PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Often, we see how the worst that Mother Nature has to offer brings out the best in people.

Now. one group from Hooversville, Somerset County decided to help.

They hoped to sell an old Mack truck fire engine, but when the Hooversville Volunteer Fire Department heard about what happened in New York, they had a change of heart.

“Back in 1996 we had a flood here at this fire station and although we were able to save our main apparatus, we lost all our equipment,” “We had a lot of fire departments come to our aid so we knows what it feels like,” Richard Lohr said.

Instead of selling it, they gave it away.

On Sunday, men from the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department in Queens, N.Y., picked up their new truck and met their new best friends.

You see, their new truck — despite its age — puts them back in business.

“We do what we can. Now that we have a rig we can respond.  Thank you, you guys, Hooversville. You really came to our aid. You guys are the real heroes in our eyes,” Mitch Udowitch said.

When Sandy’s floodwaters swamped their station, they lost every truck.

“About 6:30 or quarter to seven, the tide came in. it didn’t stop. The water came in the fire house. We were two steps up, then it went to three steps, then it went up to six steps,” Capt. Richard Corchado said.

As a parting gift, the truck was loaded with supplies given from people here in Pennsylvania. Just call it a helping hand — Hooversville style.

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