Duluth fire fighters use the most modern of equipment on the job but on their days off, they get their hands dirty on something a lot older.
This is a 1936 Pirsch fire truck in the basement of the main fire hall.
It's being restored by the fire fighters and the process has taken nearly seven years.

"It's done by guys off shift. We come down on days off and work on it. Every Tuesday we have a work party." said fire fighter Marty Schubitzke.

The truck served the Duluth Fire Department for about thirty years.
Then the Goldfine family used it as a tourist attraction for nearly another thirty before donating it to the fire fighters' union.

"We're going to use it for parades like Spirit Valley Days, funerals weather permitting because it's and open cab and any other memorial events like the 9–11 thing." according to Shubitzke.

9–11 is important in the truck's history because the fire fighters took possession of it on September 10th, 2001.
Fire fighter Gene Olson, who did a lot of the work on the truck is now serving with the Army in Iraq.
His colleagues on the fire department find it odd to work on the truck without him.

"It's really odd because we're communicating back and forth through email because he's deployed to Iraq. It's hit and miss to get things done asking him how things go together. He's explaining it over the internet rather than in person." said Schubitzke.

The Pirsch is almost done and the restorers hope to break it back in during this year's Spirit Valley Days Parade in a few weeks.
They feel the truck will be a fine tribute to Gene and everyone else who works as a fire fighter.

Marty Schubitzke tells us: "I think it is. It's older than what you see in restorations of fire trucks and it's going to be available for the public to see. Hopefully we can display it where a lot more people can see it than just in the basement of headquarters!"

In Duluth, Dave Anderson, the Northland's News Center.

This year's Spirit Valley Days Parade is July 31st.
If all goes as planned, you'll be able to see the Pirsch Fire Truck there.