A Late Christmas Gift

Foley Fire Chief Joey Darby handed over the keys and the title to a "new" fire truck to the East Franklin Volunteer Fire Department Friday.

The 1987 8000 Grumman fire engine- with only 25,000 miles- was a late Christmas gift to the Phil Campbell community devastated by a tornado last April.

Chief Darby wanted to sell the fire truck in an auction, but after seeing how badly Franklin County was devastated by the twister, he decided to donate the truck to East Franklin V.F.D.

The tornado destroyed 55 houses in the East Franklin community and damaged 111 other structures. Five people lost their lives -countless others were injured.

Members of the East Franklin V.F.D. will spend New Year's Eve on the Gulf Coast then drive their new truck home on Monday.