Truck, tractor pull benefits VFD

Cleve Miles has spent 25 years answering emergency calls with the Central Volunteer Fire Department. In all that time, he has fought fires, responded to wrecks and watched the department grow. But even after a quarter of a century of service, he says he has never helped organize anything quite like this year’s truck and tractor pull.

“It takes an army,” Miles said. “There is a lot of behind-the-scenes groundwork that nobody sees. It is not even just promoting the event; it is the logistics.”

Standing beside him was Kyler Hill, who has been with the department for 11 years. While the two firefighters are at different stages of their careers, they share the same goal. They want to build an event that not only brings thousands of people together for a weekend of entertainment, but it also helps ensure their department can continue serving the community for years to come.

For them, the truck and tractor pull at Walker Ranch is about far more than horsepower. It is about protecting the people who call Central home.

The department hosted its first pull two years ago, and organizers considered it a success. This year’s event, however, is on an entirely different level.

The pull is sanctioned by the Pro Pulling League and the Mid South Pullers Association, bringing competitors from across the region to the Shoals.

Miles believes Walker Ranch gives the event the opportunity to become one of the biggest truck and tractor pulls in the Mid-South.

“It has the most area. It is right outside of Florence, so it is close to town,” he said. “The accommodations are a lot better than a lot of the places we go.”

Competitors from as many as five states are expected to participate, along with several local pullers from the Shoals and Lexington. Hill will be one of them.

When he is not responding to emergency calls, he spends countless hours working on his competition tractor, a green John Deere called High Dollar Deere.

“It has been a work in progress,” Hill said with a smile. “It has been a pain in my side.”

Like many competitors, Hill welcomes visitors into the pit area before the event begins.

“I am proud of my tractor,” he said. “If somebody comes up and wants to talk about it, I will gladly talk about it.”

That interaction is one of the reasons organizers encourage spectators to arrive early.

The gates will open two hours before competition begins each day, giving visitors time to walk through the pits, meet drivers, see the trucks and tractors up close, browse equipment displays, and visit food and merchandise vendors before the first vehicle hooks to a sled.

By the time fans arrive, however, most of the hard work will already be finished. The open property at Walker Ranch will have been transformed into a competition venue with a prepared track, large video screen, professional sound system, vendors and seating for thousands of spectators.

“We pulled out all the stops for this one,” Miles said.

While spectators will see polished tractors and roaring diesel trucks, the firefighters see something different. They see turnout gear. They see breathing equipment. They see fire trucks.

Every ticket sold helps pay for the equipment they depend on when someone calls 911.

“There is just no way to survive on county money if you want to provide better for your community,” Hill said. “Fundraisers like this are the only way to do it.”

The numbers explain why.

Hill said the basic protective gear needed to outfit a firefighter costs about $5,000 before any training begins. A self-contained breathing apparatus adds another $7,000 to $8,000.

Even buying a used fire truck has become a major investment.

“A used fire truck now costs almost three quarters of a million dollars,” Hill said.

Those costs are difficult for any volunteer department, especially one that depends heavily on county funding.

“Our staple at Central is that we always try to go above the minimum requirement,” Hill said. “If you want to provide a higher level of service for your community, events such as this are the only way to do it.”

That commitment has helped the department replace several trucks in recent years while continuing to improve equipment and training.

Miles said the benefits of the pull extend beyond the fire department. With competitors and spectators traveling from multiple states, hotels, restaurants and local businesses also see an increase in visitors.

“It is a big thing not only for us and the community, but also for the Shoals,” he said. “It draws in people from everywhere.”

Organizers also hope visitors arrive in time for the opening ceremony. In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, the ceremony will honor American farmers and members of the military before the competition begins.

Admission is $20, and children ages 5 and younger will be admitted free.

Friday night’s competition begins at 7 p.m., while Saturday’s begins at 6 p.m.

For most people, the weekend will be remembered for roaring engines, flying dirt and clouds of smoke.

For Miles and Hill, success will be measured a little differently.

It will be measured in turnout gear that can be replaced, equipment that can be purchased, and resources that will help firefighters answer the next emergency call.

Long after the last tractor leaves the track and the grandstands empty, that is what they hope people remember most.