Hempfield's Bureau of Fire donated a surplus fire truck to supplement training programs at Westmoreland County Community College. The truck, designated "Snorkel 500," was surplus equipment from Hempfield #2 Volunteer Fire Department on Thornton Road, just on the outskirts of Greensburg, said Doug Weimer, president of the township commissioners and a member of WCCC's board of trustees.
The fire department had replaced the snorkel truck, with its Z-shaped extendible arm topped by a bucket for rescues and firefighting from above, about two years ago, said township supervisor George Reese. The truck was bought new for the department in 1978 and was refurbished in 2002 but was still drivable and would become the largest mobile apparatus available at college's Public Safety Training Center, Weimer said. He said he officially turned over the keys Wednesday evening.