The Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team Fleet

Many times we have been asked “Why do you have fire trucks on a counseling team?” In 2007, we began with a small team dedicated to taking care of Charleston firefighters and their families after the tragic loss of nine firefighters in the Sofa Super Store fire. It was a daunting task, and one we took very seriously. We knew as a new team, we would need to first gain the confidence of those we were responsible to for providing care and compassion. So, during the Christmas holiday season of 2007 we decided to enter the Charleston Christmas parade in order to provide some visibility for our Team. We hoped that with that exposure, we would be seen as a group that loved and cared about our firefighters and our community. Our brother, Ray Bennett of the North Charleston Fire Museum, arranged to let us ride on his antique fire truck in the parade. During our ride, one of our Team clinicians, Amanda Custer said “We should get us a fire truck”. Well, as they say, the rest is history and our mission to promote pride, love and excitement was born. Thanks to all who have supported our truck program over the years. The best is yet to come! Take time to look over these photos and stories of each truck to learn why this Team needs fire trucks.

“Big John”

Our flagship truck in our collection is none other than “Big John”, restored in honor of our brother and our friend, John E. Winn, Sr.

Battalion Chief John Winn of the Charleston Fire Department always thought about others and, even in his battle with cancer, he encouraged us to be positive. One of his missions during his fight with Mesothelioma was that he wanted to use his illness to raise awareness of the hidden dangers of firefighting. He knew that with proper scans and testing, as a part of a firefighter’s physical, cancers and other life-threatening illnesses could be detected early and treated accordingly. It was his wish that we promote a “Firefighter Health Awareness Campaign” to provide a method to improve and protect the future health of all of our firefighters.

Early in his career, Chief Winn drove and was a Captain on Mack fire trucks. With his blessing, we decided to restore an old Mack fire engine to be the centerpiece of this campaign. In March, 2012, our friends of the Old Fort Fire Department in Ladson, South Carolina had this 1969 Mack that was destined for the scrapyard. Upon hearing of our project, they donated the truck to be restored by our Team. Even when Chief Winn was undergoing chemotherapy, he joined us to help with the extensive two month restoration. As he condition worsened, we took photographs daily and took them to him to approve the work. Sadly, he passed away on May 27, 2012, and we worked until the early morning hours of the day of his funeral to have it at his service.

The truck has traveled around our community and our State to raise awareness and to encourage our cities, counties, and fire districts to provide the necessary testing to protect our firefighters. Over the years, it has become a favorite among firefighters getting married and has been used in many wedding ceremonies.

“Road Runner”

Our Team, in its community outreach program, works to support causes and organizations that provide assistance for our firefighters, EMS personnel, 911 telecommunicators, and their families. In early 2016, Dawson Reindollar, the then fifteen-year-old son of our Team Leader, John David Reindollar, drew a sketch of a fire truck with an Autism Awareness theme in support of autistic children. His plan was well thought out and the quality of his drawings gave us a great blueprint with which to work. We continued to work towards the goal of having an Autism Awareness truck when in February, 2017, our friends of the Santee Circle Fire Department in Berkeley County donated this 1976 Mack CF 600 fire truck to our Team. It has always had the name of Road Runner to reflect the mural painted on the cab by the Goose Creek Rural Fire Department.

We worked with Dawson to plan for how we could best use this truck to accomplish our goal. Thanks to Laura Meehan of Signs ASAP in Summerville, South Carolina for her creativity and wonderful support in creating the graphics and banners for the truck and to Dawson for his vision and drawings in helping make this dream come true. Special thanks to the Charis Academy in Summerville for being our partners in the development of this truck. The Charis Academy specializes in providing a learning environment for children with high functioning autism and other similar challenges.

The use of magnetics allows us to use this as a multi-purpose truck. By removing the banners and puzzle pieces, we can transform it into an honor guard truck for use in firefighter funerals or other events in support of our firefighters. It is available for and has become a popular parade, birthday party, and events truck as well.

“ROSCO”

The latest addition to our collection is a 1988 Emergency One Spartan donated by our friends of the West Florence Fire Department in the Pee Dee Region of our State. In addition to being a parade and special events truck, it will also serve as an honor guard and funeral truck to be used for providing the transportation of our deceased firefighters to their earthly resting place. It is available to the family of any firefighter in our State upon request, active duty or retired. The rear hose bed area has been altered to accommodate this duty in a safe and respectful manner.

As a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, we raise all our money to operate by soliciting donations. We appreciate your any financial contributions to help with maintenance and fuel to support the mission of our trucks. You can donate here or go to www.firefightersupport.org to make a pledge. Thank you for your support!

“The Charleston 9 Pickup”

This 1967 Chevrolet C-10 pickup truck began its life on a farm in Alabama where it was driven daily by Mr. Burl Dixon, a family friend of Ms. Ann Mulkey. “Momma Mulkey” as she was known by all who loved her, was the mother of Charleston 9 member Louis Mulkey, who perished in the Sofa Super Store fire on June 18, 2007, with eight other Charleston firefighters, Mike Benke, Billy Hutchinson, Mark Kelsey, Brandon Thompson, Brad Baity, Earl Drayton, Michael French, and Melvin Champaign.

After the tragedy, Momma Mulkey worked tirelessly to see that the legacy of her son and the eight other firefighters would forever be remembered. She acquired the truck from Mr. Dixon and had it shipped to Charleston to be restored as a lasting tribute to them.

The truck has been restored to its original state including the six cylinder engine and standard “three on the tree” transmission. It does have an after market air conditioner for our Lowcountry summer time. After three years of work, the restoration was completed to serve as a symbol of love and as a memory of the Charleston 9 for years to come.

Sadly, Momma Mulkey passed away on March 10, 2022 and it was bequeathed to the Lowcountry Firefighter Support Team to carry on her wishes of remembering the Charleston 9.