The district donated two of its older fire engines to departments in need of equipment. A 1989 fire engine was donated to the Duette Volunteer Fire Department and a 1980 engine was donated to Culberson Volunteer Fire Department in North Carolina.
"That truck was brand new when I started with the fire department in 1980. I've got a lot of memories," Hennessy said, pointing to the 1980 fire engine.
Hennessy said the idea to donate the trucks came about because he can remember when his district was a volunteer organization that depended on the kindness of other districts with more resources. Hennessy was the fifth paid firefighter hired by the district.
"I just think it's great that we could help out a brother department," Hennessy said.
Both engines will be used as first-dispatched in their respective districts.
Currently, Culberson's first-out engine is a 1969 model; Duette's is a 1978 that Fire Chief Jim Leonard hopes to donate to another less fortunate fire department.
"We know there are other departments that are worse off than we are," Leonard said.
Engineer and Safety Officer Ken Hadam, a former Manatee County resident, came down from the Culberson district with Assistant Chief Larry Boatright to accept the title and the keys to the new engine. Hadam's parents still live in the area and Hennessy said that was how they found out about Culberson's need.
"Some of our guys still don't believe it," Hadam told Hennessy. "They said 'We'll believe it when we see it.' "
Hennessy said the trucks are good vehicles, but the department has a need for newer equipment due to the high volume of calls it responds to monthly.
"We are running over 400 emergencies a month and Culberson has maybe 80 a year," Hennessy said.
Duette's district averages about 90 to 100 calls each year, according to Leonard.
"This is very exciting. It is a big step up for us. This is something that would be beyond our budget right now," Leonard said of his district's new engine.
A new engine is out of Culberson's budget, too. Boatright said its district is only given $1,000 per year and they are fighting an uphill battle to get a fire tax approved.
"We have to survive by donations," Hadam said.
Like Culberson, Leonard said Duette's fire district is the only one in Manatee County that does not currently have a fire tax. The district has no authority to raise funding and is strictly volunteer.
As the new owners drove away in the donated trucks, Hennessy checked out one of Southern Manatee's four new fire trucks. He said they are excited to get their new vehicles on the road and he was glad the older engines were going to be put to good use.
The new fire trucks cost about $370,000 per unit while the old units were worth a couple of thousand dollars, Hennessy.
"I'd rather see them put to good use than parked out in some field somewhere," Hennessy said. as
