Markham donates fire truck to Liberia; first city to respond to ‘urgent cry for help’

It was like an adult version of a touch-a-truck event.

Erasmus T. Williams, a high-ranking official for the Republic of Liberia, climbed up into the driver’s seat of Markham fire truck No. 1533 Wednesday night with a big smile on his face.

He was also like a kid in a candy store dressing up in firefighter gear, which he wore over his dark blue suit.

Williams, who holds the lengthy title of coordinator/deputy minister rank diaspora affairs and ministry of state for presidential affairs of Liberia, was having fun with the truck but can’t wait for it to come into his West African country for some serious business.

Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa presented Williams and other Liberia officials with ceremonial keys to the 2001 fire truck, which the city has donated to the country. Liberia officials said there are just 10 fire trucks serving a nation of 6 million people, which has been causing strife for years but more so recently.

“We came here to let you know how important this donation is,” Williams told the City Council. “It doesn’t have to do with the amount — it has to do with the time. It was time for the city of Markham to respond and this will go down in the history of our country and the people of Liberia will forever be grateful.”

Markham native Moriel McClerklin, the African Diaspora Union ambassador to the United States and Canada, had a hand in getting the word out to various communities about the need for fire equipment in Liberia.

“There is a crisis that the country is having,” McClerklin said. “There have been a number of fires in the country that have occurred and there has been limited fire equipment. They are just standing by watching buildings burn down.”

He said the last significant disaster occurred in April, when the country’s House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s home was gutted in the capital city of Monrovia.

“People were in the streets just crying.” McClerklin said.

McClerklin said he reached out to several communities.

It just so happened that in recent weeks, Markham purchased a new fire truck and city officials were trying to figure out what to do with the 2001 truck. The old truck received a new engine and looked so clean parked outside of City Hall that one firefighter joked, “Maybe we should keep it.”

Logistics are still being worked on for transporting the truck to West Africa, but once it arrives, it will be welcomed with open arms.

“You just cannot imagine how significant of an act that this is for the Republic of Liberia,” McClerklin said. “You are the first city that has responded to this urgent cry for help.”

Agpawa, who was gifted with a robe and hat by Liberia officials, has been invited to Liberia for a visit.

“We want to continue to be a blessing,” Agpawa said. “We’ve been blessed. We’ve done it regionally and now across the globe. We are doing what this government is called to do.

“We’re just grateful to be able to do that and I’m looking forward to the partnership of us working together.”

The mayor, a former fire chief in Country Club Hills, said if he visits Liberia, he could use his firefighting knowledge to pass on to firefighters in that country.

Fire chief Chris Nearing, who said a new fire engine costs in the $1 million neighborhood, said despite the truck’s age, it is in good shape.

“We actually just purchased a new engine and then this (the donation) came up and it’s a great place for it to be donated to,” he said.

“It’s seen a lot of action in the last 24 years. Over there, it could last another 20 years,” Nearing said. “Their environment is a little different than ours. They are not dealing with the salt and cold.”

The city also honored retired Deputy Chief Samuel C. Harris, who spent 33 years on the police force and picked up the nickname “Robocop.”

“Nobody compares with him,” Agpawa said. “He will always be my friend and he will always have friends in the Police Department.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.