This past Wednesday we reported HERE on a tragic fire in Jackson, Michigan, that destroyed most of the workshops, tools and records of the Hand in Hand Restoration business owned and operated by Ken Soderbeck.   I have to admit that I was not familiar with the name, but I have never been deeply involved in the antique fire equipment phase of the industry.  Ken has a reputation of being the premier restorationist in our field thanks in part to his magnificent talent in recreating the extravagent artwork that was found on 19th-century apparatus.

He also restored and replaced upholstery with his industrial sewing machines and equipment.  In other words, a total and accurate restoration service.  Friends of his have written to us to tell that while the customer pieces that he had (two steamers and a hose cart) awaiting restoration were saved, he lost a tremendous amount of historic items from his personal collection … photos, negatives, drawings, original ALFco corporate records, a Cirkut camera along with his darkroom and most of his camera equipment, silk screens, his collection of antique fire buckets and bugles plus much more.

If you don’t know what a Cirkut camera is, it’s a rare, antique mototrized camera that takes panoramic photographs.  Soderbeck has an explanation and some sample photos displayed in one of his website pages HERE.

There has been a tremendous outpouring of support and help in assisting him to get the fire debris cleaned up and the business going again.  The stream of people arriving in Jackson over the four days, and continuing, to volunteer their labor is an indication of just how much Soderbeck is admired and respected in the fire apparatus community.

One email tells us that Ken and his wife Aggie are doing well as the shock of the event is starting to wear off, but the loss of so much irreplaceable equipment and records is difficult to grasp.  Already there has been a special fund set up in the Jackson Citizens Bank by an ad hoc committee, The Hand in Hand Restoration Fund has set up a website, http://sites.google.com/site/handinhandrestorationfund/ and they have a PayPal account established that you can click onto right in the website that will accept your donation to the restoration effort.  They’ve also posted the mailing address if you prefer to send a check.  Many volunteer departments  maintain a budget item that allows for donations to organizations such as this, so spread the word and ask your department to consider helping out in getting Hand in Hand back on its feet.

We’d better make sure that we stay on our feet and get this equipment checked out now.  I’m going to start some more coffee, then we’ll meet back in the day room in a little while.