The fathers and sons who helped build many of Philadelphia's fire trucks

When Kendrick Weaver was a little boy, he thought his dad, Ken Weaver, had the coolest job in the world.

“I remember going to school and telling my friends, ‘My dad builds fire trucks,’” the younger Weaver said. “Not many kids can say, 'On weekends, I can go play near the fire trucks.' I remember very clearly praising my father. I thought he was a great guy. He built this life-saving equipment.

I wanted to be like dad.

Fast forward: Ken Weaver, 64, still builds fire trucks. He is the director of manufacturing and engineering for Ladder Tower, an Ephrata, Pa., company that supplies fire vehicles, particularly high-ladder apparatus, to fire departments across the country, including from Philadelphia, and abroad.

Kendrick Weaver has never lost his fascination with fire trucks. Now 35 years old, he works with his father as production manager of the manufacturing department.

“I love my job,” Kendrick said.

“There’s not a day I dread coming to work, knowing that what I do will make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Fathers and sons

The Weavers aren't the only father-son duo at Ladder Tower. Scott Hackman Sr., 53, is the facilities manager and his son Scott Hackman Jr., 31, is an electrical and hydraulic engineer. Dave Evans Sr., 61, is the service manager and his son, Dave Evans Jr., 33, is the head service technician.

Across the country, when you look at many fire departments – volunteer or professional, large or small – the passion for fighting fires is often passed down from generation to generation. It's not so different from the men who build the vehicles that firefighters depend on.

“There's a lot of pride in building devices like this that companies use every day to save lives,” said Scott Hackman Sr., who lives in Ephrata and has been with the company for 34 years. “And now the fact that my oldest son is a part of it really gives a good feeling: that we're participating in producing something that helps the community.”

Like all of his sons, Scott Hackman Jr. remembers playing with model fire trucks his father brought home, especially the trucks made by his father's company.

What was very important to him was accompanying his father to the annual fire expo held in Harrisburg. There he would see some of the real Ladder Tower trucks.

“It was really popular to go tell your friends that you were crawling with a fire truck that your dad helped build,” said Scott Jr., who lives in Elizabethtown, in Lancaster County. After college, he joined Ladder Tower as an engineer, a position he has held for eight years.

Scott Jr. may have stopped playing with his model trucks, but his dad still has a soft spot for them.

“I’m still a little kid at heart,” Scott Sr. said with a laugh. “I actually have mine on display here in my office,” including two trucks the company built for the Philadelphia Fire Department. “But I'm sure once the grandkids start arriving, these models will disappear from my desk and Grandpa will start this tradition again.”

“I was impressed”

Dave Evans Sr., 61, came to Ladder Tower 40 years ago after working as a mechanic at an Oldsmobile dealership.

“I started at the bottom,” he says.

He worked his way up to the position of Corporate Services Manager. His four children and now his grandchildren, including a granddaughter who just graduated from college, all loved being near the trucks.

That includes Dave Jr., a former warehouse worker, who arrived at Ladder Tower nearly 10 years ago. He is now the chief service technician.

“Every day is different,” said Dave Jr., who, like his father, lives in Ephrata. “You meet clients from all over the world. »

As a boy, big trucks were a blast, especially those super-tall ladder rigs the company is known for.

“I was in awe of the lights, the horns, getting in the trucks and looking down. Everyone looked like ants,” he said.

Even after all this time, his father still feels this feeling of respect.

“I can't speak for everyone, but I realize the importance of what we do,” said Dave Sr.. “It's huge to send a fire truck somewhere and know that you've done it the best you can, and that everyone will drive it safely, and it's going to last 20 years.”

Fathers and sons are equally excited to see their work out in the world. This happens often, especially in Philadelphia, where many Ladder Tower vehicles are used, both by the municipal department and by the airport.

“You see them on the morning news all the time,” said Dave Sr. “I see it on the shows, whenever there’s something in Philadelphia.”

At Ladder Tower and other fire engine companies, it's not uncommon for employees to extend their commitment to public service beyond even building the trucks.

“Many of our employees are firefighters and EMTs in their volunteer fire departments,” said Julie Nuernberg, a spokeswoman for REV Group, Ladder Tower’s parent company.

“Whether you’re building a fire truck or working as a firefighter, there’s this pride that’s instilled,” she said. “You are doing something very important that protects neighborhoods and communities. »

“I want to grow up and be like dad”

Ken Weaver, now a resident of Lititz, Lancaster County, was a firefighter before he started building the trucks.

“At the age of 16, I joined the local volunteer fire department as a junior firefighter,” he said. “I stayed on board until I was hired and started leading the local fire department. I stayed there until I got married, and my wife didn't want me to risk my life anymore, so I stopped working with the fire department.

During his years building fire engines, he was able to observe his company's work while vacationing in Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach. The feeling never gets old.

“We save lives every day with the products we make,” he said.

He passed this pride on to his son Kendrick, who started his own family.

Kendrick and his wife, Natasha, 31, of Brownstown, Lancaster County, have a baby boy, Hunter. On weekends, Kendrick sometimes takes his son to Ladder Tower so he can see the big trucks, just like his father used to take him.

“He knows what Dad does and he loves it,” Kendrick said. ” He's 5 years old. He says, “I want to grow up and be like Dad.” » He wants to build fire trucks.

“Who knows? It could be the third generation in about fifteen years.”