Raymond Volunteer Fire and Rescue celebrates 70th anniversary

Today Raymond Volunteer Fire and Rescue is celebrating 70 years of serving the public.

The celebration kicked off with the unveiling of a new rescue truck, which was accompanied by the very first fire truck ever used by the department.

"Two days ago we received a new 2018 rescue engine. It’s a little bit different from the 1948 model that you see behind me," said Fire Chief Shane Cuttlers.

The story behind locating the 1948 American LaFrance fire truck, the first ever used by Raymond’s department, is quite the tale.

"14 years ago I was on eBay and I just happened to run across this ad on this fire truck and at the bottom of the ad it said originally from Raymond Nebraska. And so I called them right away, it was sitting in a museum in Montana," said Les Hornung, a volunteer with Raymond Fire and Rescue.

Hornung, who has over 30 years of service with the department, is one of the longest tenured volunteers.

After locating the 1948 model, the community helped raise money to purchase and have it towed to the fire station.

It’s quite the sight seeing it next to the new version, 70 years in the making.

"It’s just unbelievable, this 1948 truck that was our first fire truck in the district, and today introducing you to the new 2018 model that’s got way more capacity to it than we thought we’d ever had. I’m actually kind of emotional. We got the original truck back at home where it belongs," said Hornung.

In addition to the unveiling of both fire trucks, the celebration featured a pork feed, a bouncy house and a fire works show to cap the night.

Past and current members of the fire department could be seen reminiscing and catching up with community members.

"It’s our way of giving back to the community. Everything we are doing today is for our past members and for the community here because if it wasn’t for the community we serve we wouldn’t be here," said Cuttlers.

The new fire engine is replacing a model from 1994.