A piece of Leetsdale fire department history has made its way back to the borough.
Mary Jane Wasco, daughter of the late fire Chief Charlie Wasco, donated the bell of a 1937 Ahrens-Fox fire truck that was driven by her father for many years.
She presented it to council and borough firefighters May 9.
“Hopefully it can serve in some way as a memorial to all those men and women through the years who have served Leetsdale as a fire person,” Wasco said. “I’m happy that it’s coming back to where it started, with the borough.”
The chrome bell was on the passenger side of the truck and was struck when crews would respond to emergencies. Most trucks in the 1930s did not have the loud sirens like more modern vehicles and those in operation today.
Wasco said her father bought the truck from the borough in the early 1970s.
It was later sold to Weber’s Dive Shop in Harmony Township in 1983.
However, the chief kept the bell. It weighs between 40-50 pounds. The leather rope and clapper are dislodged and are in need of repair before the bell can become operational.
Charlie Wasco, born and raised in Leetsdale, died in 1988 at age 75. He served as a borough firefighter for almost 50 years.
Mary Jane Wasco said the bell became her responsibility Jan. 12 when her mother, Stella Wasco, died at age 106.
“She was a wonderful supporter to my dad when he was involved in the fire department,” Wasco said. “It becomes a special brotherhood when you become a fireman. It just carries on and on. She had a love of Leetsdale as well.”
Mary Jane Wasco wanted to find a purpose for the bell instead of selling it.
The donation is part of a collaboration with the borough garden club and fire department.
Wasco reached out to garden club member and friend Henrietta Kretzler. Her husband, Walt Kretzler, was a firefighter under Chief Wasco. Kretzler joined the fire department in 1960 and served for at least 20 years.
“There’s only about three living from that group,” Henrietta Kretzler said. “She called me. We knew the family from way back when. … Her dad would be so proud that it’s coming back to the department.”
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Garden club president Deb Canney said they plan to contact a shoe repair shop in Sewickley for the bell restoration, and will likely have a plaque made to go along with it.
The bell’s new location with the fire department has yet to be determined.
“There’s more stuff to come,” Canney said. “If you don’t have a history you don’t have a future.”
Chief Wes James was among the firefighters on hand to accept the bell.
“We’re very grateful to have the bell come back full circle,” James said. “We appreciate it and will make sure we display it and take care of it.”
The borough also has a bell from a 1957 American LaFrance fire truck. It is displayed in the borough building.
Where is Wasco’s truck?
Weber’s Dive Shop closed in the late 1990s.
It was run by Richard “Dick” Weber of Economy, grandfather of Economy firefighter Ryan Pearce.
The shop at one point had a dozen fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. Weber died in July 2020 at age 82.
“This was my grandpa’s thing,” Pearce said. “He was real big into the auctions and stuff like that. He bought a lot of military surplus and fire trucks.”
Pearce said the family business now goes by Weber’s Tank Testing and specializes in certification and hydrostatic testing of high pressure cylinders.
They still have a few fire trucks with one undergoing full restoration.
The Leetsdale truck was sold to a family friend in 2018 and sits in a garage in Burgettstown, Pearce said.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.