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Dash panel
in Alaska
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Front view
in Alaska
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At auction
yard
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Missing hose
bed cover
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Pump panel
in Alaska
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Mike with 32
at the substation in Soldotna
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At the
Sterling sub station in Alaska
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By Mike Beutler
In
Alaska
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first I really didn't think there was much I could
do, since the truck was clear up in Alaska and I
didn't have the money to get it, so I basically sat
on the idea for a few weeks. Realizing I couldn't
let this opportunity pass me up, I approached my
cousins Rich and Leigh Ann and discussed it with
them, and felt we needed to get the engine back down
to Oregon first, then ask questions later. I began
discussing the opportunity with my family members
and soon everyone who was in a position to pitch in
did so, and before long I had collected enough money
to buy a plane ticket to Alaska and $2,500 for
bidding. I knew it wasn't much, but it was better
than not trying. |
After
flying from Seattle to Anchorage, then catching a
puddle jumper to Kenai, I walked into my hotel at
about one in the morning. I was there a day early,
so after walking back to the airport and renting a
car, I headed out for the fire station and got
directions to the borough holding lot where the
auction would take place. I found 32, sitting out in
the rain and looking rather tired and worn out.
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The
first thing I noticed was the winch was missing and
one booster reel had been removed. There were some
additional lights, several holes in the body from
equipment mounts and one hose bed cover missing, but
it was definitely Engine 32.
I spent the day talking to everyone who took a look
at the engine, asking if they were planning to place
a bid on it, and several of them said yes, with
plans from converting it to a hydro-seeder to
removing the body and using for a flat bed. As the
day went on, I became more and more fearful that
these people had more money to spend than I and
would get outbid. I met many interesting people that
day, including the director of a church camp just up
the road, and after talking for a while discovered
that he not only lived in Portland at one time, but
was involved with a church I once attended and we
knew several of the same people, including some of
my best friends. |
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To say
the least, I did not get much sleep that night,
tossing and turning with night mares of 32 shooting
grass seed all over a hillside or the body rotting
in the woods after getting torched off.
The
morning started very dark and dreary, but I made my
way to the auction site, getting myself psyched up
to head home empty handed.
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The auctions started with small equipment and then
headed over to the trucks, starting with the yellow
fire truck. At this time I did not see any of those
people who were talking about bidding, so my hopes
perked a little bit. My stomach hit the ground when
the auctioneer started the bidding at $10,000.
Thankfully no one bit and we started back down at
$1,500. I soon was in a bidding war with a bidder I
had not seen, and he quickly ran me up past my
$2,500 limit. He bid $2,750 and left me wondering
what to do. I didn't have the $3,000, so I stood
there weighing my options. The auctioneer, who
apparently knew my desires to own the engine, looked
at me and said, "For you, how about
$2,800?" I knew I couldn't walk away for a mere
$300, so I went for it. I then heard some of the
best words I had ever heard; "Sold to bidder
116!". I quickly realized that the other bidder
was a plant to run the price up, but I didn't care,
Engine 32 was now mine.
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I took the engine out for a drive to get reconnected
with it and to see what it would be like if I
decided to drive it home. I quickly realized that
this was no vehicle to be making a 4,000 mile drive
at the onset of winter. I took it back by the fire
station to talk to them about storage until I could
figure out a plan, and they said I could park it
back in their sub station for a couple of months.
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When I
was at the station, I was talking with a Battalion
Chief about my purchase, and when I expressed a
little disappointment that the truck was missing the
winch and the generator, he didn't say too much, and
then suggested I follow him. We went out to his pick
up in the parking lot, he dropped the tailgate and
there was the generator. He said the chief had said
he could take it and use it at his cabin, but he
said I needed more than he did and we loaded it into
one of the side compartments.
I
returned back to Portland and began researching ways
to get the engine from Alaska to Portland, and after
some negotiating and letter writing, I contracted
with Totem Ocean Express to barge it from Anchorage
to Tacoma, Washington. Gordon Orth, who is now the
Assistant Chief for the department, drove the engine
to Anchorage in early December and got it ready for
shipment. A few days later, my Cousin Rich and I,
along with my daughter Jessica, went up to Tacoma
and brought her home to Portland.
Just
after returning from Alaska, I went to my mother's
house and began digging through some of my Dad's old
boxes. Much to my delight, I found a folder labeled
"Happy Valley Fire Department", and it was
a true treasure chest. In it I found the original
bid specs, drawings, photos, letters and hand
written notes, providing me details of the engine
that would have been impossible to figure out. I
have to admit, I had to work hard to keep from
crying with joy over this discovery.
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Page
1 The early years
Page
2 The 70's and 80's
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