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CNN Live At Daybreak

America Recovers: Seagrave Fire Apparatus Making Fire Trucks for New York

Aired November 01, 2001 - 06:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And hundreds of miles away from ground zero, where the World Trade Center once towered, some very important work is underway, work that is essential to the future of New York.

CNN's Keith Oppenheim has more now from Clintonville, Wisconsin.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As you can see, I'm wearing my protective eyewear this morning. And it's been through these glasses that I've been getting a fascinating view of how fire trucks are made and one of the oldest fire truck manufacturers in the United States and a main supplier to New York City Fire Department, which just recently ordered 54 replacement trucks from this plant.

Having said that, let's take a wide view of the shop. This is Seagrave Fire Apparatus in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It's a place that puts out about 200 fire trucks every year. And as you'll see, the trucks here are beautiful, they're complicated and they're needed in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM (voice-over): When the morning shift begins at Seagrave Fire Apparatus, the 350 skilled workers here go about their jobs knowing that what they make is important.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because we understand the people that are using them are the ones that are on the front line. They're putting their lives at risk to save other people.

OPPENHEIM: Building fire trucks is a mix of electronics, plumbing and engineering. The key components the chassis, the front cab, the rear body, on some models a central pump house that directs and controls water flow and on some others the aerial or ladder system that takes firefighters aloft. These elements are blended into highly customized vehicles.

Now because dozens of New York City fire trucks were damaged or destroyed in the September 11 attacks, Seagrave was called upon to make replacements.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is our way to be able to help them out in New York is get these trucks put together and back in service as fast as possible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see the guys, my employees, stepping it up because they know that New York needs the trucks now.

OPPENHEIM: The emotional investment goes beyond the walls of the plant. Cindy B's (ph) Pub and Grill has been a gathering place for firefighters who come to Clintonville to inspect the new trucks. There is a memorial plaque for the New York firefighters and a sense that everyone in this community of truck builders is giving back.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just feel like we're helping in some way. I hope we are. I just hope so.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM: Seagrave officials emphasize that they have other customers and they're not going to neglect them because of this New York order, but they are trying to get the first truck for New York done in very quick time -- in just 120 days -- so it would be completed by January. Overall, the 54 trucks are being made at a cost of $25 million.

Reporting in Clintonville, Wisconsin, I'm Keith Oppenheim. Now back to you.

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