WEST ALLIS (SPECTRUM NEWS)— The West Allis Fire Department is fundraising to bring home one of its first fire engines from the 1930s.

The West Allis Fire Department is looking to bring home one of its own but it’s not a firefighter it's actually a fire truck. 

For the Liska family, firefighting is a long standing tradition. Scott Liska is a firefighter at the West Allis Fire Department, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and the rest of his family.

"My step mother was also in the fire service and my sister just started here a few years back," West Allis Firefighter, Scott Liska said.

So it's no surprise that Scott found his passion at a young age, by hanging out with his grandpa at the station. His grandpa even showed him the iconic truck.

"My grandpa started on this department back in 1946 and that engine was the first engine that he took a call on and stood on the back tail board," Liska said.

However, the truck was sold back in 1971 after 42 years of service; now the department is hoping to raise enough money to bring the original truck back home.

"This rig served 42 years in our city and that's longer than the average career of a firefighter and firefighters are one big family and in many ways our fire engines are an extension of that family," West Allis Fire Department Chief, Mason Pooler said.

West Allis Fire Chief, Mason Pooler says the current owner of the truck who lives in Sheboygan is ready to part ways after his wife told him it's time to clean out the garage. This also makes the perfect opportunity to bring this antique engine back to its original home.

"Prior to 1926 almost all fire engines were horse drawn so this is one of first motorized fire engines that this manufacturer made," Pooler said.

For Scott, the possibility of bringing back the truck that his grandpa used during his 38 years of service would bring back many happy memories. It is even more important to him now since his grandfather passed away a few months ago.

"It will be nice to always look back and it will always be a memory that will pop into my head every time I see it," Liska said.

The truck will being back memories of where firefighting was back then and how it's grown to where it is today.

The fire department is fundraising through the community. They have been able to raise $14,000 of their $16,000 goal to bring the fire engine back home.