Fire trucks were an unforgettable part of Rick James’ childhood. His earliest memories are of the Alpha Fire Company’s original station in State College, where he went with his father. James is now the historian of the fire company and now has a collection of about 35 fire trucks dating back to 1923. James doesn’t consider himself so much a collector of fire trucks as a steward of important pieces of local history and a testament to the service of firefighters who preserve life and property.