In Memory of Jim Page & Rescue 11.
1936 to September 4, 2004.
Rescue 11, a 1947 Ford half-ton panel truck, is an example
of a type of vehicle used by the County of Los Angeles Fire Department in
the 1940's and 50's. Staffed by two fire fighters, rescue squads were used
to assist fire engine crews on structure fires and to rescue people who
were trapped in burning or collapsed buildings, wrecked cars, construction
cave-ins, etc. Rescue 11 was never used as an ambulance, but provided medical
first-aid to sick and injured people as a first-response unit. At the time,
CPR and portable defibrillators had not been invented, there were no civilian
paramedics, and 911 was still a dream.
Restoration of Rescue 11 began in 1991 and was completed
in 1995. The project was conceived and
financed by Jim Page, a retired fire chief who
was then the publisher of "Rescue" Magazine and "Firefighter
News". As a new firefighter in the 1950's, Jim was assigned
to Rescue 11 in Altadena, near Pasadena, Ca. Lacking the time and talent
to do the restoration himself, Jim visited Randy Clark here at Hot Rods
& Custom Stuff, in Escondido, Ca.
Although the original Rescue 11 was no longer in existence, Hot Rods & Custom Stuff rebuilt an identical 1947 Ford Panel
Truck into an exact replica of Rescue 11 with Jim Page's guidance.
The restoration included a late model 351 cubic inch
"Cleveland" engine, a C-6 Ford automatic transmission, independent
front suspension, power steering and power brakes,air condidtioning and
stereo sound. In spite of modernization, the exterior had to look original,
including warning lights and goldleaf
lettering. All of the original style rescue equipment and accessories that
came with the truck have been fully restored and mounted in the vehicle.
Rescue 11 is fully operational and could do today the mission it performed
for so many years.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, 2324 Auto Park Way, Escondido, CA.,
1-800-HOT-ROD-5.
Hot Rods & Custom Stuff - builds, restores, paints, services
and sells parts for classic autos, cars, trucks and street rods.