TOLEDO (WTOL) - Al Hasenfratz is one of the Sylvania Township Fire Department’s hidden treasures.
On any given day, you’ll find him at the fire department, tinkering away on an engine’s electronics or checking the brakes of a truck.
"Every day, that’s all he [does], he’s concerned more about the guys. He’s always said that you know, when our customers, when our people call, the truck’s gotta work right the first time, every time,” Sylvania Township Fire Chief Mike Ramm said.
For the last 13 years, Hasenfratz has served as the in-house emergency vehicle technician. He dotes on Sylvania’s fire trucks, so engines don’t have to go out of service for repairs.
For him, the job means more than repairing trucks.
“Majority of the inspiration I get, comes from the firefighters themselves, because when they go on calls, whether it’s EMS or fire, the truck really has to get there. So I get a lot of inspiration because they have to bring their A game, so I try to bring mine,” Hasenfratz said.
On Tuesday night, that inspiration turned into national recognition from Firehouse magazine.
“To have him recognized country-wide as the top EVT mechanic--it’s amazing,” Ramm said.
”I’m just a little cog in the wheel that makes the big thing work,” Hasenfratz said.
”His concern over the safety, period. That’s second to none to him. It means a lot to us because he does care about the guys, the gals, and he cares about the public, because if this thing’s not operating right, it’s a missile going down the street. One of the coolest things we have going here is someone that really cares that much,” Ramm said.
On any given day, Hasenfratz is braving blazes behind the scenes.
