Michigan Firefighters Drive Donated Firetruck to Abbott

Abbott Volunteer Fire Department hit hard by West fertilizer plant explosion

The Abbott Volunteer Fire Department, which was decimated by the explosion in West, is getting help from their firefighting friends in Michigan.

The Ada Township Fire Department is donating a gently used firetruck to the AVFD.

Members of the Michigan ATFD drove the truck more than 1,100 miles -- through St. Louis and Oklahoma City -- and stopped Friday night in Dallas.

After watching reports of the explosion, Lt David Murray asked his superiors if the department could donate a truck that was going to be taken out of service. The department is scheduled to receive a new truck soon, so Murray's superiors agreed.

But there was one catch -- the crew members had to raise their own gas money.

Murray said he printed up 50 fire department T-shirts for the event.

II thought 25 of our guys can buy them, then 25 of theirs; I'm not stuck with any shirts," he said. "By the end of the day, those shirts were gone; 100 paid orders for more. As of today, I know we are over 1,500."

The shirts have been sold to people in 15 states and even to soldiers overseas serving in the armed forces.

The journey down to Texas has been an adventure for the Michigan crew, with Murray saying the trip has been great. One of the crew members joked that the guys "got lost." The crew members said they got to meet the stars of Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas and eat dinner at Dallas Fire-Rescue's Station 19.

The crew will spend the night for free at the downtown Sheraton before leaving on Saturday to deliver the truck to Abbott.

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