Local Man Leading Expedition To Take Fire Trucks To Earthquake-Ravaged Nepal
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Fire trucks from several western Pennsylvania communities roll down Forbes Avenue with a long way still to go.
Pittsburgh watchmaker Mike Kobold is leading a nationwide expedition to send more than a dozen fire trucks to the Himalayan nation of Nepal.
Massive earthquakes four months ago reduced much of the country to rubble. The nation of 27 million has only a handful of fire engines. Kobold says that's about to change.
"We're going to send 12 fire engines across the ocean to India, and from there we're going to drive them to Nepal. And it will take us about a week."
Most of the donated trucks are from western Pennsylvania.
A documentary crew is taping the expedition, which includes Sir Ranulph Fiennes of Britain, named by the Guinness book as the "world's greatest living explorer." He ascended to the peak of Mt. Everest in 2009 at the age of 65, and gained an affection for the people of Nepal. Then came the earthquake.
"We quickly need to upgrade their ability to fight fires and rescue people in the towns," he says. "And that is what this project is doing."
After the trucks leave downtown, the documentary filmmakers set up a camera on the Andy Warhol bridge, taping the parade of trucks to crossing over. The fire trucks will soon be replaced by newer models in the communities they serve.
Worldwide donations will make them serviceable for their ultimate destination.
Chief Operations Officer Guy Costa, speaking with the ambassador from Nepal, says Pittsburgh is retiring seven of its older trucks.
"The City of Pittsburgh Leasing Authority will be donating one of the fire trucks that are no longer in service here in Pittsburgh for the relief efforts that are going on in Nepal," he says.
As for the other six, the expedition hopes to raise enough donations for one or more of them to join the parade to Nepal.
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