By Khalida Sarwari
After three years it appears the finish line is finally in sight for Campbell’s Rescue 25 paramedic vehicle. Residents just might see the truck restored to its 1974 glory by Christmastime.
Until then, the vehicle will be in the hands of Clint Ralls and Clint Ralls III, a father and son duo who own Roadsport on Railway Avenue. The Ralls are undertaking the last phase of the project, much of which entails exhaust and detail work as well as work on the interior and graphics.
The best part, said project chairman Fred Van Hook, is that they’re doing it all at no expense. The car recently underwent body and mechanical repairs courtesy of Nancy Yeager and Russ Cooper at Cupertino Body Shop, also in Campbell.
When Van Hook and Alan Lowder, two members of Campbell’s first class of firefighter paramedics, received approval from the Campbell City Council in September 2009 to restore the vehicle, the goal was to get the job done within a year. They did not expect the setbacks they’d face along the way, said Van Hook, which included unanticipated rust and mechanical issues.
Throughout the renovation project, mechanical issues popped up, such as the need for a valve job and the discovery of rust in spots in and around the “catwalk” area in the rear of the truck, Van Hook said. That problem was mitigated by Mike Chism at Drake Welding of Campbell, who first noticed the rust when working on another area of the vehicle.
The repair included installing new diamond plating on the catwalk and rebuilding the upper storage cabinet. Mitchell Ng from Quality Automotive performed the valve job and painted the engine, said Van Hook.
“We just had a few bumps in the road along the way, but it’s getting really exciting now because it’s all coming together,” Van Hook said. “It’s starting to look like the fire truck it used to be.”
Rescue 25 was the first paramedic truck used in Northern California. Prior to 2009, the truck, a red Chevrolet squad, had been sitting idly at the Department of Public Works, said Van Hook.
Van Hook, Lowder and some of the other original paramedics came together to help refurbish the vehicle, coming to call themselves Friends of Rescue 25. The group also has members from the Campbell business community and other retired and active firefighters.
“We consider it a Campbell project,” said Van Hook. “We try to get all services done here. It started in Campbell, and it’s going to end up in Campbell.”
The project ended up costing about $20,000, most of which was raised through donations and fundraisers. The group received a big boost from Rock Bottom Brewery last year, when the business selected the project as a recipient of its Fire Chief Ale promotion, which raises money for fire-related charities.
Once all repairs are completed, Rescue 25 will be turned over to the Campbell Historical Museum and will be stored at Santa Clara County Fire Department’s Union Avenue Station. There it will be used for civic functions, parades and school tours, according to Van Hook.
The Friends of Rescue 25 are hoping to present the restored vehicle to the city at Campbell’s lighting ceremony on Dec. 1.
“It’s a piece of fire history and it’s a piece of community–Campbell community,” Van Hook said.
For more information on the progress of the Rescue 25 project, visit campbell-rescue-25.com.
