal like the real firetrucks.
Enter Warsaw Engineering and Fabricating (WeFab). The local company took a print of a real fire truck and scaled it down to a size appropriate for a first- or second-grade child. Then WeFab cut the pieces of the truck and donated them to the fire department.
Fred Parrett, a fireman and member of the committee, welded and fabricated the frame of the vehicle. Once the outside of the fire truck bookmobile was put together, a cart with a handle was welded to the body to make it mobile and easily maneuvered.
After the fabrication was complete, Lakeside Chevrolet took the vehicle and painted it to match the bright red trucks in the fire station.
Next, a working light bar was added to make the truck even more realistic. The rechargeable lights run on a 110 circuit.
Then D-Signs took the newly painted "fire truck" and applied stickers and decals to make it look like a real fire truck. A Warsaw Fire Department logo, silver metallic "windows" and other decals were added to make the vehicle look more realistic.
Firefighter Craig Warren attached hand-made wooden ladders to the sides, and hoses were added to complete the effect.
Once the truck was finished, book racks were added to the back and the Fire Truck Bookmobile was ready to head out of the station - with the exception of one small detail. The books.
Firefighters and community members have donated all 30 of the books that currently "ride" on the Fire Truck Bookmobile. To date, all the books relate to fire safety, but the firefighters hope to add books about other safety service organizations as well.
"It's not just for books about fire safety," said Hood, Warsaw firefighter. "Eventually we would like to add books about police, EMS, hospitals, home safety, and just safety issues in general. We are willing to take book donations also."
As the truck was nearing its final stages of production, Warsaw firefighters contacted Denny Hoff, the Warsaw Community School Corporation Director of Media Services, to work out a plan to get the bookmobile on the road. Now that the truck is finished, it is ready to start its journey to Warsaw elementary schools. The Fire Truck Bookmobile will begin its journey at Jefferson Elementary School this month and rotate to the other elementary schools on a monthly basis for the rest of the school year. In the summer the Fire Truck will be "stationed" at the Warsaw Public Library.
Children will be able to take books from the truck, read them on site and return them to the bookmobile. All books in the Fire Truck Bookmobile have been labeled and will stay with the truck as it makes its journey to the Warsaw elementary schools.
Anyone interested in donating books to the project should contact Fetro at Warsaw Fire Department Station Two at 574-372-9502.
